Navy SEAL Too Old for FDNY Wins Battle of Ages

A U.S. Navy SEAL who wanted to be an FDNY firefighter but was told he was too old can now fulfill his dream after New York State legislators passed a bill Thursday.

Special Operations Chief Shaun Donovan, 37, served four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan—earning medals of valor during that time. In October, Donovan passed FDNY's written exam, scoring in the top 1 percent out of the 43,900 people who took the test, and he met the job's physical requirements, which included ladder raising, hose dragging and other tasks.

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But in February, Donovan was told by the FDNY that he had missed the age cutoff by six months. Under department regulations, firefighter candidates cannot turn 29 by the start of the application process, with military service adding up to six years to that period, making 35 the cutoff.

State lawmakers, however, were sympathetic to Donovan's predicament. On Thursday, a bill was passed that changes the city's military age extension to seven years, the New York Post reports.

The bill is now waiting for Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signature to become law.

"If the governor signs this bill, everybody wins," Kevin Carroll, Donovan's lawyer told the Post. "Shaun gets to pursue his dream of joining the greatest fire department in the world, the FDNY gets a great firefighter candidate, and New Yorkers will be safer."