Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, the head of the U.S. Fire Administration, joined FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh to honor those who lost their lives to fires in 2022. 

It comes one day after the one-year anniversary of the fatal Twin Parks fire killed 17 Bronx residents.

“The Bronx is part of our larger FDNY family, and our heart really breaks for the losses they’ve gone through,” said Kavanagh. “It’s so important that we come together to prevent losses in the future.” 

The administration announced a new national fire strategy. The plan includes increased research on materials, updated construction, and improved understanding of fire dynamics in buildings.  

The plan will make sure that resources such as smoke detectors and sprinklers are more easily accessible to all Americans to provide protection from fires. According to James Pauley, CEO of the National Fire Protection Association, three of every five home fire deaths happen without a working smoke alarm present.  

Part of the strategy includes newly introduced legislation by Congresswoman Madeleine Dean and Sen. Robert Casey to requires the installation of smoke alarms with 10-year tamper-proof batteries in federal funded public housing not already equipped with hardwired smoke alarms.

“I think it’s a great step forward, and I’m very happy to see… all of the interest everybody is taking in the safety of the community, as well as the firefighters,” said Michael Kozo, captain of the Fire Education Safety Unit and a longtime FDNY firefighter.