James Gordon Bennett Medal
NYS Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal 2005

Firefighter Victor J. Rosa Jr., Ladder Company 138

December 15, 2004, 0244 hours, Box 22-7889, 37-52 89th Street, Queens

Appointed to the FDNY on October 19, 1997. Previously assigned to Engines 83 and 293. Uncle, FF George Frey, is retired from Engine 311. Recipient of a pre-hospital CFR-D save; and a Class II rating for this incident. Resides in Massapequa Park, Long Island, with his wife, Melina, and their sons, Victor and Dean.

A rescue is a rare occurrence. How uncommon, then, is it to rescue three victims, especially while operating in dire conditions? Indeed, FDNY members were confronted with 17 critically and seriously injured victims at Queens Box 22-7889 and FF Victor J. Rosa had a direct hand in rescuing three of them.

On December 15, 2004, a cold fall night, at 0244 hours, calls started to come in reporting a fire at 35-43 88th Street in Jackson Heights. The assigned companies initially went to that address, but it was incorrect. The fire actually was in a six-story multiple dwelling at 37-52 89th Street. The fire was started by an unattended candle and exacerbated when the occupants left the apartment door open while exiting. The fire started in apartment 2F on the second floor, involved the apartment and extended out into the public hallway.

Ladder Co. 138, the “Corona Tigers,” arrived as the second-due truck, with FF Rosa assigned the outside vent position for the tour. As the OVM, FF Rosa knew he had to get to his position quickly. This was a difficult task. Impeded by a garage in the adjacent yard, he placed a 24-foot portable ladder just to the left of the third-floor window of apartment 3G on the exposure #4 side of the building. A woman was visible at this window and she was calling for help.

Apartment 3G was adjacent to apartment 3F, which was directly above the fire apartment. As FF Rosa climbed into apartment 3G, he told the woman to wait by the window because another Firefighter, FF Steve Muller, Ladder 138’s chauffeur, was climbing up and would help her down. FF Rosa proceeded to exit the apartment, which was relatively clear, and entered the third-floor hallway, which had completely different conditions.

Entering the hallway, FF Rosa immediately was forced down onto the floor by the very high heat and heavy smoke. The fire on the floor below, the second floor, had extended beyond the chocked-open smoke/fire door in the middle of the public hallway. With the fire this far into the hallway, it was also extending up the stairs immediately adjacent to FF Rosa’s position.

As FF Rosa was searching in this severely exposed position, he discovered Lena Martinez, an unconscious and badly burned woman. FF Rosa transmitted a 10-45 and dragged Ms. Martinez into the safety of apartment 3G. Once she was in the apartment, FF Rosa then entered the hostile conditions in the hallway for a second time to continue his search.

While searching, FF Rosa found a second unconscious and badly burned female, 36-year-old Flora Pineda. The Firefighter again transmitted a 10-45 signal and dragged the victim into apartment 3G. Once the victim was safely in the apartment, FF Rosa entered the hallway for a third time to continue his search in the hot, smoky and dark environment.

At this time, FF Rosa was still working alone and a hand-line was not yet in position to put water on the extending fire. As FF Rosa resumed his search, with the fire advancing up the stairs only a few feet from him, he came across the unconscious body of four-year-old Alexandra Sandovar. FF Rosa picked up the young child and crawled down the hallway past the first stairwell--which was filled with fire--hoping to find a second stairwell. He found the second stairwell in this building with wing stairs and removed the girl to the street. She then was transported to the Cornell Burn Center.

The two victims FF Rosa previously had dragged into apartment 3G were removed by other Firefighters. FF Muller removed one victim via a portable ladder and a member of Squad Co. 288 removed the other victim through the interior.

For his courageous and determined actions in entering the hallway three times and discovering and removing three victims--two of whom survived their ordeal--FF Victor J. Rosa is officially recognized for his heroic efforts today. He is awarded the James Gordon Bennett Medal and the New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal.—NG

New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal

New York City Medal Day 2004

Firefighter James F. Mills  
Ladder Company 176

March 4, 2003, 2150 hours, Box 55-1658, 1636 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn

Appointed to the FDNY on May 9, 1993. Brother is FF Richard Mills, Jr., Engine 248; father is retired Captain Richard Mills, Sr., Ladder 166; and uncle is retired Deputy Chief Joseph Mills, Division 3. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies. Cited for bravery once previously.

Pitkin Avenue is a major shopping street in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn. This street has seen many changes over the years. Among the renovations are alterations to these nearly hundred-year-old buildings. With the turmoil of the ‘60s and ‘70s, many of the building owners took drastic measures to ensure security. Many of these modifications have remained in place. Any veteran Firefighter who worked in that area will say, A job on Pitkin Avenue is never easy.

At 2147 hours on March 4, 2003, Box 1658 was transmitted. Within two and a half minutes, the first units arrived on the scene and were met with a medium smoke condition emanating from numerous occupancies. 1636 Pitkin Avenue was a two-story taxpayer-type building, housing four separate stores. Lines were stretched and forcible entry began.

FF James Mills, the chauffeur of Ladder 176, positioned his apparatus and began assisting in opening roll-down gates. Some 22 minutes into the operation, FF Robert Petrarca of Ladder 120 transmitted a mayday.

FF Mills went down the stairs to the cellar, put his face piece on and began following the line into the cellar. He encountered Engine 227 members, who were operating their line into a common hall that ran the length of the stores. There were many radio transmissions from the units, but most alarming was the transmission from the inside team of Ladder 120, stating they were nearly out of air.

After communicating with Engine 227, FF Mills, knowing full well that time was critical, proceeded to crawl toward the front of the cellar. Due to the complexity of this occupancy, most of the members were searching the cellar of the corner occupancy (jewelry store) and not the cellar where FF Petrarca was lost.

FF Mills began crawling into this cellar. This was not an open, orderly area; this was a Brownsville cellar, filled with many obstacles and countless debris, which had built up over many years. The sprinklers were operating, so the heat build-up was not intense, but a highly charged atmosphere of dense smoke and carbon monoxide permeated the cellar.

This low-heat atmosphere allowed FF Petrarca to go further into the cellar area. Insubstantial heat and the supply of fresh air from his mask gave him a false sense of security. It actually put him in grave danger since he quickly became disoriented and crawled in the opposite direction of the only stairway out of the cellar. The search rope of Ladder 120 ended at an unused staircase; ironically, the same point of the breach made later in the incident.

FF Mills, alone and without the protection of a hand-line, began his search. No one realized the wall of the common hall did not go to the ceiling, which allowed the fire to cross into the cellar area where FF Mills had crawled, searching for the missing member. The only line (Engine 227) in the cellar was back at the stair area.

After searching for nearly six minutes and covering a distance of approximately 80 feet, FF Mills located FF Petrarca, who was face down and unconscious in two to three inches of water. FF Mills gave the Urgent, I got him message over his handie-talkie.
Due to the stress and physical effort it took to make it to this point, the air in FF Mill’s SCBA was so low his PASS alarm was going off, but he continued to transmit his location, while trying to drag the unconscious member--who weighed more than 200 pounds--toward the stair. The air in FF Mill’s mask ran out and he was forced to remove his face piece. He, too, began breathing the contaminated and CO-heavy air.

Fortunately, members of Ladder 176 made a breach in the cellar wall, not too far from FF Mill’s location. This allowed members of Rescue 4 to enter, locate and assist FF Mills with the downed member. Together, they dragged FF Petrarca to the breach, which enabled them to remove him from the hostile environment much sooner. (The breach was about half the distance to the stair.)

Shortly after the removal of FF Petrarca from the cellar area where FF Mills found him, there was a collapse. Both Firefighters would have been buried under it. This operation called upon a man to put his life on the line for another and FF Mills did so without hesitation.

FF Mills’ act of bravery was accomplished alone and under extremely hostile conditions. As Deputy Chief Daniel Butler wrote in his endorsement, With all this going on, FF Mills may have left and communicated FF Petrarca’s position once safe outside himself. Instead, he decided he would leave when they both left. This saved critical time for FF Petrarca and prevented more severe damage from lack of oxygen and the real possibility of his death. For his heroic actions, FF James F. Mills is awarded the New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal.--JTV

New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal

New York City Medal Day 2003

Battalion Chief James Marketti
Battalion 31 (assigned)
Battalion 48 (detailed)

February 14, 2002, 0717 hours
Box 22-3742
455 East 26th Street, Brooklyn

Appointed to the FDNY on September 2, 1978. Previously assigned to Ladders 176, 30 and 108 and Engine 285. Cited for bravery three times previously. Resides in Queens with his wife, Anne, and their sons, James, Daniel and Matthew.

Ironically, many fires that start during the early hours do not become visible or detected until people begin to go about their normal routines. This was the case on February 14th, Valentine’s Day, 2002. The Brooklyn dispatcher received the call for a fire at 455 East 26th Street. This neighborhood is known for its tree-lined streets and old, stately dwellings--known as “Queen Annes”--in which a fire can spread quite rapidly. Box 3742 was transmitted immediately.

The first-arriving units quickly gave a 10-75 signal and were faced with a three-story “Queen Anne” with heavy fire showing on the second floor and a heavy smoke condition throughout the rest of the building. Engine 255, the first-arriving Engine, immediately stretched a 13/4-inch line up the interior stairs. With fire in control of the second floor, front to rear, it did not take long before the second-to-arrive Engine 248 quickly stretched a second line to the second floor to protect Engine 255.

Firefighter operates at Brooklyn Box 22-3742. His and other FDNY members’ efforts helped Chief Marketti facilitate the rescues. photo by Lieutenant John Leavy

Chief James Marketti, assigned as the “all-hands” Chief, arrived and was sent to the third floor to coordinate the interior operation of the units working inside. Reaching the second floor, the Chief realized this was not going to be a routine operation. There was an extremely heavy smoke and high heat condition permeating the building. Radio reports were being relayed to the interior units that people still were unaccounted for and missing.

Due to rapidly deteriorating conditions and no hose-line in place upstairs, Chief Marketti began assisting in the search as soon as he reached the third floor. With his knowledge of fires in these buildings and the high heat and crackling noise, Chief Marketti knew there was fire in the walls and most definitely in the third floor and ceiling above him. Time was not on the side of the victims or the FDNY members making the search for life.

As Chief Marketti crawled along the interior hall into a front bedroom, he heard Ladder 157’s Chauffeur, FF Dennis Barnes, give a 10-45 for an infant boy in another bedroom. The Firefighter was removing the infant to the Tower Ladder’s bucket. Speeding up his search, Chief Marketti “swept” the bed and found it empty. He then crawled around the bed where he found the unconscious, 16-year-old Jennieve Bartholomew, who was lying face down on the floor.

After transmitting the 10-45 and requesting assistance, Chief Marketti began dragging the motionless body toward the interior hall. FF Matt McDonald of Ladder 157 crawled up to assist Chief Marketti remove the victim. Once they reached the interior stair, other FDNY members assisted in removing the victim out of the building, along with other victims found by Ladder 147’s Lieutenant Tom Farragher and FF Dan Powers.

Realizing there might be more victims in that same bedroom, Chief Marketti quickly crawled back down the interior hall and re-entered the front bedroom. By now, the fire had extended and the heat necessitated that the Chief continue his search on his belly. He found a five-year-old child, Edward Charles, lying on the floor.

Once again, Chief Marketti transmitted the 10-45 signal and pulled the child’s body under his own to protect him from the searing heat that was building up in the room. He then made his way back to the interior hall and stairs where he handed the child down to another FDNY member who removed him from the building.

As Engine 255--whose aggressive and determined attack facilitated any possible rescues--made their way to the third floor, Chief Marketti stayed with the units and turned his attention to controlling this fire, which now had extended to the third floor and attic and become a second-alarm blaze.

Tragically, Ms. Bartholomew succumbed to her injuries, but due to the efforts of Chief Marketti and all the other FDNY members working at this fire, a much greater tragedy was averted.

Chief Marketti’s actions were in the highest traditions of the Department. This feat was accomplished under the most adverse conditions of heat and smoke, without the benefit of a hand-line. As Deputy Chief and Division 15 Commander Charles R. Blaich stated in his report, “Chief Marketti’s actions were deliberate and well-executed. Additionally, his leadership was instrumental in the other rescues made by units.”

For his heroic actions, Chief Marketti is awarded the New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal. —JV
 

New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medal New York City Medal Day 2000 Firefighter Stephen P. Fenley Ladder Company 78 August 2, 1999, 0306 hours, Box 22-229, 190 Bay Street, Staten Island Appointed to the FDNY on July 11, 1981. Previously assigned to Ladders 9, 80, 101 and 148 and Rescue 5. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies and the Columbia Association. Cited for bravery on five previous occasions. Holds an AA degree and also is a Paramedic. Uncle, Irv Bolger, is retired from the job and two cousins, Gary Bolger and Jack Thompson, are on the job. Resides in Staten Island, with his wife, Michelle, and their son, William, 10, and daughter, Danielle, 6. Another month had begun in a long, hot summer for the members of Ladder 78 and Engine 155 on the North Shore of Staten Island. Firefighter Stephen Fenley was working an average night tour on August 1, 1999. The Brothers had several routine runs and a good meal behind them by midnight and the neighborhood seemed to have quieted down. However, there was a hatred fomenting that would turn to murder shortly after three in the morning on August 2nd.

A flammable liquid was spread throughout the interior stairway of 190 Bay Street and the fire was released on the sleeping residents. At 0306 hours, the computer at the Brighton Avenue firehouse spit out a phone alarm for a fire at the address. As the rigs were pulling out of quarters, the dispatcher assured them that from the volume of calls they were receiving, there was a working fire in progress and police were at the scene. The short distance from quarters made it a fast response for both companies. As they pulled up to the three-story, non-fireproof, multiple dwelling, there was heavy smoke spewing from every window and a raging inferno in the interior stairway. The other vehicles already on the scene made it difficult to place the apparatus near the fire building.  FF Steve Fenley had the roof man position. As he was helping the chauffeur position the aerial ladder to the roof, a victim in great distress appeared at the third-floor window. There were no fire escapes on the building and the flames in the hallway blocked the victim’s exit as well as the entry of the inside attack team. Someone had to reach him.  Engine 155 was able to charge a line and advanced somewhat into the hallway, but a new problem soon became evident. FF Fenley heard his officer, Lieutenant Matthew Cichminski, report to Battalion 21 that the interior stairs had been burned away from the second to the third floor. This meant that an interior rescue advanced from a degree of difficult to impossible.  As FF James Marshall repositioned the ladder to the front window, FF Fenley informed his officer that roof operations would be delayed for an exterior rescue. The victim was visible in the billowing smoke only because his clothing already had caught fire. As the firefighter climbed the ladder toward the victim, the victim collapsed back into the thick, acrid smoke belching from the window, an indication that flashover was imminent. With complete disregard for his own safety, FF Fenley dove headfirst into the window and was pushed to the floor by the high heat condition in the room. Sixty-one-year-old Carl Pandolfo had fallen away from the window, making it hard for FF Fenley to locate him quickly. As the firefighter tried to pull Mr. Pandolfo toward the window, the burnt skin falling from his body made it difficult to get a secure grip. Eventually, his removal required that FF Fenley throw him over his shoulder and stand up in order to get him out the window. FF Fenley didn’t hesitate when his helmet and safety hood were dislodged as he headed out the window. The predicted flashover occurred as the rescuer placed Mr. Pandolfo on the aerial ladder. FF Fenley suffered burns to the back of his head, face and ears. Despite his own burns and other injuries, he covered the badly burned man from the flames licking out the window as FF Marshall repositioned the ladder. Once the chauffeur positioned them away from the fire that now was consuming the entire top floor, FF Fenley descended the ladder as Mr. Pandolfo clung to the last vestiges of his life. He was removed to the burn center of Staten Island University North with second- and third-degree burns on 100 percent of his body. Despite FF Fenley’s valiant efforts and constant medical attention, Mr. Pandolfo succumbed to his injuries the following morning. The explosion of flames on the top floor mandated the removal of all firefighting forces and an exterior operation was used to extinguish the inferno. Once the two-alarm blaze had been brought under control, two more bodies were discovered inside and the murder toll was increased to three. For his bravery and courage in putting his own life at great personal risk to try to save another, the Fire Department is proud to honor FF Stephen P. Fenley.--JT