Mayor-elect Mamdani names Lillian Bonsignore as next FDNY fire commissioner
Lillian Bonsignore, a retired EMS chief and 31-year FDNY veteran, will become the department's second female fire commissioner when Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani takes office January 1.
December 23, 2025 - 01:41 PM ET • 2 min read
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced Tuesday that Lillian Bonsignore, a retired emergency medical services chief, will serve as the next fire commissioner of the New York City Fire Department.
Bonsignore will become the FDNY's second female fire commissioner, following Laura Kavanagh. The announcement was made at 1 p.m. at Fort Totten in Queens, home of the FDNY EMS Academy.
A 31-year FDNY veteran, Bonsignore retired from the department in 2022. She was appointed Chief of EMS Academy at Fort Totten in 2016 and served as Chief of EMS Operations from 2019 to 2020. She is described as a no-nonsense leader who is well-respected within FDNY EMS.
"Bonsignore's calm, decisive leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic — when EMS professionals were more vital than ever — is exactly the kind of leadership our city needs in moments of uncertainty," Mamdani said in a statement.
Bonsignore will assume the role of fire commissioner after Mamdani is sworn in on January 1, 2026. Until then, First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra will serve as acting fire commissioner. Mayor Eric Adams' office plans to hold a formal swearing-in ceremony for Guerra at Gracie Mansion during Adams' final days in office.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is noted as having a similar personality to Bonsignore, will remain in her position under the Mamdani administration.