Professor Ronald R. Spadafora was a long-time instructor in our Emergency & Disaster Management graduate program. He was a 40-year FDNY veteran who oversaw rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site after 9/11. He succumbed to cancer linked to his efforts at ground zero. Chief of Fire Prevention, Ronald R. Spadafora passed away at the age of 63 in June of 2018.
Spafadora launched his career with the FDNY at Engine 237 in Brooklyn in 1978 before rising through the ranks over the years. In 2010, he became Assistant Chief for the Bureau of Fire Prevention. During the recovery efforts at ground zero, he was the World Trade Center Chief of Safety.
MCNY MPA Emergency and Disaster Management (EDM) Program Director, Ali Gheith said, “Ronnie Spadafora was a great friend and an exemplary colleague. He was loved by the students and the alumni of the EDM program. He was a wonderful teacher and shared his expertise and experiences freely. He was one of a kind.”
In his extraordinary career, he fought fires in all five boroughs, improved training for FDNY members, lead recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and as the Chief of Fire Prevention, his dedication and leadership led to greater safety and protection for millions of New Yorkers.
To our Community and Emergency and Disaster Management students, he meant the world!
Metropolitan College of New York remembers Professor Ronald R. Spadafora.
Chief with EDM MPA students and FDNY team.
