Firefighter Williams Sees Success as a New First Responder

W hen he reports to work each tour, Firefighter Ismail Williams continues to show exactly why hard work and patience pays off during the journey to join the FDNY.

His story starts back in 2011. While walking to his car one afternoon in Brooklyn, he noticed that one of our Firefighter recruitment flyers was left on his windshield and after reviewing the information, he decided to apply for the exam that same year. In 2012, while working as an Information Technology Technician, he completed the computer-based exam and later became an official Firefighter Candidate. Not knowing much about the extensive training ahead and how long it would take to be hired, he still made the commitment then to pursue this unique career where he’s extending a helping hand to others in an extraordinary way.

“When I was considering this career back then, I knew it would be a good fit for me because I would be helping people for a living and that’s what I like to do,” he explained. “I graduated from the Academy in April 2017 and I’ve been here at this historical firehouse ever since. It took a lot of training and dedication to get here, but it was all worth it.”

And his passion for serving as a brave Firefighter for the largest city in the country is demonstrated through his work in the community. In October 2019, he helped to rescue a victim from an 11th-floor apartment fire in Crown Heights.

Firefighter Williams helped to rescue a victim from a burning apartment in a 14-story Crown Heights building last October.

“I was completing a left-hand search in the living room in the apartment on my hands and knees in the midst of all the smoke and I found the victim unconscious underneath a window. I pulled the victim out of the apartment with Firefighter Richard Coro, and EMS members took over patient care,” said Williams, who is also a first-generation Firefighter in his family. “When we leave this firehouse to respond to an emergency, we know we have to help others and that’s what we did that day. In the face of dangerous situations, we use our training to help save lives and I’m just happy I found the person in time.”

Williams now also dedicates his time to recruit future FDNY members with hopes that he can help the next generation learn more about working for our Department.

“I consider myself a people person, and as an immigrant who came to this country with very little, I’m always happy to share the knowledge that I’ve learned during my fifteen years in the United States when I go to events to tell the public how I joined this Department and why I love working here,” he said. “Applying for this career is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.”