FDNY unveil findings of Firefighting Workplace Climate Survey

New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Commissioner Robert S. Tucker released the findings of the Firefighter Workplace Climate Survey and provided updates on the progress the Department is taking to address these historical challenges.

In Spring 2025, the Fire Department administered a comprehensive climate survey, available to all firefighters, to assess their opinions of leadership and professionalism in the workplace and inform strategies for organizational change.

The survey was designed to gather both qualitative and quantitative feedback for a holistic understanding of experiences across four broad measures.

Findings and opportunities for improvement

The report provides an overview of findings and opportunities to improve survey design and organizational climate and culture.

The survey asked about many aspects of the job, including the overall FDNY diversity climate and perceptions of FDNY leadership’s commitment to diversity.

Alongside firefighters’ everyday experiences in their firehouses with a focus on: firehouse leadership behaviors and commitment to diversity, incivility or mistreatment, harassment (racial or gender-based from others in the firehouse), perceptions of fair treatment, experience reporting incidents to leaders and their handling of the reports of such behaviors and overall trust in the EEO process.

More than half (57%) of all firefighters responded to the survey, yielding more than 4,300 complete responses for analysis.

The anonymous survey results were collected and analyzed by a third-party vendor.

The findings of the survey were overwhelmingly positive. Of 12 overall themes, there are positive trends in seven of them and marginal negative trends in five.

Survey findings include:

• There is a general sense of pride and appreciation, with many expressing that being a firefighter is the best job they could have asked for
• There is a general feeling of respect, inclusion, care and support in the firehouse
• There is a generally positive view of the FDNY’s diversity measures, emphasizing the Department’s commitment to upholding EEO policies and fostering a more inclusive environment
• Perceptions of fair treatment were among the highest rated variables. On average, respondents rated their personal experience with fair treatment 4.2 out of 5
• While the perception of FDNY leadership’s commitment to diversity initiatives had a strong overall rating, it was the lowest-rated variable and declined slightly since the 2019 survey. Comments indicate some members viewed leadership efforts as effective and meaningful, while others viewed leadership efforts as divisive, misaligned or detrimental to standards
• The analysis includes insights from various firefighter demographics, key to understanding the issues different groups face in the workplace

Fire Commissioner, FDNY, Robert Tucker’s statement

Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker said: “I am incredibly happy with the results of this survey, especially about the number of firefighters who participated in it.

“Our participation rate is unprecedented for this type of workplace climate survey. We made a commitment to anonymity and transparency and have made good on that promise.

“There is still work to be done – important work that does not end when I am no longer here, or when the court monitorship ends.

“The work at maintaining a fair, equitable and respectful workplace is a top priority for ANY administration – and it will endure.”

The FDNY is committed to administering the survey every other year. The last FDNY Climate Survey was conducted in 2019 and released in July 2023.

FDNY unveil findings of Firefighting Workplace Climate Survey: Summary

FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker released the findings of the Firefighter Workplace Climate Survey and provided updates on the progress the Department is taking to address these historical challenges.