Chamber Honors FDNY and EMS at Annual Valor Awards Ceremony

Mar 28

On Wednesday, March 27, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Staten Island Media Group and the FDNY, hosted its annual FDNY & EMS Valor Awards. The awards luncheon, which hosted more than 250 attendees from the FDNY, EMS, business, and nonprofit communities on Staten Island, honored individuals in the FDNY and EMS that demonstrated extraordinary acts of heroism and care in 2023.

The event, hosted at the Island Chateau, was sponsored by Signature Sponsors Barasch & McGarry, Richmond University Medical Center, Sottile Security, and Staten Island University Hospital, as well as Partner Sponsor The Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens served as the event’s keynote speaker. Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, District Attorney Michael McMahon, and Councilmember David Carr were also in attendance, with each official taking the podium to thank the honorees for their service. Staten Island Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Linda Baran and Rab’s Country Lanes Proprietor Frank Wilkinson thanked the honorees on behalf of the borough’s business community.

“This event is the business community’s way of saying thank you to our firefighters and EMS workers that serve our borough and save lives every day,” said Linda Baran. “It is not an easy job. On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce and the businesses we serve, we commend you for your hard work.”

“We are present on what is often the worst day in someone’s life,” said Chief of Department Hodgens. “It could be a serious injury, a heart attack, a fire or numerous emergency conditions,’' said the chief of department. “What all of these emergencies have in common is that people call us when they need our help. In the direst of situations, when everybody else wants to walk away, you all show up and put your lives on the line and deliver excellent medical care to make the situation better.”

The full list of awardees and a photo gallery by Steve White of Staten Arts Photography is below.