NY Firefighters Burn Center Foundation medal/Father Julian F. Deeken Memorial Medal

Engine Company 75
August 29, 2000, 1440 hours
Box 22-3356
20 East 190th Street, Bronx

Lieutenant Brian Curran (Ladder 33)
Firefighter Thomas E. Asher
Firefighter Sean T. Shanahan
Firefighter Edward S. Samuelson
Firefighter William M. Noonan
Firefighter David J. Auld

Members of Engine 75 operate at Bronx Box 33-3382, 3 East Kingsbridge Road, May 17, 2000. photo by FF Ben Cotten

The Fire Department has many different tasks to be performed and sends the right unit for the right job whenever possible. But nobody makes an appointment to have a fire and Firefighters never know what they may run into. FDNY’s best preparation for these situations is to have all Firefighters trained in all aspects of the job. The residents of 20 East 190th Street in the Bronx are grateful that the members of Engine 75 are a shining example of a well-rounded firefighting Company.

On August 29, 2000, the crew working in Engine 75 had just extinguished a rubbish fire at the corner of Jerome Avenue and Fordham Road in the heat of the midday sun, but that was barely a warm-up for the situation they were about to face. As they were taking up, Lieutenant Brian Curran spotted a column of smoke rising from a building a few blocks away. Informing the dispatcher that they were investigating it, the Company swiftly proceeded to the location and saw a heavy smoke condition pushing from the top floor of a five-story, U-shaped, multiple dwelling. As he transmitted a 10-75, Lieutenant Curran--who usually worked in Ladder 33 across the floor--realized that the members would be operating without a Truck Company and split them into two teams.

With forcible entry tools, the Lieutenant and FF Thomas E. Asher raced to gain entry to the fire apartment, while the others prepared for an arduous stretch to the top floor. Because there are different stairways to certain areas of the building, FF Asher and Lieutenant Curran had to force a couple of doors to make sure they had the fire apartment.

Racing up the stairs to the fire apartment, Lieutenant Curran radioed the remaining members of the proper stairway to use. He and FF Asher began the task of forcing the apartment door. Once inside, they were faced with a roaring inferno that already had full possession of four of the seven rooms in this apartment with no fire escape.

Using a door as a shield from the heat, they began a swift search of the remaining rooms with no discovery of fire victims. They came close to being victims themselves when several windows blew out and fed deadly oxygen to the blaze. The resulting explosion of fire forced them out of the apartment and caused Chief Stephen Zaderiko of Battalion 19 to transmit an All Hands almost immediately on his arrival.

Thankfully, they were met in the hallway by FFs Edward S. Samuelson, William M. Noonan and David J. Auld, who had managed to stretch the hose-line up the five stories while short-handed and before the arrival of any other Companies. Radioing back to the MPO, FF Sean T. Shanahan, to start water, Lieutenant Curran regrouped the members for what he knew would be a difficult task.

With the line charged, Engine 75 made an aggressive attack on the fire to keep it from endangering any other apartments or getting up and into the cockloft. The volume of fire and danger to numerous occupants was such that Deputy Chief Michael Giovinazzo transmitted a second alarm as soon as he arrived on the scene. The swift and aggressive actions of Engine 75 enabled them to gain control of the apartment by the time many of those units arrived on the scene.

Once they had quelled the fire, Engine 75 members backed out for a well-deserved rest as other Firefighters checked for extension and doused any remaining fire. The investigation showed that only the swift actions of these Firefighters had averted a major conflagration. For their bravery, resourcefulness and courage, FDNY is proud to honor the members of Engine 75 for another job well-done. They are presented with the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation Medal/Father Julian F. Deeken Memorial Medal. —JT