NYC Mayor Names Trailblazing Openly Gay EMS Veteran as FDNY Commissioner Amid Conservative Backlash

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at the FDNY EMS Academy in Fort Totten, Queens, that Lillian Bonsignore, a retired EMS chief, will serve as the next FDNY fire commissioner. Bonsignore, who spent more than 30 years in FDNY EMS, rising to chief of the division and holding the role for three years until her 2022 retirement, becomes the second woman and the first openly gay commissioner in the department's history. Mamdani praised her as a leader who "cares about their work because she did it herself" and will "fight tirelessly to empower FDNY."

Bonsignore, a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ individuals in public safety, emphasized her deep knowledge of department needs despite never serving as a firefighter. "I know the job. I know what the firefighters need, and I can translate that to this administration who's willing to listen," she stated. "I know what EMS needs, I've been EMS for 30 plus years." Her tenure as EMS chief overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic, when EMTs and paramedics faced immense strain.

This appointment follows a transitional period: former Commissioner Robert Tucker stepped down on Friday, December 19, 2025, and Mayor Eric Adams swore in First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra as acting fire commissioner for the remaining days until Mamdani takes office. Adams noted at the Gracie Mansion ceremony that "fires do not take a holiday," highlighting the need for steady leadership.

Bonsignore's selection represents a significant step for LGBTQ+ visibility in one of New York City's most storied agencies. As the first openly gay head of the FDNY, she joins a lineage of trailblazing women leaders, including Laura Kavanagh, the first female commissioner appointed in 2022, who also lacked firefighting experience but held senior roles. Kavanagh described Bonsignore as "one of the strongest leaders I have worked alongside."

LGBTQ+ advocates view the appointment as affirming progress in inclusive leadership within emergency services. Bonsignore herself has noted the focus on her identities: "It's kind of odd that the thing I get celebrated for the most – people are always like, 'Wow, you're a woman and you're gay' – are the two things I can't change." Her career underscores the contributions of openly LGBTQ+ professionals in high-stakes public roles, challenging barriers for transgender people, lesbian women, and others in uniformed services.

The announcement quickly sparked debate, particularly from conservative voices on X . Elon Musk posted on December 26, 2025: "People will die because of this. Proven experience matters when lives are at stake," criticizing Bonsignore's lack of firefighting background. U.S. Senator Ted Cruz sarcastically remarked, "A great idea! unless there’s a fire…." Others, like Brianna Lyman of The Federalist, mocked her orientation: "I know if I’m burning to death in a building I’ll at least be happy knowing that while the FDNY commissioner never ever served as a firefighter, she’s a lesbian."

Mamdani defended the pick on December 27, 2025, stating, "Experience does matter, which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS. You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?" Supporters, including retired NYPD Lt. John Macari Jr., pointed out that recent commissioners Kavanagh and Tucker also lacked firefighting experience, and EMS handles the majority of calls.

Bonsignore supports keeping EMS within FDNY and champions wage parity for medics, who earn less than firefighters and face staffing shortages. "I am a big supporter of wage parity. I agree EMS should have parity and should have had it for a long time. This is literally a job people cannot live without," she said. EMS salaries lag behind other cities, contributing to an exodus of workers and potential response delays, as noted by Tucker in a recent op-ed.

Both Mamdani and Bonsignore believe her EMS expertise equips her to lead effectively, prioritizing operational needs over traditional firefighting paths. As Bonsignore prepares to take the helm, her appointment highlights tensions between experience, representation, and department reform in New York City's public safety landscape.