FDNY Medal Day 2009

FDNY Insider 6/4/09

Although the weather was dreary, June 3 was a bright day for the FDNY as it celebrated its 140th Medal Day ceremony at Pace University Auditorium in Manhattan.

During the annual ceremony, 51 members and four companies received awards for the heroism they demonstrated at emergencies throughout the five boroughs.

“Each of these stories sounds like the tale of a Hollywood superhero … and what these members do each day rivals anything you see in the movies,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

The 48 medals were presented to one medical director, 13 fire officers, one EMS officer, one fire marshal, 25 firefighters, six paramedics, four EMTs and four fire companies.

“Despite adversity and physical challenges, you never flinched, you never grew weary and you never gave up,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. “Your acts represent the best traditions of this Department and all honor those who came before you.”

This year’s James Gordon Bennett Medal, the year’s top honor for firefighters, was awarded to Firefighter Anthony Romano from Ladder 142. The firefighter rescued a fellow member from a fire in Richmond Hill, Queens, on Feb. 26, 2008.

“This is unbelievable, I can’t believe it’s happening,” he said after the event, looking around the auditorium filled with hundreds of FDNY members and their families. “What I did that day was what any firefighter would have done. I’m just glad it worked out the way it did.”

Two medals were presented to members who responded to the crane collapse in Manhattan on March 15, 2008. The first went to Dr. Dario Gonzalez, EMS Lt. Louis Cook, and Rescue Paramedics Marco Girao and Juan Henriquez, who applied crush medicine to two victims while they were still trapped under debris, saving their lives.

Members of Ladder 4 - Lt. Christopher Coyle and Firefighters Edward Coyle, Louis Esposito, Patrick Moore, Daniel Squire and George Young - also were awarded for their work at the collapse, receiving the first-ever Company of the Year World Trade Center Memorial Medal. The award was created by families of 9/11 victims to honor the 343 FDNY members who were killed at the World Trade Center.

“To know we would be the first company to receive this medal was special,” said Lt. King.

Firefighter Coyle added, “This is a tremendous honor.”
Rosemary Cain, mother of Firefighter George Cain who made the Supreme Sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001, said although the day was emotional, “it’s also a great day because this medal means the men and women killed on 9/11 will always be honored.”

Another poignant moment in the ceremony occurred when EMT Adam Ruiz, brother of the late EMT Jason Ruiz, posthumously accepted the Jack Pintchik Medal on behalf of his brother, along his brother’s partner, EMT Juan Rios. EMTs Ruiz and Rios rescued a woman from the subway tracks in Brooklyn on July 15, 2008.

Paramedic Juan Lebron, who received the Lieutenant Kirby McElhearn Medal along with EMTs Isaiah Baker and Rostantin Kruczowy for rescuing a woman on the subway tracks in Brooklyn on Oct. 23, 2008, said he was overwhelmed to receive a medal in this year’s ceremony.

“I thought this would be a simple ceremony, but this is really special,” he said, smiling.

His words were echoed by Firefighter Charles Botti of Squad 18, who won this year’s Hugh Bonner Medal, the first for his company. On Jan. 14, 2008, he and other firefighters performed a high-angle rescue to save the life of a construction worker in Manhattan.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d receive a medal,” he said, standing with several members of his family after the ceremony. “It was a great, great day.”

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