FDNY- Robert Turner Appointed First Deputy Commissioner

Published: August 11, 2014

Robert R. Turner II Appointed as First Deputy Fire Commissioner

Robert Turner II, with his wife Tamara, is sworn in as First Deputy Commissioner by Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro.

Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro swore in Robert R. Turner II as First Deputy Fire Commissioner, the second-highest civilian rank in the FDNY, on Aug. 11. The 36-year veteran of the FDNY most recently served as a Battalion Chief in Queens.

“There are a lot of happy people here today, but no one is happier than I am,” Commissioner Nigro said. “He has shaped the current and future leaders of the Department. He left every firehouse in which he has worked better than before.”

Chief of Department Edward Kilduff added, “This job is about as important as it gets at the FDNY. And I can’t think of anyone with the breadth of knowledge and scope about the Department that he has.”

Commissioner Turner began his career in 1978, assigned to Engine 222 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and, later, Ladder 175 in East New York, Brooklyn.  In 1986, he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to Engine 1 in Midtown Manhattan. He then was promoted to captain in 1992, returning to work in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, at Engine 214.  In 1999, he was promoted to battalion chief and assigned to Battalion 46 in Elmhurst, Queens.

Most recently, Commissioner Turner served as the director of the First Line Supervisor Training Program (FLIPS), overseeing the training of all newly promoted FDNY lieutenants, as well as fire officers throughout New York State.

“I’m so proud and honored to be selected for this position at the premier fire department in the world,” Commissioner Turner said. “I’ve received so much support from everyone here today, it’s been overwhelming.”

The crowd gave First Deputy Commissioner Robert Turner a standing ovation after he was sworn in.

Commissioner Turner is a graduate of the FDNY Officers Management Institute (FOMI), and has received advanced leadership training from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Business School.

In 1985, Commissioner Turner was cited for bravery and awarded the Brooklyn Citizens Medal for responding off-duty to a fire in his Queens neighborhood.  Two hours into January 1984, Turner ran barefoot from his home to aid and remove three neighbors from a fast-moving fire, before returning to attempt to remove a fourth occupant.  He suffered serious burns and lacerations to both arms during the fire, operating on his own and without protective gear before additional units arrived.

He holds a Bachelors’ degree in Public Administration from John Jay College, where he also served as an adjunct instructor teaching courses on emergency action plans and training fire safety directors.
Born in Brooklyn, Commissioner Turner was raised in Queens, where he currently resides with his wife Tamara.  His father, Robert R. Turner, also held the rank of Battalion Chief, serving the Department for 41 years.