Amanda Farinacci has lived in every borough in the city except Queens. The Brooklyn-born New Yorker grew up in Bay Ridge, moved to Staten Island, went to college in the Bronx, and now works in Manhattan.
Amanda came to NY1 as an intern in August 2000 while a senior at Fordham University, after spending a year at WNBC as an intern for the local news desk. She was hired just before the September 11th terror attacks and was among the first NY1ers on the scene at the World Trade Center. She watched the second plane hit the South Tower from the West Side Highway.
She has since become NY1's 9/11 point person and a resource for the families affected by the tragedy because of the close connection she made with many of them in the days and months following the attacks.
She has covered the rebuilding efforts extensively, from the initial days of the tragedy to the final report of the 9/11 Commission, as well as plans for the site at 7 World Trade and the surrounding buildings.
After working nearly every job and shift in the newsroom, Amanda signed her first contract with NY1 in 2004. She's broken several stories for the newschannel, including exclusive reports about the Fire Department, its incident command system, and how it's handled the post-9/11 terror threat. She has examined the way the FDNY has changed its building inspection policy in the wake of a fatal fire at the former Deutsche Bank building, and has probed the increased training the department now gives its probationary members.
She has covered the Port Authority, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, and the Office of Emergency Management. And as the Staten Island borough reporter, she now covers her hometown – a borough many believe to be "forgotten" but which she reminds viewers to remember.
A Yankees and Giants fan, Amanda also loves covering sports.