UFA Centennial Commemorates Glory, Tragedy and the Gains Made by Union

The Uniformed Firefighters Association celebrated its centennial anniversary in spectacular fashion at Pier 60 at the Chelsea Piers on the Hudson River Sept. 5. Seven hundred guests pack­ed the venue with pan­o­ramic views of the Hudson River while two FDNY fireboats sprayed celebratory pastel water several hundred feet into the sky.

By design, according to one of the event’s organizers, the speeches were kept to a minimum so the evening’s focal point would be on the union’s history and its members, both those present and those who have passed. Not surprisingly, 16 years after 343 FDNY members perished during the 9/11 rescue efforts, the themes of remembrance and resolve were woven through the evening’s presentations.