FASNY Honors Senator Monica Martinez with Golden Trumpet Award
NYS Legislator from Suffolk County Recognized for Outstanding Leadership and Advocacy for New York’s Volunteer Fire Service
TROY, NY — November 1, 2025 — The Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) today presented its prestigious annual Golden Trumpet Award to State Senator Monica Martinez of Brentwood, recognizing her exceptional leadership and unwavering support for New York’s volunteer fire service.
For more than 30 years, the Golden Trumpet has been awarded to individuals who have gone above and beyond in championing the needs of volunteer firefighters — particularly in the areas of legislation, policy, and public safety. Senator Martinez embodies that spirit of partnership and advocacy.
Throughout her tenure in the State Senate, Senator Martinez has been a steadfast ally of the fire service, working tirelessly on behalf of the volunteer departments and EMS agencies in her Long Island district — and across the entire state. As Chair of the Senate Local Government Committee, she has been instrumental in advancing legislation to strengthen emergency response systems, support recruitment and retention, and improve safety for both first responders and the communities they serve.
Among her many efforts, Senator Martinez has championed reforms to the Volunteer Firefighter Benefit Law and the volunteer fire and EMS state income tax credit to ensure volunteers receive the support they deserve, and has been a strong voice on critical issues including emergency communications, disaster preparedness, lithium-ion battery safety, and 9/11 responder health. She continues to lead efforts to modernize and fund the state’s critical EMS infrastructure and to allow for collection of both property tax and income tax exemptions for volunteer first responders — benefits she believes should also extend to the surviving spouses of those who make the ultimate sacrifice and should be administered promptly. In her own district, Sen. Martinez has secured critical funding to support volunteer training at the Suffolk County Fire Academy.
Senator Martinez has consistently fought to enhance local emergency response capabilities by bolstering communications equipment and dispatch services, while supporting initiatives to recruit and retain the next generation of volunteers. She also has called attention to the need for better understanding of lithium-ion battery fires and ensuring volunteers are well-equipped to respond to these types of emergencies.
“Senator Monica Martinez has shown time and again that she not only understands the challenges facing the volunteer fire service — she acts on them,” said FASNY President Eugene Perry. “Her leadership, compassion, and commitment to New York’s first responders make her a true friend to every firefighter in this state. It is with great pride and gratitude that we present her with the FASNY Golden Trumpet Award.”
“The Golden Trumpet symbolizes a voice that rises above the challenges of uncertainty, and I’m proud to be that voice in Albany as an advocate for our first responders,” said Senator Martinez. “Volunteers are humble, but their heroism is true, and that is why I’m honored to receive the Golden Trumpet Award from this incredible organization and the members it represents.”
###
ABOUT FASNY
Founded in 1872, the Firefighters’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) represents the interests of the approximately 80,000 volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel in New York State. For more information, visit www.fasny.com.