Lieutenant Ricardo Ortega
Bureau of Logistics
1. Please introduce yourself—your name, your title and the year you joined the FDNY.
My name is Ricardo Ortega. I joined the FDNY in 2008 and work as an EMS lieutenant.
2. Where are you currently assigned, and what are your main responsibilities?
I am currently assigned to the Bureau of Logistics, where I am the officer-in-charge of the Medical Equipment Unit (MEU). I am tasked with supervising the daily operations of MEU and the repair technicians as they perform maintenance and inspection of the Department’s medical equipment. I oversee the certification and recertification of ambulances in accordance with Department of Health guidelines as well as the administrative requirements of such processes. I am a liaison between the Department and the equipment vendors whose products we use, and I also perform the administrative duties required for equipment UOR investigation, equipment loss/theft and equipment inventory.
3. What inspired you to choose a life of public service with the FDNY?
Since I was kid and trying to figure out my place in the world, the number one thing I wanted to be able to do was help people. I wasn’t sure how yet, but I wanted to have a positive effect on society. The path to the FDNY became clear to me in my early 20s, and here we are.
4. Can you share one of your most memorable moments on the job?
I have had so many memorable moments in my years of service. One that comes to mind is saving the life of an eight-year-old in anaphylaxis and having the family hug me at the hospital. This is one of my most positive memories.
5. When you hear the words “We Are FDNY,” what does that mean to you?
Hearing “We Are FDNY” brings to mind the different people of different backgrounds who chose a career of service to others. It’s a beautiful thing.
6. What would you say is your “superpower”—a strength or skill you bring to your work?
My superpower is my ability to feel the seriousness of a situation when I walk into a room. It has served me well in my time in the field.
7. How does your role help advance the FDNY’s mission of public safety?
The logistics needed to keep a department of this size running is immense and not apparent to most within and outside. Public safety is a job that takes dedication and working with many moving parts to provide the best outcomes possible, with our amazing field personnel, who have an equally amazing staff of members supporting them from behind the scenes. We have the tools; we have the talent.