Shelly Rothman Memorial Medal

Firefighter Michael Sarro, Ladder Company 117

March 11, 2004, 0641 hours, Box 22-7533, 29-18 Hoyt Avenue, Queens

Appointed to the FDNY on October 19, 1997. Previously assigned to Engines 47 and 219. Member of the Columbia Association and the Emerald Society. Holds an Associates degree in Labor Studies from Empire State College. Recipient of a Service Rating A for this incident. Resides in Queens with his wife, Nancy, and their sons, Ryan and Michael.

Early in the morning of March 11, 2004, Tower Ladder 117 was assigned as the first-due truck for a reported fire in a two-story, non-fireproof private dwelling. Arriving at the Hoyt Avenue address in Astoria, Queens, FF Michael Sarro and the members of TL-117 were confronted with a large volume of fire on the second floor with flames through the roof.

Because of heavy winds, there was fire extension in exposure #2, making the blaze a second alarm. Lieutenant Robert Pino advised FF Sarro that there was a civilian reportedly seen trapped at a second-floor window of the fire building.

Due to the heavy fire conditions on the stairs and second-floor hallway, inside search operations would be delayed. FF Sarro and FF Thomas Healy, the roof Firefighter, ascended to the second-floor window via the tower ladder bucket.

FF Sarro quickly entered the window and found extremely high heat conditions with zero visibility. While FF Healy continued to take the bucket to the roof, the search in the fire apartment was underway. Fire now was involving just about all of the apartment. Fire was burning through the bedroom door to the room that FF Sarro was searching.

As he felt around, he came upon the now-unconscious woman who previously was at the window. As the fire continued to burn through the door, fire was extending into the bedroom. FF Sarro realized that his only way to escape with the victim was out the window.

Due to conditions, he was forced to stay on his hands and knees. FF Sarro gave the 10-45 and then requested to have the bucket return to the window since this was the only means of escape. When the tower ladder arrived at the window, he lifted the woman up and over the sill and passed her into the bucket to FF Healy. He then finished the arduous task of completing the primary search.

The unconscious victim was not breathing. She was quickly brought down to awaiting Paramedics who began rescue breathing. She was transported to Cornell University Hospital with second- and third-degree burns.

Without the protection of a charged hose-line, FF Sarro performed this meritorious act alone, enduring high heat, zero visibility and fire in the room that held him and the victim. He was directly responsible for saving the life of Celestina Espinoza Soto.

It is in this fine tradition of a company such as Tower Ladder 117, the New York City Fire Department and the grateful people of the City of New York, that FF Michael Sarro is recognized with the Shelly Rothman Memorial Medal.—TPW