Tom was born in Brooklyn but spent many years living in upstate New York. His father and brother are also firefighters. Therefore, becoming a firefighter came somewhat naturally for Tom. He has been with the Fire Department of New York since 1982. Dealing with something else that came naturally - his sexual orientation - has been more difficult.

He always knew he was different. "And when I knew what it was when I was young, I knew it couldn't be," he explained. "I grew up in an Irish Catholic home, and you knew at an early age what you could and couldn't be - and gay wasn't on the could be list."

And so began the circuitous route to his status today as an out gay men. Tom went into the military, got married at the age of 25, raised "three beautiful children," and later divorced. Tom came out in his 30s with his family. In 1994 he met Scott Arigot, and the two have been together for seven years.

In 1998 Tom came out also at work, in the tight-knit machismo world of firefighters. One of the reasons he decided to, was his kids, who have been very accepting of his sexual orientation. Many gay firefighters, he explained, don't want to risk the ribbing and possible alienation from their colleagues. He was the only gay New York City firefighter to march in uniform in this year's gay pride parade.

Tom hopes that just being out is making a difference. But he has taken it even further. For instance, Tom became president of FireFLAG/EMS, a peer support group for gay and lesbian firefighters and emergency service personnel, among others. And he has gotten involved with the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, where he goes into schools and talks about being a firefighter - who also happens to be gay.

Tom served as President of FireFLAG/EMS from 1998 to December 2003. He retired from FDNY in July of 2003, after a distinguished career completed at Ladder 12 in Manhattan, and is a hero of 9/11.

On September 11, 2001 he rushed from his home to the World Trade Center, only to find that he had lost five members of his fire company, Ladder Company 12 in Chelsea; since then, he has learned about 25 closeted gay firefighters who died on September 11.

He has worked tirelessly for the issues effecting LGBT Firefighters and Emergency Workers, and continues to speak out for our organization on issues of homophobia in the FDNY, rights of domestic partners under the city and state pension systems, and issues of discrimination toward the LGBT community. The end of his term has not ended his work. At present he is President Emeritus.