This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

#637 - FDNY Firefighter

February 4, 2026

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  • Retired FDNY Firefighter Tony Bonfiglio secured his position only because a six-year sex discrimination lawsuit delayed hiring, allowing him to advance on the list despite failing a critical physical test station. 
  • Tony Bonfiglio's early career involved several unusual jobs, including scraping floors in a meat factory where vegetable oil was used to make the facility shiny for inspectors. 
  • His first official fire call as a probationary firefighter was terrifying, marked by an initial equipment failure (an uncharged extinguisher can) and the intense, disorienting environment of a dark, smoke-filled tenement hallway. 
  • The visceral and immediate danger of firefighting is highlighted by stories of entering dark, smoke-filled apartments where occupants were unaware or uncooperative, leading to tragic outcomes like the loss of a child. 
  • The camaraderie and brotherhood within the FDNY, exemplified by the shared meals, traditions, and mutual support during and after traumatic events, is described as a core element of the job. 
  • The experience of 9/11 was profoundly shocking, involving an immediate, chaotic response to the rubble where the sheer scale of destruction and the subsequent community support were overwhelming. 
  • The long-term health consequences for first responders at Ground Zero include 'ground glass lung,' a condition resulting from inhaling toxic dust containing contaminants like glass fibers. 

Segments

Podcast Merch and Intro
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Theo Von opens with surreal banter before promoting merchandise.
  • Summary: Theo Von discusses Disney World imagery, plugs his online store for new merchandise, and thanks listeners for support.
Introducing FDNY Guest
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(00:00:55)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest is introduced as a 20-year retired FDNY veteran, Tony Von Figlio.
  • Summary: Theo introduces Tony Von Figlio, a retired FDNY firefighter who served 20 years, including during 9/11, calling him a legend.
Firefighter Heat Conditions
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(00:01:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Firefighting involves extreme heat and significant body water loss.
  • Summary: Tony describes the intense heat while fighting fires and how much water the body loses, making gear removal feel like falling in a pool.
Tony’s Youth and Meat Factory
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(00:02:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Tony grew up in New Hyde Park, enjoying rock clubs before working in a meat factory.
  • Summary: Tony discusses his Italian roots, his rebellious youth listening to bands like Twisted Sister, and his brief college attempt before working in a meat factory scraping floors.
Meat Factory Corruption and Cleanup
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(00:06:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The meat factory job involved cleaning up after hours and dealing with corrupt inspectors.
  • Summary: Tony details his job as part of the cleanup crew, hosing down the facility and oiling surfaces, and mentions inspectors demanding ‘payola’.
Path to Fire Department Test
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(00:16:42)
  • Key Takeaway: A neighbor encouraged Tony to take the FDNY test when he felt he was going nowhere professionally.
  • Summary: After working in printing and plastics, Tony recalls his neighbor urging him to take the FDNY application, which he did without realizing its significance.
The Firefighter Physical Exam
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(00:18:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The physical test was rigorous, featuring an 8-foot wall and a ’ledge walk’ station.
  • Summary: Tony describes the written test as easy but the physical test as the real separator, noting he received a zero on the ’ledge walk’ station.
Lawsuit Delays Hiring
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(00:21:55)
  • Key Takeaway: A lawsuit regarding female applicants delayed Tony’s hiring for six years, ultimately saving his spot on the list.
  • Summary: The lawsuit filed by women seeking entry into the FDNY kept the hiring list active long enough for Tony, ranked low due to his zero score, to be called.
First Day at Ladder 34
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(00:25:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Tony was assigned to a truck company (Ladder 34) in Washington Heights, a neighborhood he initially misidentified.
  • Summary: Tony discusses his graduation, being assigned to a truck company (which he didn’t want), and the culture shock of arriving in the busy, run-down neighborhood of his assigned firehouse.
First Fire Experience
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(00:32:18)
  • Key Takeaway: Tony’s first fire was terrifying, marked by him forgetting to pressurize his can extinguisher.
  • Summary: Tony details his first alarm at (1:30) AM, crawling into a smoke-filled hallway, and his failure to deploy his can extinguisher because it lacked air.
Surviving the First Fire
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(00:40:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite his mistake, his lieutenant told him he did a good job, leading to an overwhelming appreciation for life.
  • Summary: After the fire was knocked down, Tony felt immense relief and appreciation for being alive, realizing the job was both scary and thrilling.
Entering Inhabited Fires
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(00:45:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The process and energy shift when entering a fire known to be occupied.
  • Summary: Theo asks the guest to detail the process of entering a structure when they know people are inside, inquiring about the change in energy and how they receive that information.
Fatal Fire and Card Players
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(00:46:06)
  • Key Takeaway: A deeply traumatic fire where residents were playing cards instead of evacuating, leading to the loss of a child.
  • Summary: The guest recounts a fire where they lost a little girl. He describes the surreal scene of finding eight people playing cards upon entry, and the subsequent frantic search for the child in the smoke-filled room.
Searching in Zero Visibility
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(00:48:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Firefighting in heavy smoke relies entirely on touch, often without gloves.
  • Summary: The guest explains the difficulty of searching for a victim in total darkness, relying on feeling surfaces, sometimes forgetting to wear gloves.
Confrontation After Child’s Death
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(00:50:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest confronted the residents responsible for the false alarm after learning the child died.
  • Summary: After the child’s death, the Deputy Chief arrived. The guest expressed his anger toward the card players for not disclosing the child’s presence in the back room.
Fire Without Masks
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(00:51:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Entering a fire without masks due to a false alarm led to immediate danger from toxic smoke.
  • Summary: The guest describes a second incident where they responded without masks, only to find a serious fire above them, forcing them to crawl in toxic smoke.
Modern Smoke Toxicity
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(00:52:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Modern building materials create far more poisonous smoke than older materials.
  • Summary: The guest discusses how fires in the 60s and 70s involved wood and cotton, which was less toxic than the vinyl and plastic found in modern structures.
Finding Bodies in Second Fire
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(00:53:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The second fire resulted in two bodies found, leading to intense emotional distress for the guest.
  • Summary: The team found two bodies in the second fire. The guest describes crying while carrying the little girl out, feeling responsible for closing the door on her.
Trauma and Aftermath Processing
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(00:55:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The trauma from the child’s death lingered for years, requiring support from colleagues and family.
  • Summary: The guest discusses the difficulty of processing such events, the support received from his lieutenant and colleagues, and the lingering sensory memories of the burnt smell.
Dealing with Junkie Fires
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(00:56:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Repeatedly responding to a homeless individual lighting fires for warmth highlighted the power of addiction.
  • Summary: The guest recounts responding three times to a young man lighting fires in a vacant building to stay warm, culminating in a final, stern warning.
Finding Drug Stash During Fire
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(01:06:51)
  • Key Takeaway: During a fire response, firefighters discovered a massive drug operation hidden in an adjacent room.
  • Summary: Responding to a fire, the team found a room full of cash and another room stacked floor-to-ceiling with cocaine bricks.
Joey Diaz and Firefighter Drug Sales
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(01:11:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The conversation briefly pivots to comedian Joey Diaz’s past as a drug dealer posing as a volunteer firefighter.
  • Summary: Theo and the guest discuss Joey Diaz’s stories about selling cocaine while posing as a volunteer firefighter in Colorado.
Fire Department Camaraderie
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(01:14:47)
  • Key Takeaway: The brotherhood and shared experience, especially with Vietnam vets, defined the atmosphere of the job.
  • Summary: The guest discusses how the job fostered deep camaraderie, noting that the atmosphere was different when Vietnam veterans were still on the force.
9/11 Response and Adrenaline
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(01:19:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest rushed to Ground Zero immediately after his shift ended, experiencing intense adrenaline and chaos.
  • Summary: The guest describes learning about the attacks, racing to the site in his work van, and witnessing the collapse of both towers, feeling immense grief for the lost firefighters.
Inside Ground Zero Chaos
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(01:24:07)
  • Key Takeaway: The scene at Ground Zero was dark, eerie, and filled with debris, requiring firefighters to scavenge tools from a nearby store.
  • Summary: The group entered the debris field, found masks and tools in a hardware store, and navigated the rubble, eventually finding a lone, shell-shocked firefighter in the Marriott lobby.
Building 7 Collapse
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(01:34:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest confirms Building 7 was burning all day before it collapsed, supporting the idea that it was structurally compromised.
  • Summary: The guest states that Building 7 was visibly on fire from top to bottom all day, reinforcing his belief that the collapse was due to fire damage, not explosions.
Building 7 Collapse Aftermath
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(01:34:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest witnessed Building 7 burning all day, leading him to dismiss conspiracy theories.
  • Summary: The guest recounts heading uptown after the collapse of Building 7, hearing the roar, and later dismissing conspiracy theories about its collapse based on his firsthand observation of it burning extensively.
AI and Truth Decay
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(01:35:26)
  • Key Takeaway: The prevalence of realistic AI-generated content makes it increasingly difficult to discern what is real.
  • Summary: The speakers discuss seeing AI-generated content online, possibly featuring fake testimonials from firefighters about explosions, emphasizing the need to be careful about what is real today.
9/11 Aftermath and Kindness
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(01:36:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite the tragedy, moments of unexpected kindness from civilians were experienced by the first responders.
  • Summary: The guest describes stopping for supplies after working at Ground Zero and a young woman at the counter refusing payment because she recognized they were from the World Trade Center site.
Ground Zero Health Issues
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(01:37:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Inhaling toxic dust at Ground Zero caused long-term respiratory damage, including a condition called ‘ground glass lung.’
  • Summary: The guest mentions speaking with James Nestor about ‘ground glass lung,’ a condition affecting first responders due to inhaling toxic dust containing glass fibers and debris.
Friend’s Loss and Boxing Club
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(01:38:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest’s friend Bobby worked tirelessly at Ground Zero searching for his nephew, Alan, who perished.
  • Summary: The guest discusses his friend Bobby McGuire, who runs the FDNY Boxing Club, which raises money for the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, established after the death of the founder’s brother on 9/11.
Near Death in a Closet Fire
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(01:48:36)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest became trapped in a closet during a severe fire, only to be saved by Jerry Nevins.
  • Summary: The guest details entering a structure fire, getting lost in a closet, and hearing Jerry Nevins come in behind him to guide him out just before the room flashed over.
Murder Scene Discovery
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(01:52:39)
  • Key Takeaway: While fighting a fire, the crew discovered they were kneeling on a dismembered, headless corpse, suggesting arson/murder.
  • Summary: After putting out a fire, the crew realized they were kneeling on a badly burned, headless body, leading them to suspect the fire was set after a murder.
Faking Injuries for Time Off
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(01:53:35)
  • Key Takeaway: A rookie firefighter with a softball injury was coached to claim a severe burn injury to get time off.
  • Summary: The guest recounts how a rookie named Kenny, who had a softball injury, was told to claim a burn injury from a ceiling collapse, leading a doctor to treat the softball injury as a third-degree burn.
Guest’s Book Promotion
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(02:03:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The guest has written a book, Tales from the Tiller, which includes both tragic stories and recipes.
  • Summary: The guest promotes his book, Tales from the Tiller: True Stories of Heroism, Heartbreak, and Humor. The Luckiest Guy Alive in His Journey in the FDMY, noting it was put together with his son and wife.