Our beginning in 1968, the Harlem Rink Rats (16th Battalion) skated against The Bronx Bums (14th Battalion).  Three of those members, Tim Gallagher, Ed McLoughlin and Gene Scott organized the department’s first Ice Hockey team. Additional players in the following five years skated against semi-pro, college, and teams from Buffalo, Boston and Hoboken Fire Departments.  In the winter of 1974, the first game against the NYPD was played at the Abe Stark Arena in Coney Island, NY.

We now compete in charity events and tournaments worldwide.  Some of the events we have competed in are the Southern Ontario Firefighters Hockey Tournament, the World Police - Fire Games in Stockholm, Sweden and Vancouver, Canada.  We have also competed in tournaments in Boston, Florida, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Atlanta, California, Alaska and Canada.

In 1996, Lt. Mike Rossidis established the FDNY "King of the Ice" Firehouse Tournament.  Over 95 firehouses compete in this tournament sponsored by our organization.  Coordinated by FDNY Captains John Fortunato and Pat Cleary, this tournament, now going into its 16th year as the "World's Largest Firehouse Hockey Tournament".

In 2009, team member Firefighter Derek Kern held the first ever "King on Wheels" FDNY roller hockey tournament.  This event brought firefighters from firehouses throughout the city into roller rinks for a battle on wheels.  This tournament is now going into its second year in April 2010.

Team Secretary, Stephen Doyle and the FDNY Hockey Team founded the Teddy Bears That Care Program in February 2001. As it grew in size it became its own 501(c) 3 not-for-profit charity .

Through the seemingly small gesture of putting a Teddy Bear That Cares into their hands, we bring comfort, love, friendship, and a smile to a child. These are children who have experienced a loss, injury, or a traumatic situation.

Over 26,700 Teddy Bears have been distributed to children across the United States and Canada since February 2001.  In 2010, more than 740 of our special “Someone Loves You” Teddy Bears were donated to the US Army at Ft. Hood, Texas.  Teddy Bears went into the homes of soldiers killed or severely injured.  Teddy Bears have also been distributed at Ft. Hood to assist families of soldiers in crisis.

Some of the charities and organizations we support are the UFA Widows and Children's Fund, UFOA Scholarship Fund, Greystone Programs,  National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, FDNY Annual Widows and Children's Skating Event, Teddy Bears That Care Program, Thomas Elsasser Memorial Scholarship Fund, New York State Fallen Fighters Memorial,The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS), American Diabetes Association, and the ALS Association of Greater New York.

We also donate team merchandise and teddy bears throughout the year to various charities and organizations. Some of the organization we assisted in 2009-2010 where the  US Army 1st Calvary Division MND-Baghdad, Iraq ,Glenn Falls 9/11 Memorial Committee,, Kids for Kids Bronx Zoo Day, US Army, Ft. Hood, TX, Washington, DC Charity Tournament Auction benefiting the Department’s Firefighters Burn Foundation and Camp Liberty Fire- Rescue, Baghdad, Iraq.

Our core values are rooted in our history and continue to guide our team— they define who we are and what we stand for:  Brotherhood, Charity, Community and Sportsmanship.