 Members of Ladder 116, (L to R) FF Mike Schreiber, FF Chris DiMaria, FF Brian Connelly, Lt. Bill Kelly, FF Eric Gehm, FF Terence Drew, FF Ryan Murphy and FF Dan Lawlor. |
He may say he was just doing his job, but Firefighter Brian Connelly of Ladder 116 made a daring rescue on Dec. 4, pulling a man from an apartment fire in Queens. “It was absolutely a team effort,” said Firefighter Connelly. “Everyone had a job to do and they did it well. The fact that [the victim] might pull through is just an awesome feeling.” At 10:50 p.m., a call was received for fire and smoke on the second floor of an apartment building on Crescent St. in Astoria. Within four minutes, firefighters from engine and ladder companies arrived on the scene. Members of Ladder 116 made their way to the fire apartment as the engine company began hooking up the hose line. Firefighter Connelly said that he forced the door of the fire apartment and immediately heard the windows burst and a loud bang. |
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As they made their way down a narrow, 20 foot hallway toward the back of the apartment, they encountered fire pouring out of a room off the hallway and rolling over their heads. “I knew the hose line was coming so I wasn’t concerned [for my safety],” said Firefighter Connelly. Firefighter Christopher DiMaria of Ladder 116 kept back the fire with a fire extinguisher as Firefighter Connelly dove past the flames into the kitchen in the rear of the apartment, where he found the unconscious victim. He removed the man from the room, then he and Firefighter DiMaria carried him out the front door. They were met by members of Engine 262, who began CPR before passing him off to EMTs Pedro Acosta and Dennis Reheberger of Station 49. The EMTs continued CPR and were able to regain the victim’s pulse in the ambulance on their way to Mt. Sinai Hospital of Queens. He is listed in critical condition. The all-hands fire was placed under control at 11:21 p.m. “Our main concern was to get him out of the hostile environment,” Firefighter Connelly said of his first rescue. “When we heard he might pull through we were so happy. That’s the whole reason we do what we do, that’s what this job is all about.”' related... |
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