Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia Medal

Firefighter Brian W. Cullen, Ladder Company 138

December 15, 2004, 0244 hours, Box 22-7889, 37-52 89th Street, Queens

Appointed to the FDNY on October 28, 2001. Cousin, FF Paul Viselli, is assigned to Engine 66, and cousin, Lieutenant Peter Girardi, is retired from Ladder 110. Member of the Emerald Society, Ceremonial Unit and the FDNY USMC Association. Recipient of a Class III rating for this incident. Served in the USMC from 1994 to 1998. Resides in North Babylon, Long Island.

On December 15, 2004, in the middle of a cold night, Queens Box 7889 was received for a fire at 35-43 88th Street in the Jackson Heights section of the borough. The assigned companies initially went to that address, but it turned out to be incorrect. The fire was actually in a six-story multiple dwelling at 37-52 89th Street. When the correct address was provided, Ladder Co. 138, the “Corona Tigers,” arrived second-due.

The delay caused by the first-due units initially being given the incorrect address allowed the fire not only to fully involve apartment 2F on the second floor, but extend out of the apartment and into the public hallway. The icy winds pushed the fire past the fire door in the middle of the hallway. The fire door, which separated the “A” and “B” stairways, had been chocked open.

FF Brian W. Cullen, Ladder 138’s can Firefighter, was directed to assist Ladder 136’s can Firefighter, FF Dan Bocian, who was attempting to control the heavy fire just enough so the fire door could be closed. With the efforts of the two Firefighters using their cans simultaneously, Ladder 136’s Officer, Lieutenant Ed Ireland, was able to close the fire door.

Closing the fire door provided some protection to stairway “A,” which FDNY members were about to ascend. It also had the effect of channeling even more of the heat, smoke and flames up stairway “B,” which was closer to the fire apartment. Conditions on the third floor were extreme.

FF Cullen had to ascend through the hot, smoky conditions to reach the third-floor hallway, the floor above the roaring fire. When the Firefighter reached the top of stairway “A,” there was no visibility and an intense heat condition, which forced him to crawl. FF Cullen knew that a hand-line was not yet in place to provide protection for him.

Crawling down the hallway, FF Cullen came upon FF Andrew Gaughan of Rescue Co. 4, who was removing the first victim. A transmission was given that there were “multiple 10-45s, floor above.” As quickly as possible, FF Cullen dragged this victim to FF Joseph Tarantini, Ladder 138’s irons Firefighter.

FF Cullen then turned and headed back down the hallway to continue his search for additional victims. While still working in zero visibility, an intense heat condition and without the protection of a hand-line, FF Cullen was forced to stay low as he approached the smoke/fire door in the middle of the hallway.

Immediately adjacent to the door, FF Cullen found 35-year-old Jorge Armito-Aviles, who lay unconscious. FF Cullen dragged this victim 28 feet to the top of the A stairwell and down to the second floor, where he passed him to other Firefighters for removal to the street. The victim was transported to the Cornell Burn Center. FF Cullen then returned to the third floor to assist his company in searching apartment 3F, which was above the fire apartment.

For his bravery and determination in personally removing a man and assisting in the removal of another victim from the floor above a roaring fire, FF Brian W. Cullen is presented with the Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia Medal today.—NG