Sanders said the fire department gets 50 to 70 calls a year for lift assists, which keep firefighters and vehicles out of service for a half hour or more.
The St. John's United Methodist Church first caught fire in February 2022. It had still been holding services in the parking lot as the sanctuary was being renovated when the second fire broke out.
Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said the FDNY was renaming the medal after Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci Jr., who was the highest-ranking member killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.