A top New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lawyer is a front-runner to be the next fire commissioner – and would be the first woman to hold the position, according to NYT Post.

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Terryl Brown, 60, is a finalist in Mayor-elect Eric Adams’ search to lead the nation’s largest fire department and its more than 17,000 uniformed and civilian employees, according to multiple sources in the FDNY and another close to Adams. Brown joined the FDNY seven years ago as its chief legal counsel and deputy commissioner for legal affairs.

Brown would be the first female – and only the third African-American – to lead the FDNY since its founding in 1865 if she is appointed.

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“She is a phenomenal person who’s well liked, and you won’t find a better attorney,” said a FDNY personnel who predicted Brown’s selection would be backed by the rank-and-file.

Another FDNY insider, though, was sceptical about Brown, a civilian with vast experience as a government lawyer but no first-responder experience.

“How do you put somebody in charge of the largest fire department in the world with no emergency preparedness?” said the source. “We’re going into disasters, not a courthouse.”

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Nicholas Scoppetta, the former Fire Commissioner, lacked disaster preparedness skills as well.

Daniel Nigro, who presently earns $243,171 a year, has expressed interest in keeping his job under Adams, according to sources. Laura Kavanagh, the first deputy fire commissioner, also threw her hat in the ring.

Adams has already stated that women will play a significant role in his administration, just a week before succeeding term-limited Mayor Bill de Blasio.

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On Monday, the mayor-elect announced that five women with extensive experience in government and charitable organisations will serve as his deputy mayors.

Adams, a veteran police captain, had fulfilled a campaign pledge by naming the city’s first female police commissioner just days before. When Nassau County Chief of Detectives Keechant Sewell takes over in January, she will become the third African-American to lead the NYPD.