'What needs fixing is her': FDNY head Laura Kavanagh slammed for apologizing to Letitia James for not being able to 'fix' firefighters

Laura Kavanagh sent message to James Letitia after latter was booed on March 7 during department promotion event that saw chantings for Donald Trump
UPDATED JUL 1, 2024
Laura Kavanagh apologized to Letitia James on behalf of firefighters (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Trust and M Santiago/Getty Images)
Laura Kavanagh apologized to Letitia James on behalf of firefighters (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Empire State Trust and M Santiago/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The first woman Fire Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has been slammed online after she expressed her frustration toward firefighters in a text message to the New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Laura Kavanagh sent the message to James after the latter was booed on March 7 during a department promotion event that also saw chantings for Donald Trump, as reported by The New York Post.

New York City Fire Commissioner, Laura Kavanagh, speaks onstage during GE The Lean Mindset: The Pursuit Of Progress Event at Chelsea Industrial on September 06, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for GE)
New York City Fire Commissioner, Laura Kavanagh, speaks onstage during GE The Lean Mindset (Photo by Ilya S Savenok/Getty Images for GE)

Laura Kavanagh shares her disappointment for not being able to ‘fix’ firefighters

The publication reportedly got the details of the text exchange between the two women via a Freedom of Information request.

The message for James by Kavanagh read, “I should have called you last night, but I’ve been trying to find a way to say I’m sorry that doesn’t involve me apologizing for men who don’t deserve such grace.”

It further noted, “I haven’t succeeded. I am sorry that we didn’t stop them and that I can’t fix them,” before expressing her gratitude towards the 65-year-old politician.

(L-R) William, Prince of Wales and Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh visit a FDNY Firehouse on September 19, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Prince William and Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh visit an FDNY Firehouse on September 19, 2023, in New York City (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

She said, “I wouldn’t be here without you,” as she added, “So thank you for that. I care about you and will do anything for you, always.”

James replied to Kavanagh, reportedly stating, “The guys who were there are new to the dept and don’t know my history as it relates to FDNY. We have work to do and I am willing to put in the time. BTW – this is my first time that I have been booed.”

FDNY spokesman Jim Long supported Kavanagh, saying her text messages “reflect her deep disappointment and frustration about the actions of a few bad actors, who may or may have not been active” FDNY workers.

Internet calls Laura Kavanagh ‘incompetent fire commissioner’

Meanwhile, people have shared their thoughts over the message exchange as a reader below The Post article commented, “Kavanaugh has never put out a fire yet is commissioner. James has never built a thing yet she's trying to take away the business Trump built. And people question me when I tell them I no longer am comfortable nor belong in NYC. Here's exhibits a and b that explains why. The Left claims they love diversity but not so much with speech or political ideology.  Stray too far and they'll try to ‘fix’ you. And by that, they mean jail or bankruptcy as they're trying to do with Trump.”

Another reader shared, “The old saying ‘If it ain't broke, don't fix it’ applies here. The NYFD consists of men who dedicate their lives to protect the people. There are few jobs as dangerous or more dangerous. It is time to stop injecting woke policies into this organization. What's next - calling them racist and establishing a quota-based system to put out fires? She cannot see that what needs ‘fixing’ is her!”

“Being book smart doesn’t make a competent fire commissioner. There’s so much more to it,” the third one said.

The fourth one stated, “Kavanaugh can fix it. She can admit she’s just another politically connected hack hire who doesn’t deserve the position of fire commissioner, admit that the position of fire commissioner should have gone to an actual boots on the ground firefighter who made his/her way up the chain by actually doing the work of a firefighter and she should then resign. That’s how she can fix it. And stop complaining the rank and file do not like her leadership.”

The fifth one added, “New York was called the Empire State because of its outsized manufacturing, financial and population. That luster has been lost replaced by the moniker the Imperial State as the Democratic party has used its heavy hand to infiltrate every state department with political cronies.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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