Laura Kavanagh ’04 has been named second in command of the largest fire department in the country. She was appointed as first deputy commissioner for the New York Fire Department (FDNY) in January and will report directly to the fire commissioner.
Since joining FDNY in 2014, Kavanagh has made a huge impact. She has secured funding for the department, worked to pass legislation to protect first responders, directed initiatives to aid families of FDNY employees who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, organized a campaign to distribute and install more than 140,000 smoke alarms in New York City homes, and led a recruitment campaign which yielded the most diverse applicant pool in FDNY history, among other efforts. She is only the second woman to serve in this post in a male-dominated department. Kavanagh is proud of the role she plays in helping to save and improve the lives of New Yorkers.
“It is an honor to advocate for the greatest Fire Department in the world,” said Kavanagh. “Which to me means making the right decision, even when it is not the easy decision, for the Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics, and Fire Inspectors who count on us to make those decisions – even when those decisions are difficult.”
Before joining FDNY, Kavanagh served as special assistant to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and senior advisor on his mayoral campaign. Kavanagh earned a B.A. in political science and international relations from Whittier College.