Photos: NYPD, FDNY Appreciation Luncheon At National Restaurant

Every day, New York firefighters and police officers risk their lives to protect our great city. Just recently, police officer Peter Figoski was killed in the line of duty and several firefighters were severely burned while trying to put down flames in Crown Heights. Our Bravest and Finest deserve gratitude and appreciation from all of us.

That is why it was gratifying to attend the recent Appreciation Lucheon organized by Be Proud Foundation and its president, Raisa Chernin, and Brighton BID and its executive director Yelena Makhnin, at National Restaurant on Brighton Beach Avenue. This annual event is a small token of appreciation to police officers from the 60th and 61st Precincts as well as to firefighters from Engine 254 that serves our part of Brooklyn.

Deputy Inspector Georgios Mastrokostas of the 61st Precinct and Inspector Peter DeBlasio of the 60th Precinct praised organizers of the luncheon and thanked the community for appreciating the hard work by police officers. Firefighter Thomas Kennedy, commander of Engine 254, asked to hold a minute of silence for cops and firefighters killed or burned from flames during the last twelve months.

— Ari Kagan