Deputy Chief Jason Saffon
EMS Division 2
1. Please introduce yourself—your name, your title and the year you joined the FDNY.
My name is Jason Saffon. I joined the FDNY in April of 1996. I am a deputy chief assigned to EMS Division 2 in the South Bronx.
2. Where are you currently assigned, and what are your main responsibilities?
My main responsibilities include monitoring EMS station and field operations within my assigned division(s) to ensure optimal use of all available resources; patrolling within my area of responsibility—which can include multiple boroughs at times—to supervise and mentor subordinate officers and crews in the field; responding to major incidents, high-profile assignments and assignments that have the potential to produce a high number of patients in order to provide command and control of the officers and units on the scene; monitoring hospital emergency department performance and communicating with hospital administrative staff when actions are needed to relieve facilities that become overwhelmed with patients; performing administrative tasks as directed by the chief of EMS or EMS division commander and reporting back pertinent information in real time; and representing the FDNY at various meetings with local government entities, community groups or other agencies, including news media outlets.
3. What inspired you to choose a life of public service with the FDNY?
At an early age, I was inspired to pursue a career in public service by my mother, who worked as an emergency medical technician for NYC Emergency Medical Service in the early 1980s.
4. Can you share one of your most memorable moments on the job?
One of the more memorable moments in my career was responding to a fire in Lower Manhattan. The occupant of the top-floor fire apartment jumped out of the window and landed several stories below, on the roof of the lobby. My partner and I had to go through a second-floor apartment with an engine company, out the kitchen window and onto a landing to reach the patient. Glass, embers and burning debris were falling from above. We had to quickly assess his injuries, secure him to a stretcher and remove ourselves from the hazardous environment. The patient had multiple severe injuries and burns that needed immediate care. We pulled him back inside the building through the same kitchen window, then quickly went out to our ambulance. We treated the injuries and transported the patient to a nearby trauma center.
5. When you hear the words “We Are FDNY,” what does that mean to you?
When I hear the phrase “We Are FDNY,” I think of all the different bureaus that help support the vital life-saving mission of the Department, each with its own unique and critical role.
6. What would you say is your “superpower”—a strength or skill you bring to your work?
I feel that my superpower is my ability to empathize and communicate with people. My experiences in the FDNY and in the U.S. Army have taught me that to be a truly effective leader, you must be able to see every situation from another’s perspective. This allows you to understand not only their thought process, but their emotional state as well. Both aspects are needed if you are going to ensure that your message, instruction or direction is truly being received and fully understood.
7. How does your role help advance the FDNY’s mission of public safety?
My role as a deputy chief and as a facilitator in the FDNY Leadership Development Program allows me to continue to improve my own tactical, communication and leadership skills by learning from the vast knowledge and experiences of my fellow leaders throughout the Department. I am then able to share that knowledge and wisdom with my subordinate officers, paramedics and emergency medical technicians as we work together each day to strive to save lives.