First Responder Friday

FDNY Firefighter Tony Mussorfiti on Mental Health

Tony Mussorfiti is a retired lieutenant from the Fire Department of New York and a HAZMAT specialist. He serves on the Advisory Board of First Responders Children’s Foundation, as well as the Board of Advisors for Friends of Firefighters in Brooklyn, New York. Tony was part of the recovery effort at Ground Zero, after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, and is concerned about the mental health of first responders.

Samuel Battle (1883-1966) | First Responder Friday

Today we salute Samuel Battle (1883-1966), a true trailblazer, the first Black police officer to join the NYPD on June 28, 1911. During his stellar career, he became the NYPD’s first Black Lieutenant, later heading one of the NYPD’s first SWAT teams. A force for good, Battle was assigned to the growing Harlem community and frequently helped ease the tensions between NYPD officers and the Black community.

Meet NYPD Officer Javarro Long

Officer Javarro Long, of the New York City Police Department, was born and raised in the South Bronx. He is currently assigned to the NYPD Community Affairs Bureau, with 17 years of proud service. Javarro volunteers as a mentor with the First Responders Children’s Foundation Chorus, a collaboration of first responders and children who create and perform music together.