Chief Joseph B. Martin Medal

Lieutenant Philip J. Solimeo, Rescue Company 5

October 9, 2004, 0559 hours, Box 75-0897, 82 Arlo Road, Staten Island

Appointed to the FDNY on July 9, 1995. Previously assigned to Squad 1, Ladder 103 and Engines 5 and 154. Brother, FF Thomas Solimeo, is assigned to Ladder 148; brother-in-law, FF Peter Gioia, is assigned to Engine 249; cousin, FF Philip Sabbatino, is assigned to Engine 1; and cousin, FF Anthony Sabbatino, is assigned to Engine 160. Member of the Columbia Association. Holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from the New York Institute of Technology. Recipient of a unit citation; and a Service Rating A for this incident. Resides on Staten Island with his wife, Theresa, and their sons, Philip and Timothy.

The members of Rescue Companies usually are not called to a fire until the first-arriving units confirm a working fire, but an early-morning blaze at 82 Arlo Road in the Grymes Hill section of Staten Island prompted numerous phone calls. Early-morning fires usually get a head start on Firefighters, because they grow unnoticed before they are reported. When there is an accelerant involved, it can give the fire a jump start prior to Firefighters’ arrival. These were the conditions that tested the bravery of Lieutenant Philip J. Solimeo of Rescue 5 on the morning of October 9, 2004.

The Box was transmitted at 0559 hours. Its proximity to Rescue 5’s quarters and the company being turned out on the original alarm resulted in the members arriving as the first-due truck. Flames already were roaring out of several windows and the front door by the time they arrived.

They were alerted by several screaming civilians at the scene that a man was trapped in the fire apartment. Lieutenant Solimeo split his unit. He directed his outside team to check the second floor of the two-story multiple dwelling, as he entered the fire apartment with the forcible entry team, which included FF John Hourican.

The Lieutenant and Firefighters had to crawl under the flames lapping out the top of the door frame as they entered the apartment into heavy, acrid smoke. With no hose-line yet in place, they were at risk, but with a life at stake, they couldn’t afford to waste any time. As they crawled through the living room with its contents ablaze, they could see the flames streaming across the ceiling and starting to work their way down the walls.

Hearing moans coming from the rear of the apartment, they crawled along the floor as they fought their way toward the victim’s location. Engine 160, quartered with Rescue 5, had been assigned on a CFR-D run at the time the Box came in, which resulted in a delay in getting a hose-line on the fire.

When they reached the rear of the apartment, they found a locked bedroom door. Lieutenant Solimeo used his Officer’s tool to force the door and gain entry to the victim. With zero visibility in the bedroom and an additional fire, the rescuers were able to locate the victim only by the sound of his moans. When they reached 25-year-old Alex Archer, they made sure that he was the only occupant before he lost consciousness.

After transmitting a 10-45 signal, they had to consider their options for his removal. Because the bedroom also was ablaze, the Lieutenant decided that removal through the front door was their best choice.

Lieutenant Solimeo supported the victim’s lower body and FF Hourican grabbed the victim around his upper torso as they dragged him back through the rapidly spreading inferno toward the front door. With the flames rolling over their heads, they were able to remove Mr. Archer from the apartment and hand him over to an on-scene EMS crew. Engine Company 155 moved in to extinguish the blaze.

EMS rushed Mr. Archer to Staten Island University Hospital, where he was taken to the Burn Unit due to the severe burns and smoke inhalation he had suffered. He required a lengthy hospital stay before he fully recovered. Were it not for the heroic efforts of Lieutenant Solimeo and the other members of Rescue 5, he surely would have perished. Without a hose-line yet in place, they risked their own lives to give this victim another chance at life.

For his perseverance and great courage in the face of tremendous danger, the Fire Department is proud to award the Chief Joseph B. Martin Medal to Lieutenant Philip J. Solimeo.—JT