Commish’s crony cleric: NYC’s first female, openly gay FDNY chaplain awarded huge promotion with $160K pay

New York Post ^ | June 1, 2024 | Susan Edelman

[Angelino97]

Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh has named a pastor with no clinical experience to run the FDNY’s counseling services for firefighters and medics struggling with mental-health problems — an appointment that will require the department to hire another licensed supervisor at taxpayer expense to plug the gap.

Kavanagh tapped Ann Kansfield, the FDNY’s first female and openly gay chaplain, as chief of the department’s Counseling Services Unit, which runs a staff of psychologists and therapists who conduct screening, assessment and treatment of job candidates and ailing first-responders.

Kansfield, 48, whom Kavanagh has called her “spiritual muse” — served as one of nine FDNY chaplains, last year collecting $39,809 in salary and overtime.

As CSU director, her salary will jump to $159,650, officials said.

An FDNY officer blasted Kansfield’s appointment as “another example of a friend of Kavanagh receiving a high-paying job at the expense of the citizens of New York,” saying it will further erode morale in the rank-and-file.

Kavanagh defended her decision.

“As our first responders face an unprecedented mental health crisis, they deserve strong managers with a proven track record of dedication to the FDNY and the mental health of all our members,” Kavanagh said in a statement to The Post.

[Angelino97]

But diversity and ugly bull dykes are what you want when you’re stuck in a smoky building.

Orange County’s New Fire Recruits Make History For Diversity.

[Angelino97]

Stop working for NY City, move, and get a job at a fire department in a long-time red county.

Orange County used to be very conservative, for a very long time. See my Post 21.

[mass55th]

Thanks Angelino97!! Appreciate the ping and the link.

[Texas Fossil]

She obtained a master's degree in divinity at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 2004, and has since served as the pastor of the Greenpoint Reformed Church in Brooklyn.

The commissioner also said the chaplain “started, owned and operated a family therapy practice.”

However, the release doesn't explain that Kansfield’s wife, Jennifer Aull, is the founder and director of North Brooklyn Marriage & Family Therapy, which doesn't mention Kansfield on its website.

Kansfield did administrative work for her wife's practice, Long said