Fallen firefighter from LI honored with bunting ceremony

In a solemn ceremony Saturday, members of FDNY’s Engine 69/Ladder28 draped purple-and-black bunting across the outside of their Harlem firehouse to honor fallen colleague Michael Davidson.

Davidson, 37, of Floral Park died Friday fighting a fire that broke out in a building that was being used as a set for a movie starring Edward Norton.

With dozens of firefighters ringing the front of the firehouse, Mike Pucci of Ladder 28 and John Keane of Engine 69 climbed into the bucket of a ladder truck and were lifted into the clear blue sky. They leaned out and over to hang the four banners.

The firefighters on the ground stood straight, almost at attention. Some bowed their heads, others looked straight ahead. No one spoke.

Davidson came from a family of firefighters. His father, Robert Davidson, spent 26 years as a FDNY firefighter. His brother, Eric Davidson, is an 11-year veteran who works at Engine Company 88 in the Bronx. Mayor Bill de Blasio and FDNY Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro announced Saturday that Michael Davidson, a 15-year veteran, had been posthumously promoted to lieutenant.

He leaves behind a wife, Eileen; three daughters, ages 7, 3 and 1; and a 6-year-old son.

The family didn’t attend the bunting ceremony.

Later, a steady stream of mourners came by the firehouse to pay their respects. Several brought flowers. Votive candles lined the pavement.

Lynn Parker brought a bouquet. She stopped to thank a trio of firefighters who stood outside the firehouse.

“He was doing a job that you could never repay him for,” Parker said of Davidson.

At the scene of the fire, investigators searched for what caused flames to break out in the building’s cellar. Davidson had been found unconscious in the basement. He died at Harlem Hospital.

Davidson was the 1,150th firefighter to die in the line of duty in the FDNY’s 153-year history. He had been a firefighter since May 2003 and had been honored four times for bravery.

In Instagram posts Saturday, Norton said he was setting up ways to offer assistance to Davidson’s family but in the meantime, encouraged donations for the firefighter’s children be made to the FDNY Foundation.

“Our team is committed to honoring him and assisting his family and, in due course, when we can determine with his family what form they’d like that to take, I’ll pass along any information I have about a verified way people can contribute.”

According to the FDNY Foundation’s Instagram account, donations can be made to “Scholarship Fund to Benefit the Children of FF Davidson,” with additional information available on how to contribute by clicking the account’s bio link.

Also, the Steve Stiller Tunnel to Tower Foundation has offered to donate $100,000 to help pay off the mortgage on Davidson’s home

A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan. Visiting will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday at Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home, 29 Atlantic Ave., Floral Park.