FIRE MARSHAL JENNIFER QUINONES
Bureau of Fire Investigation
1. What is your name, title and years at FDNY? Where are you currently assigned, and what are your work-related responsibilities?
My name is Jennifer Quinones. I am a fire marshal, and altogether with my time in EMS and in Fire, I have 20 years in the Fire Department. For the first few years as a fire marshal, I was doing investigations, interviewing, processing, arresting and determining whether arson was committed as a cause of a fire incident. Currently, I am on an offline detail. I am assigned to the First Deputy Commissioner, Joseph Pfeifer. I assist with some of his day-to-day work activities, including sitting in on important meetings, driving him to events and international work relations.
2. What called you to a life of public service at FDNY?
I genuinely love to help people, and I also like to challenge myself. In 2002, I was going to Baruch college to study accounting, but that didn’t motivate me, so I took a break—and then I saw an ad on becoming a firefighter and joining the FDNY.
I took an EMT course at LaGuardia College and then joined the Fire Department as an EMT in 2003. I got promoted to paramedic in 2007 and was enjoying my EMS career, but my passion and drive still led me to become a firefighter.
In 2008, I got promoted to Fire, and I genuinely loved my career as a firefighter. In addition to helping the public in a new way and all the unique work experience, I also gained a second family with my firehouse. When I learned about the duties and responsibilities of a fire marshal, it sparked an interest in me, and after studying and taking the fire marshal test, I was promoted in 2018. I am thankful for my career path throughout the years in the Fire Department; it has allowed me to develop a compassion with the public during their times of need.
3. Can you share one of your most memorable moments while working at FDNY?
I think the most memorable moment in my FDNY career was in 2018, when I got promoted to fire marshal at the Christian Cultural Center. In addition to my friends and family being there to celebrate with me, I also had my work family there near my personalized banner that they had made for me. When they called my name and I went up on stage and saw everyone standing up and cheering me on, it made me feel a tremendous amount of love and support. It was very humbling, and I was very grateful.
4. What does We Are FDNY mean to you?
When I hear We Are FDNY, I think about multiple bureaus within the Fire Department coming together and using their work experiences and skills to develop a collective vision on how to keep up with an expanding Fire Department.
5. What is your superpower (best quality or skill)?
My superpower is having good interpersonal skills; it allows me to connect with almost anyone, no matter their title or stature. Being personable has been beneficial in all my positions, especially as a fire marshal when I’m interacting with the public and conducting interviews. It also allows me to metaphorically disarm them, and in return they start feeling comfortable with me and are more compliant.
6. How does your role support the public safety mission of the FDNY?
Different positions throughout the FDNY support the safety mission in their unique ways. When I was in EMS, I would help people in their time of need while they were having a medical emergency. As a firefighter, I would serve the community in a variety of ways; some of the performances were patient care, ensuring the public’s safety and extinguishing fires.
As a fire marshal, we’re going to the scene, performing our investigations, trying to determine whether arson was committed, and if it was, then we start building our case to make an arrest. In that sense we are protecting not only the public, but also the members in the Fire Department. If any member in the FDNY gets injured, attacked or threatened, then a fire marshal will respond to the scene to investigate the incident and make an arrest if it warrants one. Fire marshals protecting not only the public, but also our own FDNY members. Being able to provide a level of safety to EMS workers and firefighters—after working in both of those positions myself—is a proud feeling, and it’s almost like I’m giving back.