The New York City Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes & Drums is a non-profit organization that is composed entirely of both active and retired members of the FDNY. Prior to the September 11th attacks, the band's sole line of income came from performing at various festivals, parades, special concerts, volunteer apparatus dedications, etc. Since the attacks, the band has grown increasingly popular among the Department after their dedication in providing dignity to the member and their families at over 500 funerals and memorial dedications. The increasing interest has lead to the band almost doubling in size.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
The FDNY Emerald Society Pipes and Drums made its Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in the 2015 Parade, celebrating the Department's 150th anniversary milestone. The band played a variety of classic pipe and drum songs, and escorted a specialty FDNY 1924 Ford Model T Vintage Fire Truck en route to 34th Street.
The Pipes and Drums band returned to the line of march for the second time in the reimagined 2020 Parade. The group was selected to represent the New York Saint Patrick's Day Parade after the COVID-19 pandemic caused many New York Parades and celebrations to be cancelled, including the Saint Patrick's Day Parade. For the group's appearance on the NBC telecast, the band performed a rendition of "America the Beautiful" directed by Captain Liam Flaherty.