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Denis Leary's Foundation Hosts FDNY Training Event to Raise Funds for Fire Departments
Actor Denis Leary's Leary Firefighters Foundation organizes an annual 'Firefighter for a Day' event with the FDNY, allowing civilians to experience firefighter training. The program, started in 2016, raises funds for equipment and training grants to fire departments nationwide. Participants include actors, athletes, and corporate teams, with grants increasing from $200,000 to $850,000 annually.
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Actor and comedian Denis Leary established the Leary Firefighters Foundation in 2000 following a fire in Worcester, Massachusetts, that killed six firefighters, including his cousin and a childhood friend. The foundation provides equipment and training to fire departments to help firefighters return home safely after incidents.
The event opens the academy to non-firefighters for hands-on training, including entering burning buildings, extinguishing flames with hoses, searching for survivors, and rappelling down structures. It coincides with International Firefighters Day on May 4.
Participants train alongside actual firefighters and are not required to complete any activity they prefer to avoid. Leary stated that many participants exceed their initial plans upon seeing the teamwork involved. For example, actor Julianna Margulies, known for 'The Good Wife,' initially intended to coach but ended up rappelling in full gear.
The event attracts actors, athletes, and corporate supporters, raising funds for grants to fire departments across the U.S. David Morkal, a retired FDNY battalion chief and foundation board member, said annual grants have grown from $200,000 to $850,000, with a goal of $1 million this year.
The foundation prioritizes departments that cannot afford necessary equipment or training. John Tyson, assistant fire chief at the Talladega Fire Department in Alabama, said his department received a forcible entry trainer from the foundation, used daily to improve emergency responses.
