Ton Von Essen CBE served with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) for more than 30 years. He joined the department as a firefighter in 1970 and later became President of the Uniformed Firefighters Association, before being appointed New York City’s 30th Fire Commissioner in 1996.
Tom was Fire Commissioner on 11 September 2001, leading the FDNY during the attacks on the World Trade Center and through the devastating aftermath, in which 343 members of the department lost their lives. He subsequently gave evidence to the 9/11 Commission about the emergency response and the experiences of New York’s first responders.
In 2002, Tom was appointed an Honorary Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. Since leaving the FDNY, he has continued to work in public service and as an adviser on fire, emergency preparedness and life safety.
