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 In Order to present the FDNY at its uniform best, it is incumbent upon us to develop a Ceremonial Unit that represents the Department with the bearing and esprit de corps that the world has come to expect.
The Ceremonial Unit's task is to ensure that the tradition and history of the department are remembered and carried forward. Most people who have attended recent Department events might have noticed the distinctive new uniforms of the FDNY Ceremonial Unit. Although new to us, the Ceremonial Unit has a strong pedigree within the FDNY. The epaulette was last seen on the FDNY 50 years ago. The retirement of the FDNY band in 1958 marked the end of the epaulette as a feature of the FDNY uniform. In addition to the epaulette, members of the Ceremonial Unit wear a braided shoulder cord. A standard of uniformed ceremonial units, the braided shoulder cord in white allows member to be easily identified and to quickly identify each other in a crowd.
Traditionally, a color guard was drawn from members detailed to the event from various Battalions and Divisions. Due to the increasing sophistication involved in planning and executing interagency events; the need for a more professional Ceremonial Unit was recognized. In the early 1990’s a Department color guard was organized at the Bureau of Training from members of the Special Projects Unit. These members functioned as the Ceremonial Unit throughout the 1990’s. Post September 11, 2001, the FDNY recognized the need to expand the presence and role of the Ceremonial Unit. Many of the protocols and procedures developed by the original ceremonial unit have been adopted and/or modified for use by the new unit.
Members of the Ceremonial Unit are selected from a pool of volunteers. Most of whom, have prior experience as members of the armed forces color guards. The unit is composed of fifty members from the Fire and EMS commands. Three of which are Department buglers and four are official singers. Recognition of a job performance plays a significant role in the selection and enlistment process of the ceremonial officer. The ceremonial officers are field personnel drawn from firehouses and EMS stations. By utilizing members from the field, the Ceremonial Unit has a closer connection to the field sensitive issues which might otherwise have been overlooked.
The Ceremonial Unit organizes; Color Guard events, Graduations, Promotions, funerals, local unit Plaque dedications for Centennial Celebrations and Remembrances (both Line of Duty and non-line of Duty deaths). The larger events that the unit manages in conjunction with the Special Events Office include Annual FDNY Medal Day and the FDNY’s Memorial Day. The unit also takes pride with its role ensuring the remembrances of the notable tragic events; such as the 23rd Street fire, The Triangle Shirt Factory fire and September 11, 2001.
The Ceremonial Unit’s most prominent visual and important role is managing and executing a Line of Duty Funeral for one of our own. This most solemn and dignified ceremony must and will continue to exist, not only for the mourning of our fallen comrade, but for the support of the deceased’s family and the support of the FDNY family. The Ceremonial Unit, with the help of the Family Assistance Unit, orchestrates a plan to meet the family’s needs and the needs of the member’s unit. The plan runs and continues through from the earliest time possible, the wake service, the funeral, and concludes at the gravesite. The Unit constantly evaluates and evolves to accomplish this most sacred and solemn task.
A major improvement is the deployment of a Command vehicle. It provides the utilization of increased wattage radios configured with surveillance type equipment, a ceremonial equipment package capable of handling various event configurations and a state of the art sound system capable of addressing large crowds simultaneously while being remote from the main event. Another recent change to come out of this evaluation process is the development of the EMS Honor Detail. This detail will perform the service of the pall bearers for a fallen EMS worker. The detail receives training throughout the year with the focus on respect and pride.
The Ceremonial Unit trains continuously through the calendar year between events. This year’s training was highlighted by an all day intensive training session conducted by the elite United States Army Honor Guard.
Additional information about the Bureau of Training:
Programs offered at the FDNY Fire Academy
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