FDNY badge numbers

Joined
Apr 10, 2009
Messages
9
I am aware that all members are assigned a unique badge number.  Presumably, those with less senority have the higher numbers.  How often does the deaprtment shuffle badge numbers?  I would imagine it happens every couple of years based on retirements and member voluntary attrition.  I remember that the guy who wrote the rescue book (Hamilton) had badge #31.  I am sure he wasn't given that number right out of proby school.  Anyone have any information that might answer my questions?
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
286
Someone correct my if i got this wrong.I had heard a while back that the badge number that a firefighter is assigned when he gets on the job does not get assigned to anyone else when he or she retires and if the firefighter is killed in the line of duty or passes away the only time that badge number is reassigned is to a son or grandson who comes on the job.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
211
What ever vacant badge numbers they have at the time of issuance is what they give out, the numbers aren't in any sequential order.
Our badge numbers are given to us in proby school and it's ours till the day we retire. There's no shuffling around or changing numbers as people retire or get promoted. Unless for some reason you prefer a particular number you would then have to contact the badge desk and go from there. If the number is not assigned then more than likely it will be yours. If it's assigned to an active member the badge desk will contact the present holder and ask if he wants to give it up, if not your s.o.l 

If the badge number was assigned to a member the was a line of duty death then your not going to get that number unless your a family member AND have the permission of the next of kin to have the number. When we retire we can request our badge number be retired but it's less likely to happen if you have under 30 years on the job. When a badge is turned in for a retirement it's held for a few months then reassigned as needed. The brother who had my badge I believe retired in 1987 since then it might have sat unused.   
 

tbendick

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Dec 20, 2006
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1,469
If you get promoted you will get a new badge number also.
 
Joined
Feb 27, 2007
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323
My grandfather did 40 years on the job and my father took his badge number right now with 32 yrs and he is putting it aside for me, hopefully one day when i get on this great job ill keep the tradition alive
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
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26
as I was once at the Carins factory back in the "70s, I saw an order of helmets with fronts going out to a new class of probies at FDNY one guy had been assigned the badge number 12345,... I thought this to be so unusual, I took a picture of it laying on my friend the plant manager's desk (Sam),... I wonder if there is any way to find out who it belonged to??
 
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Jul 10, 2010
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105
E-211 said:
as I was once at the Carins factory back in the "70s, I saw an order of helmets with fronts going out to a new class of probies at FDNY one guy had been assigned the badge number 12345,... I thought this to be so unusual, I took a picture of it laying on my friend the plant manager's desk (Sam),... I wonder if there is any way to find out who it belonged to??

Try contacting the badge desk and ask them when it was issued in the 70's.  They should be able to tell you.   I know that they WON'T tell you who CURRENTLY has it, but may tell you who had it in the past.

I was down at the Medical Office one day and took a trip up to the Badge Desk to find out the history on my Badge number.   They had the history on it all the way back to 1947.   Found out some VERY interesting info regarding my badge number.    Also, before I was issued the badge, it hadn't been assigned to anyone for 17 years, and found out 3 years after I was issued it, that the last person to have it was assigned to my current company, but died in an accident off-duty.
 
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Feb 28, 2007
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1,250
The personnel at the badge desk are they light duty FF's or Civilian's?
 
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Jul 6, 2010
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26
any of you got the number at the badge desk, I think I'll give them a call
 
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Dec 29, 2009
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166
I was assigned my pops Badge 7 years after he retired with 23 years.  There was no problems, he just had to request the badge be held when he turned it in.
 
Joined
Jun 2, 2010
Messages
654
I was lucky when I was appointed my Dads FF badge number was just turned in. The fellow who had it got promoted to Lt. when I got promoted to Lt I got my Dads Lt badge number. The number was retired when he died so I had to ask the badge desk to have new a badge made.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
5,569
I am really glad to hear that the FDNY will kept the badge numbers for the next generation of family fire fighters. It is truely an HONOR to follow in your fathers footsteps as a Firefighter for the Greatest Fire Dept in the World.
 I also followed my fathers footsteps as a firefighter, although in another city, "It was Still An Honor". My brother was a little more luckier than I was, He got the job in the same city (Bridgeport, Ct) as my father, and they were on the job for a while together. After my father retired (who we called "Smoke", and he never got mad at us for it), my brother got to work in some of the same companies that Smoke did. Even as an officer.
  The problem was everytime we got together, even Holidays with visiting relatives, "we always talked about the Fire Dept". My mother would be so mad. She'd say "can't you talk about anything else but fire dept". We did. We always told her how GREAT her cooking was.
  By the way "Smoke", what a Great Guy and Fireman you were. We still miss ya "Smokey". (And Mom's Cooking).
  For more about "Smoke", see thread called "Role Model" under "National Forums"
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
588
I am hoping my question will be answered on this topic since it's been a while from the last post. I also hope that my questions do not "cross any lines" or disturb anyone. It is not my intent to do that.

I am wondering, have badge number's 911 and 343 been retired in memory of September 11th, 2001?

If 911 and/or 343 are - or are not - are there any other badge number's that were retired to honor anyone?



 
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