Past Events

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Annual Santa Rescue

The New York City Fire Museum hosts an Annual Santa Rescue, a beloved community fundraising event showcasing the impressive skills of FDNY Ladder Co. 1. This cherished holiday tradition draws numerous families who gather to witness the festive demonstration despite NYC weather conditions.

The event highlights the ongoing partnership between the Museum and various FDNY units, including Ladder Truck 1, Fire Safety, and Ceremonial Units, all of whom contribute significantly to making the day special for attendees. This yearly celebration continues to serve as both an important fundraising opportunity and a meaningful way to connect the community with New York's firefighting heritage while promoting fire safety education.

The Santa Rescue remains one of the Museum's signature annual events, bringing together New Yorkers in support of the Museum's mission to preserve and share the rich history of the city's fire service.

First Sunday in December

NYC Fire Museum Hosted Fire Safety Symposium for
NYCHA Resident Leaders

October 18, 2023

The New York City Fire Museum launched a fire safety education initiative in collaboration with the Public Housing Community Fund and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) on October 18. The first-ever NYCHA Fire Safety Symposium gathered nearly 100 NYCHA Resident Leaders and guests for a comprehensive training session on building and fire safety. The evening featured prominent speakers including FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens, FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn, and Public Housing Community Fund Executive Director Alex Zablocki, with NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt providing a special welcome via video. Attendees benefited from an expert panel of fire safety professionals and educators who shared knowledge about fire prevention, root causes of fires, and protective measures. The symposium reflected the Museum's dedicated mission to educate New Yorkers about fire safety, with a particular focus on empowering public housing residents with potentially life-saving information through interactive learning and community collaboration.

Strike Up The Band

A Tribute to the Bands of the Bravest

June 1st, 2023 

Celebrated the opening of our new exhibit, Strike Up the Band: A Tribute to the Bands of the Bravest, the NYC Fire Museum invited visitors to a special opening event, including an exhibition viewing and a screening of Through Triumph and Tragedy, a documentary celebrating the 50-year history of the FDNY Pipes and Drums.

EXHIBIT INFO

The Great New York Fire of 1776 

Private Exhibition Viewing and Panel Discussion

March 21, 2023 

As part of its six-month exhibition, "Colonial Firefighting & the American Revolution," the Museum hosted a private viewing and special panel discussion on the great fire of 1776. The event explored how the fire started, how it was fought, and who was to blame for the devastation and suffering it caused.

The panel examined Revolutionary-era Manhattan's chaotic scene of American Loyalists, British troops, Patriot spies, and thousands of New Yorkers seeking to weather the maelstrom of the Revolution. Panelists discussed how in the 1730s, the colonial legislature of New York officially created a fire department, giving birth to today's FDNY. They explained that in 1776, as Washington withdrew from the city and the British rushed in, those firefighters had to choose – fight for the Patriot cause, fight for the British, or keep fighting fires in the city as they had for forty years.

The discussion highlighted that just days after the British took control of the city, on September 21, 1776, a fire broke out at the tip of the island.

By daybreak, it had consumed five hundred buildings, becoming the most destructive fire in colonial North America. The panel explored the ongoing controversy surrounding who started the fire and why, with the British claiming it was set by Patriot arsonists while the American Congress asserted Patriot innocence.

This special program featured Robert W. Snyder as moderator, who is the Manhattan Borough Historian and professor emeritus of American Studies and Journalism at Rutgers University. The distinguished panelists included Benjamin Carp, author of "The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution"; Bruce Twickler, author of "New York Firefighting and the American Revolution"; and Gary Urbanowicz, Honorary Assistant Chief and FDNY historian.

The exhibition is now part of the Museum's permanent collection.

WATCH DISCUSSION

Person Place Thing

February 1, 2023

Person Place Thing is an interview show based on the idea that people are particularly engaging when they speak not directly about themselves but about something they care about. Guests talk about one person, one place, and one thing that are important to them. The result? Surprising stories from great talkers.

The New York City Fire Museum hosted a special taping of Person Place Thing on Wednesday, February 1st. Host Randy Cohen joined special guest Gary Urbanowicz....FDNY historian, author, host of the popular "Throwback FDNY" podcast, former Executive Director of the New York City Fire Museum, and proud son of a New York City Firefighter. The event featured live music by "Piano Pete" (Pete Favilla). The episode was recorded with a live audience for later broadcast across Northeast Public Radio.

More about Person Place Thing:

Person Place Thing takes place in front of an audience, with live music, at a variety of venues and is then edited for broadcast across a 23-station regional radio network, and a dozen other public radio stations around the country. You can stream PPT’s archive at PersonPlaceThing.org or download episodes via iTunes.

A Night at the FDNY Museum

The New York City Fire Museum celebrated the opening of the special exhibition "Firehouse: The Photography of Jill Freedman" with a community event. The celebration included a private viewing of the exhibition, light fare, an open beer and wine bar, raffle prizes, a silent auction, and more.

This special exhibition showcased Jill Freedman's powerful photographic work documenting firefighters and was on display from October 12, 2022 through May 2024. The exhibition provided visitors with an intimate glimpse into the daily lives of New York City's firefighters through Freedman's distinctive artistic lens.

The opening celebration brought together Museum supporters, photography enthusiasts, and members of the firefighting community to honor Freedman's contribution to documenting this vital aspect of New York City's history and culture.