FDNY Second-in-Command Joseph Pfeifer has been ousted by new Commissioner Robert Tucker just days after the latter assumed office, according to sources. The department’s highest earning leader was making over $500,000 before he received the news of his impending departure following the exit of his former boss who had hired him, ex-Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.
In a farewell email obtained by The Post, 68-year-old Pfeifer announced that City Hall would be replacing him with a new First Deputy Commissioner. He expressed gratitude for working with his colleagues over the past year and a half and longer in some cases.
City Hall spokeswoman Liz Garcia stated that Mayoral support backs the new commissioner’s decision. She emphasized that every commissioner before Tucker has built a staff to move forward their vision for the FDNY, implying that leadership changes will be announced when they are officially made.
Pfeifer had been in the department for 37 years until his retirement in 2018. He was brought back last year to serve under Kavanagh, who faced conflict with her top chiefs after demoting them. Pfeifer’s experience and ability to legally “double dip” by collecting his FDNY salary of $242,727 along with his pension amounting to $279,304 in fiscal year 2024 made him the top earner at $522,000.
Under Kavanagh, Pfeifer managed FDNY’s day-to-day operations and activities across its offices and bureaus. Potential replacements for Pfeifer could be EMS Chief Michael Fields or Battalion Chief Mark Guerra, according to sources.
Other changes in the department include Kavanagh’s chief of staff, Luis Martinez, who will move to City Hall to work under Deputy Mayor Phil Banks. His appointment had been met with dissatisfaction from some veteran fire chiefs and rank-and-file firefighters. Pfeifer could not be reached for comment on the recent developments.
