Albert S. Johnston Medal

Lieutenant Denis J. Driscoll
Rescue Company 5

May 23, 2002, 1224 hours
Box 0092
163-65 Brighton Avenue, Staten Island

Appointed to the FDNY on July 14, 1979. Previously assigned to Engines 245 and 157, Ladders 113 and 157 and Rescue 1. Father, Charles Driscoll, is a retired Captain from Rescue 5. Uncle, Ronny Driscoll, is a retired FF from Engine 156. Brother, Lieutenant Paul Driscoll, is covering in Engine 255 and cousin, Lieutenant John Driscoll, is assigned to Engine 157. Son, Denis, Jr., is an FDNY EMT, who recently took the test for Firefighter. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies. Recipient of the Battalion Chief Frank T. Tuttlemondo Medal in 1984. Attended the State University of New York at Morrisville. Resides in Staten Island, with his wife, Patricia, and their three children, Denis, Jr., Jenny and Kevin.

In FDNY’s long tradition of “training is forever,” Rescue Company 5’s Lieutenant Denis J. Driscoll was drilling his men in SCUBA diving rescues in Silver Lake on Staten Island at midday on May 23, 2002, when dispatch urgently called them to Box 92 for a collapse with worker trapped.

The members of Blue Thunder responded about a mile to 163 Brighton Avenue, New Brighton, to one of the Department’s most unusual rescue scenes. A concrete-mixer truck just had poured a basement floor at a three-story, wood-frame, new home under construction, when the truck struck the building, causing a total collapse of the platform construction.

Guermo Duran, a 30-year-old construction worker, was pinned by a combination pancake and lean-to collapse, face down in four inches of fresh concrete and bent in half with his knees pressed against his chest. He was trapped in a void in a basement that now was only approximately 14 inches high, under three floors of unstable lumber.

Lieutenant Driscoll (inset) brought the intense, 50-minute rescue to a successful conclusion. photos by Rob Sollett, Staten Island Advance

When Lieutenant Driscoll arrived with Rescue 5, he found Ladder Company 78’s FFs Stephen Fenley and Timothy McCauley already in another void, trying to reach the victim. The Lieutenant ordered Rescue 5’s FF Anthony Cavalieri--assigned as his “entry #1” member--to crawl in where FF McCauley was located, to assess the situation. Lieutenant Driscoll had ascertained that the victim, who spoke only Spanish, was in great pain and could not move.

Much cribbing and shoring were needed quickly to protect the victim and rescuers. Lieutenant Driscoll next put Rescue 5’s “outside” members to work, sawing up nearby construction lumber into two-foot lengths to be passed to the rescuers inside the voids.

Despite the danger of a secondary collapse and not knowing the depth of the freshly poured concrete, Lieutenant Driscoll crawled deeper into the collapse zone voids to personally direct the rescue efforts. While remaining in touch with Battalion 22 Battalion Chief Robert Miuccio and Captain Gerard Tait, Ladder 78, he also called for radio silence on the handie-talkies unless urgent, as the creaking lumber overhead hinted of death by massive crushing or suffocation in concrete.

Next, Lieutenant Driscoll ordered high-lift and maxi-force airbags to be passed in and filled as the classic confined space rescue procedures continued. At Lieutenant Driscoll’s order, FF Anthony Guida, Rescue 5’s “entry #2” member, began to shore and crib the building front for their eventual exit, as the airbags began to lift the flooring above the victim, allowing him to move slowly.
FF Fenley--a 2000 James Gordon Bennett Medal winner--and Lieutenant Driscoll used a six-foot hook to gently free Mr. Duran’s leg. Now freed from the collapse above him, the victim was pulled to safety by FFs Cavalieri and McCauley. Members of Rescue 5 and Ladder 78 then carried him to waiting EMS personnel for aid and transport to St. Vincent’s Hospital, Staten Island, for treatment of his leg and related injuries.

The intense, 50-minute rescue attempt ended successfully, thanks to Lieutenant Driscoll and FFs Cavalieri, McCauley and Fenley. The rescuers were covered with wet concrete and decontaminated under EMS supervision. They also were taken to St. Vincent’s for examination and treatment. FF McCauley suffered a strained back. FF Cavalieri was transferred to Staten Island University Hospital, where he was admitted for a five-day stay for treatment of second- and third-degree chemical burns from caustic fresh cement on eight percent of his body.

Lieutenant Driscoll was cited for his leadership, teamwork and bravery while directing the rescue under “great personal risk” involving possible death from building collapse, as well as potential suffocation and/or burns from wet cement. His actions were in the highest traditions of FDNY and today, he is recognized and honored with the Albert S. Johnston Medal.—JM