NYSAFC Committee Member Edward Koorse Honored by FDNY with Fellow Vietnam Veterans

FDNY Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro and Chief of Department James Leonard presided over the welcome home ceremony. All veterans in attendance received certificates from the FDNY and President Barack Obama and were given hats, Vietnam War commemorative pins, and decals for their vehicles. The name of each member in attendance was read, along with their military branch of service.

Koorse is a veteran of the United States Navy, where he attained the rank of engineman 2nd Grade. He served two tours in Vietnam, one on the USS Tutuila (ARG-4), which was a small repair ship that gave support to the coastal patrol boats out of An Thoi, and a second in Da Nang RVN at the U.S. Naval Support Facility. Koorse served a total of 26 months in Vietnam.

Koorse joined the FDNY in 1971. He was assigned to Squad Co. 4 and Ladder Co. 155, then was promoted to lieutenant in 1981 and was assigned to the 40th Battalion in Brooklyn. He also served as a lieutenant in Ladder Co. 166 in Coney Island. Koorse was promoted to captain and assigned to Division 13, detailed to teach Probie School and the First Line Supervisors Training School. In 1994, he was appointed director of the First Line Supervisors Training School and was given the rank of acting battalion chief. Koorse retired in 1998 after 27 years of service with the FDNY.

He went on to serve as the director of emergency services for Cattaraugus County and emergency manager for the Seneca Nation of Indians.

A member of NYSAFC since 2003, Koorse has served on the association’s Conference Committee since 2012. He previously served as sergeant-at-arms and was a volunteer at the NYSAFC Annual Conference & FIRE Expo for many years. NYSAFC joins in saluting Ed Koorse and all of our fire service military veterans for their service to our nation.