Bella Stiefel Medal

Lieutenant Peter J. Antine, Jr.
Ladder Company 129

September 5, 2002, 0958 hours
Box 75-4455
43-32 Kissena Boulevard, Queens

Appointed to the FDNY on July 11, 1984. Previously assigned to Ladders 115 and 55. Cousins, Peter Cozeolino and Rocco Chierichella, are retired FFs from Rescue 4 and Ladder 119, respectively. Father-in-law, Joseph Van Asperen, is a retired Lieutenant from Fire Prevention. Member of the Columbia Association, Uniformed Fire Officers Association and the Company Officers Association. Attended Queens College. Resides in Syosset, Long Island, with his wife, Evanie, and their two daughters, Jenna and Carissa.

The men of Ladder 129--whose motto is Ya Gotta Believe--knew that this would be an unusual day. Rob Hylan and Channel 4 were scheduled to be in quarters to do a story on FF Larry Parker and his numerous athletic feats. Everything was set for the event. However, a new one was about to unfold instead.

Ladder 129 received a phone alarm for Box 4455 and responded. Engine 273, in quarters with them, was out of service. FF Jimmy Carrol drove the Truck with a great sense of urgency to the Box, a fire reported on the 12th floor of a 16-story, 100- by 300-foot, high-rise, multiple dwelling. The men of Ladder 129--Lieutenant Peter J. Antine, Jr., and FFs Larry Parker, Benny Rebecca, Steve Syrop and Fred Bischoff--knew they would have their hands full, due to Engine 273’s status and no other Engine in sight.

Members of 129 Truck surround their Lieutenant--Peter J. Antine, Jr. photos courtesy of Lieutenant Peter J. Antine, Jr.

Arriving on the eighth floor, Lieutenant Antine checked the layout before ascending to the fire floor. FF Rebecca, the roof man, provided the Officer with a detailed report about the wind conditions on the floor above the fire. Members of Ladder 129 encountered a heavy smoke condition on the fire floor. Once FFs Parker and Syrop forced the door at the involved apartment, Lieutenant Antine and the Firefighters were greeted with ceiling-to-floor fire conditions. The fire was coming from a large utility room, which had no door.

Engine 274 had responded on the initial assignment in place of the out-of-service Engine 273. However, the hose-line still was in the process of being brought up to the standpipe outlet in the attack stairwell. Additionally, the end apartment was involved and it would be several minutes before the fire could be attacked.
In spite of these conditions, drawing from his fire duty at Ladder 55 in the South Bronx and because he just had a gut feeling that someone was inside, Lieutenant Antine decided to make a push, along with FF Parker. FFs Syrop and Bischoff covered their flank with the can. As they crawled into the inferno, Lieutenant Antine and FF Parker pushed deeper and deeper into the flat, which was cluttered with debris.

Approximately 20 feet in, they found Ms. Jaswant Kaur. The woman was badly burned and semi-conscious. Lieutenant Antine and FF Parker dragged the woman toward the fire apartment exit only to find their path blocked by a wall of fire, which now had regained its intensity. FF Syrop had expelled the water can trying to protect those making the search.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Lieutenant Antine used his body as a shield, placing it partially across the unobstructed opening to the fire room. This action blocked enough fire at the floor level to permit FF Parker to crawl under the intense fire in a prone position while dragging and shielding the victim past the fire room and into the public hallway.

Once in the hallway, the rescuers dragged the victim to the evacuation stairway and continued with the removal. The Lieutenant and FF Parker carried the victim down 12 flights of stairs to the street. Simultaneously, they monitored her vital signs and ensured she had an open airway. She was transported to New York Hospital (and later transferred to Cornell Burn Center), suffering from smoke inhalation and third-degree burns to the face, hands, arms, neck, legs and back.
Engine 274, now on the scene, was making an aggressive push into the fiery flat. FFs Bischoff and Carrol continued to search for any additional victims.

Due to Lieutenant Antine’s experience, bravery and dedication, Mrs. Kaur was saved. The courage demonstrated by Lieutenant Peter J. Antine, Jr., is representative of the highest traditions of this Department and for these reasons, he is being honored today with the Bella Stiefel Medal. —JO'B