FDNY Members Graduate from West Point Counterterrorism Leadership Program

Students from the fifth West Point Counterterrorism Leadership Program gather with Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta, Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano, Retired General John Abizaid, Lt. Colonel Reid Sawyer and Major Scott Taylor.

Thirty-three members of the FDNY graduated from the West Point Counterterrorism Leadership Program on May 20.

The program, which is celebrating its fifth year, focuses on research in the field of terrorism, counterterrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

“This is one of the most innovative programs in the nation available to first responders,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta during the graduation ceremony at FDNY Headquarters.

Retired General John Abizaid, Distinguished Chair of the Combating Terrorism Center, added, “It is an honor to work with the FDNY. The sacrifices you and your Department have made are an inspiration to those of us who fight for our nation.”

During the four-month course, the FDNY members studied works by political scientists, government officials, members of the armed forces and other experts in the field of counterterrorism, to gain an understanding of the causes, ideologies and methods of terrorism.

Thirty-three FDNY members took the four-month course.

The program also covered risks for, and specific threats to, New York City and how current world events shape these threats on a daily basis.

“This is a difficult course, but a worthwhile course,” said Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano. “We want to make sure we’re as prepared as we can be for the next attack.”

The graduates included members of the fire and EMS service, who will share what they learned in the course with members in the field.

“The course offered an excellent background in terrorism and [terrorists’] motiviations,” said Battalion Chief Dean Koester, who said he found the study of nuclear terrorism to be the most interesting.

Firefighter Raymond Pfeifer, who works as an aide to Chief of Counterterrorism and Emergency Preparedness Joseph Pfeifer, was the first firefighter to graduate from the program.

“This was really an eye opener,” he said. “The class puts you in the front lines, learning [the information] from the world’s elite.”

Director of the Combating Terrorism Center, Lt. Colonel Reid Sawyer, said he hoped the program enables FDNY members to, “think differently about the enemy, think about the threat of tomorrow.”