Thomas A. Kenny Memorial Medal

Firefighter Stephen P. Fenley
Ladder Company 78

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

Appointed to the FDNY on July 11, 1981. Previously assigned to Ladders 101, 9, 148, 80 and 79 and Rescue 5. Uncle, Irv Bulger, is a retired FF from Ladder 9. Cousins, FFs Gary Bulger and Jack Thompson, are assigned to Ladder 18 and Ladder 85, respectively. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies, Columbia Association and the Honor Legion. Recipient of the James Gordon Bennett and New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs Association Medals in 2000. Holds an AS degree in Physical Education from Hudson Valley Community College. Resides in Staten Island with his wife, Michelle, and children, Billy and Danielle.

The Fire Department of the City of New York handles much more than just the fires that threaten the greatest City in the world. The myriad situations to which they respond--from intentional acts of terrorism to the unsafe acts that cause accidents in the home and from heart attacks to traffic accidents--require that each incident be approached with a fresh eye and then quickly and expertly evaluated.

On the morning of May 23, 2002, a building was under construction. It was slated to become a three-story structure, measuring 50 x 75 feet, and occupy the addresses of 163 and 165 Brighton Avenue in the New Brighton section of Staten Island.

Just down the street, FF Stephen Fenley and the other members of Ladder 78 were trying to return their firehouse to some sense of normalcy after the events of September 11th, 2001. Fate soon would bring together the incomplete structure and the Firefighters.

Ladder Company 78 is in the foreground of the collapse scene at Box 0092. photo courtesy of Rob Sollett, Staten Island Advance

A concrete truck--which had been pouring a basement floor with four inches of wet cement--struck the building under construction. The structure toppled, due to the removal of a bracing support, causing a mostly pancake collapse that trapped a worker. This worker had been directing the pour in the basement. At 1224 hours, the dispatcher notified Ladder 78 of a building collapse with reports of someone trapped.

On arrival, Captain Gerard Tait was informed that the worker was pinned under the collapse in the wet cement. With FFs Fenley and Timothy McCauley, Captain Tait approached an opening in the front of the pile and directed a light into the void. He was able to locate the victim, Guermo Duran, who was pinned face down in the mixture that filled the basement.

After a quick size-up, FF Fenley knew that the victim would not be able to keep from drowning in the concrete much longer. The Firefighter entered the two- by three-foot void, even though there was a good chance of further collapse.
Squirming through the wreckage, FF Fenley reached the victim 20 feet in. He was joined by FF McCauley and, together, they removed the immediate danger to Mr. Duran. The victim was trapped with his knees up to his chest and pinned by the building material on his back. After clearing away a space by the victim’s face, the Firefighters starting planning how to extricate him.

Leaving FF McCauley with Mr. Duran, FF Fenley crawled deeper into the void. While the other members of Ladder 78 and the members of Rescue 5 began to prepare for an airbag operation, FF Fenley looked for the ideal location to place the bags. After examination of the rubble, FF Fenley found the right spot.
Calling for the airbags to be passed down to him, FF Fenley placed them and directed the operation to lift the unsteady mountain of lumber without additional injuries to the victim or Firefighters. It was a long and arduous process to get the bags in place. The task had to be coordinated with the members of Rescue 5, who had placed additional airbags so the pile could be lifted smoothly.

Once removed, Mr. Duran was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he was treated for a fractured leg and chemical burns. Some of the rescuing Firefighters also suffered chemical burns.

FF Fenley’s role in the rescue began with arrival on the scene and size-up of the danger. It continued when he crawled through the rubble at great personal risk to find the victim and lasted through positioning and filling the airbags to facilitate the victim’s removal. FF Fenley remained in the basement for the entire 50 minutes necessary to conduct this dangerous operation.

For his bravery and fortitude in planning, conducting and participating in this perilous rescue, the Fire Department is proud to present the Thomas A. Kenny Memorial Medal to FF Stephen Fenley. —JT