Former owner
Ronald R. Spadafora
(1955–2018)
Fire house uniform t-shirt
1978
Cotton and polyester
Gift of the FDNY Asst. Chief Ronald Spadafora Archive
2019.6.5
This t-shirt was worn by Fire Chief Ronald R. Spadafora during his training at FDNY's fire academy in 1978.
Spadafora was a beloved high-ranking Fire Department of New York officer best known for overseeing the rescue and recovery work at the site of the World Trade Center towers in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. A 40-year veteran of the force, Spadafora served in many capacities over his long career, but is widely remembered for his leadership and compassion. As FDNY’s Chief of Fire Prevention, he led the immediate rescue and fire suppression response efforts at Ground Zero and was soon named the World Trade Center Chief of Safety. He served in that role at Ground Zero through June 2002. Like many of the firefighters he supervised, Spadafora was later diagnosed with a leukemia caused by his exposure to toxins there. When he died, he was the 178th FDNY firefighter, and the department’s highest ranking officer, to perish in the aftermath of September 11.
Spadafora's apparel provides evidence of a heroic New York City firefighter’s career from 1978 to 2018.
DescriptionT-shirt with printed decal at front showing a young firefighter leaning on a fire hydrant, with logo and slogan: "F.D.N.Y / 1st Class of '78 / Cream of the Crop"ClassificationsFIRE FIGHTING TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
