How Do I Write a Letter to the New York City Fire Commissioner?

The FDNY fire commissioner oversees more than 16,000 firefighters.

The New York City Fire Commissioner is a civilian administrator appointed by the mayor of New York City. The commissioner oversees all aspects of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), including all provided fire services and business policy management. The FDNY is the world's largest fire department with more than 16,000 firefighters; emergency medical service providers and civilian members also are employed through the FDNY. The commissioner can be contacted via email regarding various topics related to the FDNY including compliments, complaints and requests for information.

Instructions

1. Compose your letter. Clearly address all the pertinent points you wish to bring to the commissioner's attention. Maintain a respectful tone even if your letter contains complaints.

2. Check your draft for clarity. If your letter regards a current problem, specify that this problem should be addressed by the commissioner and suggest any possible solutions you may have. Be as specific as possible in your letter, providing names, dates and times as necessary.

3. Check your letter for spelling and grammatical errors. Have a friend or mentor proofread your letter as well.

4. Revise your letter as necessary to reduce the word count to 150 or less. The email form to contact the commissioner limits messages to this word count. If necessary, split your letter into two main points and send separate messages.

5. Access the FDNY's website and click the link to send an email to the commissioner (link provided in References). Fill in your contact information and message and submit.

Tips & Warnings

• The FDNY Fire Commissioner managers the entire fire department, which means he has little spare time. Specify in your letter whether you require a response from the commissioner or not. If the issues outlined in your letter need to be addressed immediately, call the fire department directly instead of sending a letter.

References

• Community Toolbox: Writing Letters to Elected Officials
• New York City Fire Department: Salvatore J. Cassano
• New York City Fire Department: Send a message to Salvatore Cassano, Commissioner

Resources

• New York City Fire Department