New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (D) on Saturday dismissed Elon Musk’s claim that his selection to lead the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) lacks experience.
In a post on X, Mamdani stressed that experience is indeed important, adding that “which is why I appointed the person who spent more than 30 years at EMS.”
“You know, the workforce that addresses at least 70% of all calls coming into FDNY?” he added.
Mamdani’s tweet came in response to Musk’s recent statement, claiming that people would “die” as a result of the appointment of Lillian Bonsignore, a seasoned leader in Emergency Medical Services.
“People will die because of this. Proven experience matters when lives are at stake,” the tech mogul and former White House adviser commented in a post on X, which he owns.
Musk has slammed Mamdani, joining several officials from the Trump administration who have denounced the mayor-elect’s policy initiatives that align with democratic socialism.
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Who is Lillian Bonsignore?
Mamdani, who is set to assume office on January 1, has appointed Lillian Bonsignore, a veteran of the FDNY with 31 years of service who oversaw EMS Operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the FDNY commissioner this week. She concluded her service in 2022.
“The first woman to achieve a 4-star rank in FDNY history, she’s joining us as the FDNY Commissioner to bring her crisis leadership and operational expertise to this administration,” Mamdani stated on X Tuesday.
Bonsignore will be the second woman ever to occupy this position and the first openly gay individual to do so.
In a press conference, Bonsignore asserted, “I am honored, so honored, and humbled to stand before you as the new fire commissioner. This appointment represents a significant responsibility, one I accept with humility, dedication and a deep sense of commitment to the city and its people.”
Bonsignore, who is both a mother and a wife, was born and brought up in the Bronx. She will be responsible for supervising 11,000 firefighters, 4,500 EMTs, and over 2,000 civilian staff.