New York City Police Department, New York • Line of Duty Death: August 24, 2022
On August 24th, 2022, New York City Fire Department Captain Paul W. Schmalzried Jr. passed away due to a 9/11-related illness.
Schmalzried was born and raised in Astoria, Queens, New York. He grew up with two older brothers and loved spending time fishing, hunting, and skiing. Schmalzried’s mother always said that he was the best child a mother could ever ask for.
Schmalzried joined the FDNY in February of 1998 due to his passion for helping others and his tendency to go out of his way to help those in need. He loved the sense of brotherhood that came along with the service and the FDNY allowed him to teach and pass on his immense knowledge to younger generations.
Schmalzried had many notable accomplishments during his 24 years of service, including receiving a unit citation and becoming the engine chauffeur as a regular firefighter in 2003. Schmalzried earned a promotion to the rank of Lieutenant in January of 2007, and earned another promotion to the rank of Captain in May of 2021. Shortly after this promotion he became head of the CTS Chauffeur Training School, teaching others how to operate the fire trucks.
FDNY Captain Paul W. Schmalzried Jr. is survived by his loving wife, Claudia, their son, Paul, and their daughter, Carina.
