FDNY Chief of Fire Prevention Mourned
Ronald R. Spadafora, 63, died as a result of a World Trade Center-related cancer and became the 178th member of the FDNY to die of WTC-related illnesses, Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro announced.
On June 23, New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro announced the death of Chief of Fire Prevention Ronald R. Spadafora, 63. A 40-year veteran of the city's fire department, he died as a result of a World Trade Center-related cancer and became the 178th member of the FDNY to die of WTC-related illnesses, according to its announcement.
"Ron Spadafora was a consummate professional fire chief who bravely served our city for 40 years and toiled for months at the World Trade Center site after September 11th, leading the department's rescue and recovery efforts," Nigro said. "In his extraordinary career, he fought fires in all five boroughs, improved training for every FDNY member, and, as the Chief of Fire Prevention for the last eight years, Ron's dedication and leadership led to greater safety and protection for millions of New Yorkers."
Spadafora supervised the rescue and recovery efforts at the WTC site as a deputy chief and became the World Trade Center Chief of Safety for the entire recovery operation. In 2005, he was the deputy incident commander with the FDNY Incident Management Team in New Orleans, tasked with assisting the New Orleans Fire Department in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In October 2012, he served as chief of logistics for the preparation for Hurricane Sandy.
The announcement said Spadafora was a frequent contributor to WNYF Magazine, the official training publication of the FDNY, writing numerous articles on fire operations, training, and safety.