Lt. James E. Zahn/Lt. Peter L. Troiano Memorial Medal

Firefighter Michael N. Cook, Ladder Company 41

December 30, 2003, 0646 hours, Box 22-3026, 1435 Glover Street, Bronx

Appointed to the FDNY on August 19, 1990. Previously assigned to Engine 90. Member of the Emerald Society and Steuben Association. Recipient of a Service Rating A for this incident. Resides in Rockland County, New York, with his wife, Margaret, and their daughter, Claire.

Operating above the fire floor is known to be one of the most dangerous positions on the fireground. The heat and smoke on the floor above the fire can be intense and incapacitating. These were the conditions that awaited FF Michael Cook of Ladder 41 on the morning of December 30, 2003.

It had been a busy night for Ladder 41 and they were just taking up from Box 3251. They were urgently directed to respond as an additional truck for a fire at 1435 Glover Street. Ladder 41 members knew they were going to work. The dispatcher was rolling the Rescue and Squad because of numerous phone calls with reports of people trapped. Additionally, Ladder 41 was notified that the second-due truck would be delayed because of a previous response, so they probably would be second-due. That meant Ladder 41 would have the floor above the fire.

Ladder 41 arrived quickly and was confronted with fire at the front door and out the top-floor window of the three-story brownstone-type building. Due to overhead wires and a utility pole, the Tower Ladder bucket was unusable. FF Cook was assigned the outside vent position. Normally, he would operate from the bucket in this type structure, but he had to get to the floor above in another way.

FF Cook teamed up with the chauffeur, FF John Hessler, and they worked to get a 24-foot portable ladder to the rear of the building. There was access to the rear via a narrow alleyway with a five-foot wrought-iron fence. FF Cook climbed over the fence and opened the gate.

On their way to the rear with the ladder, FFs Cook and Hessler found a woman who had jumped from the top floor. She was screaming that her baby was still inside. Undeterred by the chaos around them, the two Firefighters notified their Officer of the jumper in the side yard, continued to the rear and placed the ladder to the top-floor window. Heavy smoke was pushing out of all the rear windows, which looked like they would burst into flame at any moment.

FF Cook quickly ascended the ladder and crawled through the pulsating smoke pouring from the window. Immediately, he was forced to the floor due to the intense heat surging toward him from the fire raging just beyond the bedroom doorway. He quickly started his search and found the limp, unconscious body of two-year-old Anthony Alecia lying motionless on top of two additional victims.

FF Cook picked up the boy and initially started to attempt an interior rescue, but the stairs were impassable. He retraced his steps to the window and emerged from the billowing smoke-filled window with the toddler. FF Hessler quickly climbed the ladder and descended with young Anthony. He administered CPR until Anthony was safely in the awaiting ambulance.

Meanwhile, FF Cook realized he had more to do. He returned to the other victims lying unconscious on the floor. He was joined by other members who assisted in the removal of 20-year-old Maria Cruz and 41-year-old Brenda Cassanova.

Unfortunately, both Ms. Cruz and Ms. Cassanova succumbed to their injuries. Anthony Alecia, however, was transported to Jacobi Hospital, treated for burns and placed in the hyperbaric chamber due to smoke inhalation.

FF Cook acted quickly and courageously. It is only through his efforts that young Anthony survived. For this reason, FF Michael Cook is being honored today with the Lieutenant James E. Zahn/Lieutenant Peter L. Troiano Memorial Medal.—CB