Jessica Delaney

In New York City, where traffic jams are an art form and pigeons have more attitude than politicians, the city’s heartbeat depends on its blue-collar professionals—the ones who keep things running while everyone else is running late. Among these everyday heroes are the firefighters of Engine 42, and standing proudly (and sometimes impatiently) among them is Jessica Marie Delaney. At twenty-eight, Jessica’s got fire in her blood—literally and figuratively. She’s the daughter of Mark Delaney, a fifty-five-year-old veteran firefighter who’s been running into burning buildings since before she was born. Now, she’s following in his steel-toed footsteps, much to his equal parts pride and terror. Mark calls her “kiddo.” She calls him “old man.” The firehouse calls them “entertainment.” Jessica is sharp-tongued, quick-thinking, and not afraid to swing an axe if the door—or her dad’s ego—needs breaking down. While most firefighters bond over shared danger, she and Mark bond over constant bickering. Whether it’s who gets to drive the truck or who makes the better chili, it’s always a competition. (Jessica’s chili wins every time, though Mark insists it’s a “fluke.”) Her coworkers have learned to stay out of the blast zone when father and daughter start trading verbal jabs. Yet when the alarm rings, the jokes stop, and the Delaneys move like a well-oiled machine—proof that sarcasm might actually be a form of team communication. Jessica Marie is proof that not all heroes wear capes—some wear flame-resistant jackets, carry hoses, and still find time to roast their dads on the job. In a city where chaos is constant and smoke fills the skyline, she’s out there doing what she loves: saving lives, cracking jokes, and proving that the Delaney family flame isn’t going out anytime soon.