FDNY commissioner Robert Tucker resigning in December

The city's FDNY commissioner, businessman Robert Tucker, announced Wednesday that he's resigning next month.

Tucker, a self-described "fire buff" who was never a firefighter and has the private investigation firm T & M USA, will leave the post on Dec. 19, the FDNY said in a statement. He was appointed last year by Mayor Eric Adams.

No replacement was immediately announced.

In a statement sent by the FDNY, Tucker said he was grateful to have held the post: "We empowered the brave men and women who keep our city safe, bringing fire-related deaths to a historic low."

In a statement sent by Adams' office, he said of Tucker: "Under his leadership, we’ve decreased fire-related deaths in our city to the lowest in a decade, modernized the FDNY, and empowered the brave men and women who keep our city safe."

The FDNY has 17,000 firefighters, medics and other employees.

Tucker replaced Laura Kavanagh, the FDNY's female fire commissioner in the department's history, after she quit following reported infighting. 

Tucker is the father of two daughters and a son, and is the grandson of the late Richard Tucker, an American operatic tenor and cantor who was associated with the Metropolitan Opera.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 35th New York City Fire Commissioner. Thank you to Mayor Adams for his trust and confidence in doing this job," the commissioner's statement said.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.