Historical Lecture: The FDNY on Blackwell’s and Welfare Islands

The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) has a long and storied presence on Roosevelt Island, according to FDNY historian and author Gary R. Urbanowicz. Walk back in time when only one family lived on Blackwell’s Island, (now known as Roosevelt Island) and trace the development of the firefighters’ presence in the island’s community, up to today’s Special Operations Command.

Mr. Urbanowicz is the author of Badges of the Bravest: A Pictorial History of Fire Departments of New York City.