Honorees

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Year Honored
2014
Honoree
John McFarland
Title
Deputy Chief/Paramedic
Agency
Fire Department of New York - Bureau of EMS
Agency City
Brooklyn
Agency State
New York
Last Call
2/6/2012
Cause of Death
9/11 Illness
Biography
Chief McFarland joined EMS as an EMT in 1983. He studied to become a paramedic in 1985 and was assigned to cover Manhattan. Four years later, he was promoted to lieutenant. He worked in operations and training before being promoted again - to captain - in 1997. It was at EMS where John met his wife, EMS Captain Joann, and although John so loved EMS, his true joy was in his children Katherine, Megan, Rebecca, John, and Joseph.He held different positions both at FDNY Headquarters and the EMS Academy before being promoted to Deputy Chief in 2001. He then served as Chief of the EMS Academy and Chief of EMS Division 4. He then became Queens Borough Commander in 2003, followed by Deputy Assistant Chief of Field Operations in 2004.In his time with EMS, he responded to many notable incidents, including the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of 1993, US Airways Flight 1549 that landed on the Hudson, two plane crashes at LaGuardia Airport and a major steam pipe explosion in midtown Manhattan. On the morning of September 11, 2001 John responded to the second attack on the World Trade Center. He oversaw rescue and recovery efforts for months to follow and was one of the last responders to leave the scene when recovery efforts ended over one year later. John developed one of the many forms of cancer plaguing responders and had to retire in 2011. He succumbed to his illness on February 6, 2012.John was a pioneer, striving for top-quality medical care that anyone could provide on the street, as well as the most up-to-date medical care; he wanted to make sure that the FDNY EMS Command was the best in the world. Chief McFarland was always pushing for the FDNY to make use of the latest innovations and technologies, including STEMI and hypothermia therapy. He also never forgot what it was like to work as a paramedic or EMT on the streets, and always strived to find ways to make their lives easier.