# Trivial FDNY question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 18, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372 "2001-09-18T12:59:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/1 "2001-09-18T12:59:46Z")

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Why is the FDNY called the FDNY instead of the NYFD (like the police are referred t as the NYPD)?

Is this unique to New York, or is the nomenclature used in other municipalities as well?

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/2 "2001-09-18T13:30:28Z")

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Curiously, if you search NYFD at Google, you get presented with the FDNY Home Page first.

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**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/3 "2001-09-18T13:43:47Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Philster \*  
> \*\*Curiously, if you search NYFD at Google, you get presented with the FDNY Home Page first. \*\*

It’s not so strange, really. IIRC Google weights all hits and those with the largest number of links directed towards them are presented first (or something to that effect). Besides, #1 on the hit list is an **unofficial** home page. The official is #4.

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**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/4 "2001-09-18T14:11:25Z")

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My WAG on the OP: Perhaps “NYPD” and “NYFD” are too similar in their appearance-- the one letter that is different is of very similar shape. This may provide aome benefit in identifying police/fire personnel in the thick of a fire or other disaster that both police and fire are involved with.

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**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/5 "2001-09-18T14:22:10Z")

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Apparently my question is addressed [here](http://nyfd.com/history/fdny.html)

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**Author:** ![kinoons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a698b9/32.png) [@kinoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kinoons)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/6 "2001-09-18T17:33:40Z")

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Simple, its the only city in America that is willing to admit that the fire department is more imporntant than the city itself. 🙂

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**Author:** ![KCB615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea666f/32.png) [@KCB615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KCB615)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2001, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivial-fdny-question/82372/7 "2001-09-18T19:02:25Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Simple, its the only city in America that is willing to admit that the fire department is more imporntant than the city itself.

**kinoons** , I agree with you 110% on that.