FDNY official resigns after controversy over cotton-ball relay at Brooklyn school

An FDNY official resigned after a furor over a cotton-ball relay game conducted by students at a Brooklyn high school during a summer leadership program. Michele Maglione, 57, assistant commissioner and head of the department’s Youth Workforce Development, saw nearly two decades in the post end after the department removed her from her duties and she chose retirement instead of facing disciplinary charges.

During an FDNY-run summer academy at the FDNY-Capt. Vernon A. Richard High School for Fire and Life Safety, Maglione led a group of about 35 students, mostly Black, in a so‑called cotton‑ball relay. The exercise involved teams with petroleum jelly smeared on their faces and hands tied behind their backs as they carried cotton balls across a classroom floor. The activity was billed by organizers as a team-building exercise, but recruiters who viewed video of the event found it objectionable given its ties to slavery-era imagery. After the video circulated, the department said it immediately modified Maglione’s duty status and opened an investigation. Based on that probe, she was permanently removed from her position; Maglione later opted to retire.

The incident has prompted scrutiny of the FDNY’s youth programs and how such activities are supervised. An agency insider described the ending of Maglione’s career as a sad escalation of what one former colleague called a case of poor judgment. A person familiar with the matter said Maglione’s leadership style had been widely viewed as caring for students, but the cotton-ball exercise represented a serious misstep that overshadowed years of service.

Controversy surrounding Maglione’s conduct extended beyond the summer academy. Cara McCammon, who attended FDNY’s EMS Youth Academy at Fort Totten in 2023, told The New York Post that Maglione once told a group of predominantly Black and Hispanic students, “You don’t belong here,” and called them “idiots.” McCammon said she was removed from the six-month EMS program a week before final exams after criticizing Maglione on Instagram. The FDNY did not respond to requests for comment on those allegations, and The Post described McCammon’s account as a personal recollection of events.

Mayor Eric Adams called the cotton-ball episode “terrible,” saying he found it offensive and that many others did as well. As the city’s Schools Chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, put it, the incident was insensitive and not aligned with the district’s values. “This kind of behavior is insensitive and in no way aligned with our values, and we are grateful to the FDNY for taking swift action to address it,” Aviles-Ramos told PIX-11. “We will always do everything to ensure our students are respected and supported.”

In a statement, the FDNY said: “Once the Department became aware of the incident and social media post, we immediately modified her duty status and launched an investigation. Based on this investigation, this individual was permanently removed from her position.” An inside source described Maglione’s departure as a formal end to a long era in the department’s youth programs, underscoring the high bar set for conduct within city leadership initiatives.

The episode underscores ongoing tension around race, education, and public-safety training programs in New York City, particularly as agencies expand youth outreach and recruitment efforts. City officials say they will continue to review and refine how youth leadership activities are designed and supervised to ensure they reflect inclusive, respectful practices across all communities.