FDNY-FF Thomas Brick Scholarships

[Share]Published: September 24, 2014

Ten FDNY Members Receive FF Thomas Brick Scholarships

The scholarship recipients with Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, Chief of Department Edward Kilduff, Thomas Brick, Sr., and Salvatore Bommarito.

Ten FDNY members pursuing higher education were given a great gift in the name of an FDNY hero on Sept. 24 – Firefighter Thomas Brick Scholarships.


“This has become a great annual tradition here at FDNY Headquarters,” Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said. “Each of you seeks to not only better yourself through higher education, but you will make the companies where you serve that much stronger as well.”

This year’s recipients included, Battalion Chief James Brennan, Battalion Chief Anthony Saccavino, Capt. Martin Currid, Capt. Timothy Helf, Capt. Joseph Loftus, Capt. Jeffrey Meister, Lt. Sean Hourigan, Fire Marshal Mayobane Wentworth, FF Arsen Kasparian and FF Brian O’Grady.
“The impact this program has on the Department is significant,” Chief of Department Edward Kilduff said. “The payoff is tangible, and we thank you for that.”

Each year, the scholarships are sponsored by Salvatore Bommarito and his family through the FDNY Foundation. The program is named in honor of Firefighter Brick, Ladder 36, who made the Supreme Sacrifice on Dec. 16, 2003, while operating at a four-alarm fire in Manhattan.

Salvatore Bommarito addresses the group

Each scholarship recipient receives a $2,500 award. Since the program was started in 2004, 81 scholarships have been provided to FDNY members, totaling $242,000.
“We need leaders in the Department to get the job done,” Mr. Bommarito said. “We are ecstatic to be involved with the FDNY in this way.”

“There are a lot of applicants and I know how difficult it is to be named a scholarship recipient, so you all are among a special group,” Thomas Brick, Sr., told the group. “We were adopted by the FDNY – and we want to thank you so much for that.”

Chief Saccavino, who received the scholarship for the second year in a row to pursue his Master’s degree in Protection Management at John Jay College, said he was overwhelmed to receive the award, “I’m very grateful for their generosity. This is a true honor.”