Uniformed Firefighters Association endorses John Quaglione for City Council

Hails Candidate for his Longtime Support of FDNY

August 11, 2017 By John Alexander Brooklyn Daily Eagle

From left: UFA Vice President Leroy G. McGinnis, Brooklyn Trustee Chairman of the Board John G. Kelly Jr., City Council candidate John Quaglione, state Sen. Marty Golden, UFA President Gerard Fitzgerald and Fire Marshal Representative Steven Tagliani. Eagle photos by John Alexander

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On Thursday, City Council candidate John Quaglione received the endorsement of the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA) of Greater New York. Quaglione, the former deputy chief of staff to state Sen. Marty Golden, is running to win the 43rd District City Council seat currently held by Vincent Gentile. Gentile cannot run again due to term limits. District 43 includes Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst.

Quaglione received the endorsement in front of Engine 284/Ladder 149 in Dyker Heights. Those in attendance included Golden, UFA President Gerard Fitzgerald, Vice President LeRoy C. McGinnis, Brooklyn Trustee Chairman of the Board John G. Kelly Jr., and Fire Marshal representative Steven Tagliani.

Fitzgerald said he was proud to support Quaglione on behalf of more than 8,500 members of the union. “The 43rd District deserves someone who cares deeply about this community, someone who understands its needs and is going to be willing to fight for them every day in the city council,” said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald went on to praise Quaglione’s continued support of FDNY. “We know he will continue to be a strong advocate for firefighters and their families,” added Fitzgerald. “Already he’s come out strong against the wasteful constitutional convention ballot measure, spoke out in support of protecting our earned benefits and has pledged that while he is in office fire stations like the one right here behind me will never be threatened to shut down.”

Golden, a retired NYC police officer, said, “To have the New York City Fire Department endorsing John Quaglione says a whole lot.”

Golden praised the brave firefighters who were present during 9/11. “We didn’t know what we were doing. Everybody was running away. But the firefighters knew what they were doing. Everybody was running out of the buildings, while they were running in. And they paid the most … Three-hundred forty-three lives that day, and subsequently thousands since then. So, to me, a former New York City police officer, I was always proud to serve side by side with our fire department.”

Quaglione thanked UFA for their endorsement and said that never in his wildest dreams growing up did he imagine he would be standing with the most respected fire department in the world, “that’s revered by people from Brooklyn to Beijing because there’s a heroism in New York City and in the FDNY that you can’t find anywhere else.”

He said that he recalled being at a book sale in the first grade and having to select a book. He bought one called “I want to be a Firefighter.” He explained that since he was 6 or 7 years old he has admired the work that firefighters do.

He said that it was a special honor to be endorsed by UFA and that he looked forward to “standing up for your rights and standing up for the firehouses throughout our district.”

Quaglione has previously received endorsements from Golden, the John Jay College Republicans and the Port Authority Sergeants Benevolent Association.

The other Republicans running in the GOP primary on Sept. 12 are Bob Capano, Liam McCabe and Lucretia Regina-Potter.

The Democrats running in the Democratic primary, also set for Sept. 12, are Justin Brannan, Kevin Peter Carroll, Vincent Chirico, Rev. Khader El-Yateem and Nancy Tong.