Chief John J. McElligott Medal/ Fitzpatrick and Frisby Award

Firefighter Ryan G. Warnock
Ladder Company 174

October 22, 2003, 0711 hours
Box 22-2394
35 Paedegat/10th Street, Brooklyn

Appointed to the FDNY on May 6, 2001. Previously assigned to Engine 309 and Ladder 159. Father, FF Gregory Warnock, is retired from Ladder 114. Member of the Emerald Society. Holds a BS degree in organizational communication from the State University of New York at New Paltz.

At 0700 hours in the firehouse known as Snyder Island, the fresh coffee was brewing and fresh goodies were being brought in by early arrivals. It was a crisp and clear October morning when minutes later, the alarm teleprinter at the housewatch announced a run for Ladder 174 and Engine 310. FF Ryan Warnock and the other Firefighters geared up, boarded their rigs and responded to Box 2394.

En route, members were alerted that there were numerous calls reporting fire at 35 Paedegat/10th Street. Ladder 174 arrived on the scene as second-due truck, in time to hear a report that there was heavy fire in the cockloft of the two-story private dwelling. FF Warnock, the second-due roof man, wasted no time ascending the aerial with the saw to exposure #2B. From there, he made his way to his roof position where he reported back to his Officer that fire was showing through roof vents.

Ladder 174 apparatus. photo by Joe Pinto

On the roof of the fire building, he met up with FF James McNulty, Ladder 170, the first-due roof man. Together, they performed preliminary roof duties, opened the scuttle and began to cut the roof. FF Warnock acted as FF McNulty’s back-up as they started to cut the roof over the hot spot. As they cut the roof, flames licked up and out of the fresh cuts. All was going well until the third cut was made. It was then that a section of the roof--weakened by an intense cockloft fire--failed, dropping FF McNulty up to his chest into the inferno.

As FF McNulty was falling into the widening hole, the still-running saw threatened to fall into the hole on top of him. FF Warnock instinctively held onto the back of FF McNulty’s bunker coat with one hand, while pushing the saw away with the other. He shifted his grip to the front of FF McNulty’s coat and transmitted a hurried mayday before reaching down into the flame- and smoke-filled void to wrap both of his arms securely around the chest of his trapped brother Firefighter, preventing him from slipping any deeper into the hole.

They both were engulfed in choking smoke. There was no hose-line to protect them from the flames and hot gases. FF McNulty was 50 pounds heavier than FF Warnock and wearing full firefighting gear. He did not budge, as FF Warnock tried to hoist him up and out of the ever-widening hole. FF Warnock did not despair. Instead, never relaxing his bear hug on FF McNulty, he made several repeated, unsuccessful attempts to extricate the trapped Firefighter.

When FF McNulty fell through the roof, his foot crashed down through the ceiling of the top floor. FF Honer was with Engine 257 on the top floor when the booted foot came through the ceiling. Realizing a Firefighter had fallen through the roof, FF Honer grabbed the flailing boot and pushed up. His push coincided with FF Warnock’s last exhaustive effort to pull the trapped FF McNulty up and onto the roof. This last herculean effort was successful and they both fell back onto the roof.

By now, other Firefighters had arrived on the roof and FF McNulty was assisted into the tower ladder bucket by FFs Warnock, Gormley and Savarese.

FF McNulty received third-degree burns to his thigh and groin and suffered from smoke inhalation. It later was determined that FF McNulty’s gear was subject to at least 1500 degrees. FF Warnock strained his back and it was feared that he might have inhaled super-heated gases. FF Warnock was treated and released after a short hospital stay and FF McNulty received treatment at the Burn Center. Happily, both Firefighters now are back working full-duty in their respective firehouses.

When the roof opened up and swallowed FF McNulty, it was FF Warnock’s good instincts, training, quick actions and persistence that saved FF McNulty from more serious injury. Though quick action was required, FF Warnock managed the following: transmitted a mayday; prevented the saw from further injuring the trapped Firefighter; and, despite the smoke, heat and difficulty and without thought for his own safety, rescued FF McNulty and kept him from sustaining more serious injuries.

For his heroic actions, FF Ryan G. Warnock is presented with the Chief John J. McElligott Medal/Fitzpatrick & Frisby Award.--FM

Return to Medal Day Index