Search Results

Last Run of the Horses Anniversary BACKGROUND: One hundred years ago, on June 15, 1925, the DC Fire Department held a ceremonial Last Run of the Horses. The purpose of the event was to commemorate the service of the great fire horses, who were no longer needed due to the advent of motorized fire apparatus. EVENT DETAILS: On June 15, 2025 at 1 p.m. , the DC Fire and EMS Department , in partnership with the Friendship Fire Association and the DC Fire & EMS Foundation, will re-enact the historic ceremonial Last Run of the Horses, using a cosmetically preserved 1905 American LaFrance horse-drawn steam fire engine. ROUTE: The horse-drawn engine will run from the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center at 635 North Carolina Ave, SE, to Lincoln Park, where we will gather for a small community reception immediately following the procession. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Come cheer us on! Neighbors are welcome to line the streets and gather at Lincoln Park to observe the procession. Period costumes are optional! This is historic film footage of the ceremonial Last Run of the DCFD Horses on June 15, 1925. Reproduced with permission from the UCLA Film and Television Archives. Learn more here. Thank you to our sponsors!

Foundation In The Media Part of the Foundation's mission is to educate the community about the life-saving mission of the DC Fire & Emergency Medical Services Department. These stories do that and more, bringing you closer to the every day lives of our first responders and the Foundation that supports them. Read Executive Director Amy C. Mauro, Esq.'s Testimony advocating that capital funds for a new Training Academy campus and fleet maintenance facility stay in the Department's FY 26 budget. Fire Department Adviser Ignited Change Behind the Scenes Read this Washington Post profile of Foundation Executive Director Amy Mauro and learn how her eight years as Department Chief of Staff watching first responders save lives with more resources motivated her to revive and grow the Foundation. Photo Credit: Clarence Williams, Washington Post Alert Medic 1 Podcast: Managing Crisis: Leadership Pearls with Amy Mauro, Organizational Change Consultant and Executive Director, DC Fire & EMS Foundation Listen to this episode of the Alert Medic 1 podcast and hear about the innovative work of the DC Fire & EMS Department and the journey that its senior leaders and rank and file personnel took to get there. "Legacy on Ice” Benefit on March 2, 2025 Tears Flow at a Poignant Figure Skating Event in Washington, DC (Nick Wass/AP Photo) How a Therapy Dog Helps First Responders After Potomac Crash Tragedy Associated Press: Figure skating event benefitting victims of DC plane crash to take place in Washington in March Washingtonian Magazine: Figure Skating Event to Honor Lives Lost in DCA Plane Crash "Legacy on Ice," March 2 at Capital One Arena, will also pay tribute to the first responders. Read this Washington Post article about the Foundation's virtual exhibit, A History of the DC Fire and EMS Department in Photos, Videos, and Oral Histories (at https://www.dcfireemshistory.org/). (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post) Capitals and Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation Celebrate Organization’s 50th Anniversary with $50,000 Donation to the DC Fire & EMS Foundation Funding also Benefits Nine Other Community Partners Whose Efforts Touch the Region’s Military, Youth Hockey, Hockey Fights Cancer/Health and Wellness and First Responder Communities, including the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation Executive Director Amy Mauro with MSE Foundation Executive Director Liz Pace, MSE CEO Ted Leonsis, and other grantees John Walton, Voice of the Caps, Visits Engine 26 Listen to this episode of Caps This Morning with John Walton , where John shares his perspective on the importance of the work of the Foundation, as well as his time spent with members of Engine 26 and Truck 15 in Brookland. Laughter Saves Lives Watch Foundation Executive Director Amy Mauro talk to retired FDNY Firefighter John Larocchia of Laughter Saves Lives about why she and the Board of Directors revived the Foundation in May 2023. Laughter Saves Lives honors Larocchia's FDNY colleagues who were killed on 9/11. WTOP Story on Ambulance Wait Times at Hospitals What are hospital drop times and why should you care? Find out from this story , which explains that decreasing hospital drop times would increase the level and availability of life-saving resources in DC neighborhoods.

< Back Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPH, MPA Board Member Lisa is a board-certified infectious diseases physician and a medical epidemiologist. She has experience serving as a member of the Center for Disease Control’s elite Epidemic Intelligence Service, as a foreign diplomat in the Caribbean, as an academic researcher, and as the former chief medical officer for the DC Medicaid program. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine/ National Academy of Sciences Roundtable on Health Literacy and an Aspen Institute Health Innovator Fellow. Lisa has lived and worked throughout the District of Columbia, including in Ward 8.

< Back John A. Donnelly, Sr. Fire & EMS Chief and Honorary Co-Chair, ex officio John A. Donnelly, Sr. started his career with DC Fire and EMS in 1992 at Truck 16. Over the course of his career he has served at Rescue Squad 3, Tower 3, and as Battalion Fire Chief 2; as the Division Commander of Special Operations, Homeland Security, and Apparatus Division; as a member of the Command Staff in Special Projects; and in Executive Officer Roles. In 2018, Chief Donnelly was promoted to the newly established Professional Development Bureau which included the Human Resources Division, Professional Standards Office, Training Division, Medical Services Division, and the Grants Office. Chief Donnelly serves on numerous committees supporting regional and national preparedness, including the International Association of Fire Chiefs Terrorism and Homeland Security Committee and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Fire Chief’s Committee. Chief Donnelly is a long-time Ward 4 resident of the District of Columbia and lives in Manor Park. He spends his free time working with the Boy Scouts of Troop 98 in Brookland.

< Back Carrie Kohns Board Member Carrie’s career includes notable roles serving prominent political figures. Most recently, Carrie served as Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., where she played a key role in shaping the mayor's messaging and media strategy. For seven years, she was the Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Karen Bass, now Mayor of Los Angeles, where she managed communications, policy and strategic initiatives to steer Bass’ agenda on the national stage. Prior to this, Carrie served as Chief of Staff and Communications Director for Mayor Adrian Fenty in Washington, D.C. Her leadership in these high-pressure environments allowed her to shape major public policy and communications strategies. Previously, Carrie served as the Washington Director and Communications Director for Rep. Loretta Sanchez, running her Capitol Hill operation, handling media relations and legislative initiatives. Carrie grew up in Washington, DC and lives in Ward 4 with her husband, a Metropolitan Police Department Officer, and her son.

< Back Tommy Wells Board Member Tommy started his career in the District working as a social worker for the District's child protective services agency. He served as Director of the DC Consortium for Child Welfare from 1991 to 2006 and as an ANC 6B Commissioner from 1995 to 2000. In 2001, he was elected to represent Wards 5 and 6 on the DC School Board. He served as the Ward 6 from 2006 to 2014; during his tenure he chaired the Committee on the Judiciary. He then joined the administration of Mayor Muriel Bowser as the Director of the Department of Energy & Environment for eight years, followed by a year as Director of the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs. He retired from DC government service in 2023.

< Back Amy C. Mauro, Esq. Executive Director ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us.

< Back John Sollers Board Member John has extensive experience coordinating with both local and federal agencies and is a certified instructor in hazardous materials, incident management, and National Fire Protection Administration best practices. He is a graduate of the Executive Leaders Program: Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security and the University of Maryland.

< Back J.R. Clark Board Member J.R. has extensive experience representing issuers and borrowers, and serving as underwriters’ counsel on tax-exempt and taxable borrowings that include use of revenue bonds, tax credits, tax increment financing opportunity zones and other economic development tools. Before joining the firm, J.R. served in the executive office of the mayor of Washington, D.C. as director for council affairs in the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, where he advised the mayor on all legislation before the District of Columbia Council. In this capacity, he oversaw the implementation of the mayor’s legislative agenda. Before working with the mayor, J.R. served as deputy general counsel in the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer. There, he worked with the legislative branch on the District of Columbia’s budget and finances. J.R. is a DC native, resident of Ward 4, and member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2012. He has served on, and as chairman of, several regional boards and associations.

The story of the DC Fire & EMS Department is the story of how financial and political investment saves lives. DC's cardiac arrest survival rate is now one of the highest in the nation . During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, DC was the only major city that did not leave fire and EMS units unstaffed. It has not always been this way. In 2015, the Department routinely ran out of ambulances, its appar atus broke down, its members received little training, and the District's cardiac arrest save rate was half the national average. On January 6, 2021 , the Department mobilized over 200 first responders and sufficient reserve apparatus to rescue patients and assist law enforcement with protecting democracy at the U.S. Capitol. View DC Fire & EMS Jan 6 Documentary Here Trailer Protect our progress. We cannot take for granted how far we have come. And there is more work to be done to save more lives, and to keep our first responders safe and healthy. During these uncertain economic times, we must be diligent in protecting our progress and keeping it going. Seal the deal. First responders “represent an ideal. An assurance by society, backed by money, that human lives are sacred and will be saved anywhere and everywhere they’re in danger. Society has often shrugged its burden and reneged on the deal…But it’s always been there.” -- Kevin Hazzard , American Sirens

First Responder Grants Process Application Deadline for Applications is 5 p.m. EST on June 20, 2025 May 6, 2025 (Washington, DC) – On March 2, 2025, Legacy on Ice brought the figure skating community and thousands of supporters together at Washington, D.C.’s Capital One Arena to honor the 67 lives lost in the January 29th airline tragedy on the Potomac River, as well as the first responders who rushed to the scene. “The DC Fire & EMS Foundation is grateful and humbled to have been selected by Monumental Sports & Entertainment to represent these first responders in the planning and coordination of the Legacy on Ice event,” said Amy C. Mauro, Executive Director of the Foundation. “It allowed first responders to grieve and start the healing process with the families of those lost.” On January 29th, and during the following weeks, first responder agencies of the National Capital Region came together and worked in partnership to bring closure to the families of the victims of the tragic mid-air collision over the Potomac River. The Foundation is committed to bringing the same spirit of partnership to the distribution of the funds raised by the Legacy on Ice event in support of first responders. Government agencies involved in the plane crash response, or their affiliated non-profit organizations, may apply for the funds. The grant applications will be evaluated by a committee of DC Fire & EMS Foundation Board and staff members. The evaluations will be based on the eligibility of the applicant, the quality and completeness of the application, the anticipated impact of the proposed funding, and the nature and size of the responding agency’s response to the Potomac River tragedy. Special Thanks to Monumental Sports & Entertainment for hosting the Legacy On Ice event. Application Details Eligibility: Government agencies involved in the plane crash response, or their non-profit organizations, may apply for the funds. The term “first responder” includes a firefighter, law enforcement officer, paramedic, emergency medical technician, or other individual (including a medical examiner or forensic investigator or an employee of a legally organized and recognized volunteer organization, whether compensated or not), who, in the course of his or her professional duties, responds to fire, medical, hazardous material, or other similar emergencies. Grant Size: Because the number of applicants is currently unknown, the size of the grants disbursed is also unknown and will depend on the number of applications. For this reason, applicants are strongly encouraged to include a range of desired funding levels in their applications, and a description of what would be funded at different levels. Criteria: The grant applications will be evaluated by a Committee of DC Fire & EMS Foundation Board and staff members. The applications will be evaluated based on the eligibility of the applicant, the quality and completeness of the application, the anticipated impact of the proposed funding, and the nature and size of the responding agency’s response to the Potomac River tragedy. Questions: Anyone with questions about the process can contact Foundation Executive Director Amy Mauro at amy@dcfireemsfoundation.org .

DC Fire & EMS is one of the most diverse fire and EMS Departments in the nation, with much higher percentages of women and African Americans than most departments. We are proud of our programs that empower women to lead and support the professional development of DC residents. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion DC Fire & EMS is one of the most diverse fire departments in the nation. The uniformed workforce is 48% African American, 33% DC residents (up from 27% in 2015), and 14% women (up from 11% in 2015). In contrast, nationally, 5% of firefighters are women and 8% are African American. Thank you from Camp Spark! In July 2024, the DC Fire & EMS Foundation co-sponsored Camp Spark, a two-day summer camp for girls aged 12 to 17 years old who are interested in becoming firefighters and EMS providers. This camp is part of the DC Fire & EMS Department's 30 by 30 goal -- increasing the Department's percentage of women in uniform to 30% by 2030. One of the Foundation's priorities is supporting the Department's workforce development and diversity. Hear from Camp Spark campers in this short video , followed by a thank you letter to the Foundation from the Department's Women's Advisory Council: Since 2015, DC Fire & EMS has made a concerted effort to hire and promote more women and DC residents, through programs like Empowering Women to Lead, the Women's Advisory Council , the Diversity Advisory Council, improving recruitment funding and staffing , and a new and more accessible entrance exam process . There are now women at every uniformed supervisor rank except assistant fire chief and fire chief. The Department provides diversity training to all employees and has a Racial Equity Action Plan.