Fire Commissioner Bonsignore Appoints New First Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff

February 4, 2026

The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore Wednesday announced the appointment of Daniel Flynn as First Deputy Commissioner and Fabricio Caro as Chief of Staff.

Flynn previously served as the Chief Fire Marshal of the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation (BFI). Caro previously served as Executive Director of Public Engagement, overseeing the Department's Community Affairs and Youth Workforce portfolio.

"Daniel Flynn and Fabricio Caro are dedicated public servants who offer operational experience, strategic insight, and a tremendous work ethic. In the FDNY, you deserve leaders who respect the job you do every day, who understand your challenges, and especially those who support you. Dan Flynn and Fabricio Caro are those leaders. I cannot think of two people I would rather have by my side as we work together to strengthen the Department and ensure the FDNY continues to meet the evolving needs of New York City," said Commissioner Bonsignore.

About First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn

First Deputy Commissioner Flynn reports directly to Fire Commissioner Bonsignore. As First Deputy Commissioner, Flynn is charged with managing the day-to-day operations and activities of the FDNY across all offices and bureaus.

Flynn was appointed to the FDNY in 2005, beginning his career at Ladder Company 114 in Brooklyn. He worked there until his promotion to Fire Marshal in 2009. Five years later, he was promoted to Lieutenant and worked in the 8th Division. In November of 2016, he was promoted to Supervising Fire Marshal. Prior to joining the FDNY, Flynn served as a Police Officer with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from July 1999 to May 2005.

Flynn oversaw the Bureau of Fire Investigation as Chief Fire Marshal from April 2021 to February 2026. In that capacity, he was instrumental in identifying the growing danger of lithium-ion batteries in New York City and shaped the FDNY's response to the hazard. Flynn advocated for legislation at the city, state, and federal levels to prevent dangerous, unregulated batteries from entering New York City and played a key role in educating the public about their risks.

Before his appointment to Chief Fire Marshal, Flynn oversaw the FDNY Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which is responsible for conducting complex and high-profile criminal investigations. Flynn supervised the work of numerous Fire Marshals handling a wide range of arson cases. Flynn has been cross-designated as a Federal Supervisory Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) since 2017, responsible for coordinating local investigative efforts with State and Federal partners at the site of any major arson incident. Having undergone extensive training in the field of advanced fire scene examination, Flynn has served as a qualified technical and legal expert in the determination of origin and cause of fires to support criminal prosecutions.

Between 2010 and 2018, Flynn received 38 citations recognizing his tenacity and resourceful investigative work. Most notably, he was the recipient of the Deputy Commissioner Christine R. Godek Medal in 2012 for his efforts in uncovering a criminal conspiracy that included arson, kidnapping, assault and robbery following a 3-alarm fire on Staten Island where 10 Firefighters had been seriously injured. That long-running investigation concluded with the incarceration of four violent felony offenders.

Flynn resides in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons.

About Chief of Staff Fabricio Caro

Chief of Staff Caro reports directly to Fire Commissioner Bonsignore. He will be responsible for providing strategic guidance and management for special projects and initiatives.

Since 2024, Caro served as the Executive Director of Public Engagement, overseeing the FDNY's Community Affairs and Youth Workforce portfolio. In that role, he managed operations involving engagement with New York City Community Boards, partnerships with citywide community- and faith-based organizations, youth pipeline and workforce development initiatives, and the Department's fire and life safety education outreach efforts.

Under his leadership, the FDNY strengthened relationships with communities across all five boroughs. With more than 13 years of service to the Department, Caro has held several executive roles, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Community Affairs. From 2022 to 2023, he served as Assistant Commissioner of Special Events at the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), where he coordinated large-scale, citywide events in collaboration with multiple agencies.

Prior to his work with the FDNY, Fabricio served as Director of Center Programs for the Bronx-Westchester Area Health Education Center (BW-AHEC). He was responsible for the development and implementation of multiple and diverse programs in health careers education, student internships, and healthcare workforce professional development. His work served to improve health and healthcare outcomes of underserved communities in the Bronx and Westchester areas through recruitment, retention and enrichment for the healthcare workforce.

After graduating from Syracuse University in 2007, he returned to his native District of Columbia to work for the Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care. He worked directly in youth development services and coordinated teen health advocacy programs. He also helped establish the Urbanitos Scholarship Fund, a philanthropic initiative to promote the pursuit of higher education for underrepresented teens.

Caro resides in Rockland County with his wife and three children.

First Deputy Commissioner Daniel Flynn

Chief of Staff Fabricio Caro