Steuben Association Medal

Firefighter Brian T. Browne
Ladder Company 56

February 27, 2002, 0913 hours
Box 75-3318
2413 Walton Avenue, Bronx

Appointed to the FDNY on October 23, 1994. His father, James L. Browne, is a retired Lieutenant from Engine 47 and uncle, Michael Browne, is a retired Captain from Ladder 163. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies. Received the Emerald Society Medal in 1999. Holds a BS degree in Landscape Architecture from Rutgers University. Resides in Warwick with his wife, Pamela, and their two daughters, Ciara and Julia.

Wednesday morning, February 27, 2002, was cold, clear and windy, the start of another winter’s day. The day tour in the quarters of Ladder 56 was underway. FF Brian Browne--at the time, a seven-year veteran of the Department--and his Brother Firefighters were finishing their coffee and discussing the day’s planned activities. Some already were starting on the committee work when the alarm came in for a fire on the first floor of 2413 Walton Avenue.

FF Brian Browne (second from left) is congratulated by Ladder 56 members. photo by Matt Daly

As Ladder 56 approached the three-story, attached brick building, fire was blowing out the porch door and windows and lapping up and over the first-floor porch roof. Arriving as the second-due Truck, Lieutenant John P. Browne and FFs Browne and William Albin, the outside team, knew that they had to get up onto the porch roof and into the second-floor front window to search for victims. Anyone trapped above that intense fire would not survive long unless they were found and quickly removed.

A heavy fire condition prevented them from placing a ladder against the fire building. Under the direction of Lieutenant Browne, FFs Browne and Albin raised a 20-foot straight ladder to exposure #2A, ascended the porch roof and crossed over to the fire building. The roof, already weakened by the intense fire raging below, had fire lapping up, to and over the roof. The roofing material was burning in several places. From this tenuous position, the two FFs initiated VES.

Child gates in place on the windows hampered their entrance into the front rooms and had to be removed prior to making entry. As FF Browne vented the exposure #2 side window, heavy, dark smoke boiled out and engulfed him. The fire raged below unchecked as FF Browne and Lieutenant Browne entered the bedroom. Immediately, they were forced to the floor by the intense heat coming up the stairs from the inferno below.

FF Browne crawled into the room, concerned that flashover was a real possibility. Moving deeper into the room, FF Browne encountered Servino Martinez, lying motionless on the floor. FF Browne called for help and struggled to move the 300-lb. victim toward the front window. He was joined by Lieutenant Browne, who transmitted the 10-45.

FF Albino assisted FF Browne with Mr. Martinez as Lieutenant Browne continued the search, finding another victim. Reaching the window, FF Browne called for Tower Ladder 33’s bucket to be raised to the porch roof. Conditions in the room were deteriorating rapidly as the victims were removed to the questionable safety of the front porch roof, awaiting pickup by 33 Truck’s bucket.

They waited on the smoke-shrouded roof in thick, suffocating smoke emanating from the fire below and the vented second-floor windows. As they waited, FF Browne placed his facepiece on Mr. Martinez and cracked open the purge to deliver a steady stream of fresh air to the barely breathing man. Both victims were removed from the roof to the Tower Ladder bucket and delivered to EMS personnel waiting below.

Despite the high heat and blinding smoke and knowing all too well that flashover was a distinct possibility, FF Browne did not hesitate when it came time to enter the smoke- and heat-filled room. After finding Mr. Martinez, FF Browne operated professionally and methodically as he struggled to remove the large man. At the window, with great difficulty despite assistance from FF Albin, he was able to lift Mr. Martinez out of the room and onto the porch roof. FF Browne ensured his charge’s survival by giving up his mask so that the victim could breathe fresh air.

This rescue was accomplished without the protection of a charged line, before the fire underneath him had been knocked down and despite the real danger from flashover as the heat from below intensified. The stability of the fire-weakened porch roof was suspect and smoke and heat conditions on the roof were intense, but FF Browne stayed the course and, as a result, Mr. Martinez was brought to the hospital alive, albeit in critical condition. FF Browne’s brave and selfless actions in a perilous situation saved Mr. Martinez from certain death. Today, the FDNY is pleased to present him with the Steuben Association Medal. —FCM