EMT Stephen Smith descended
not once, but twice, into a fiery
and smoke-filled environment
and lived to tell about it.
While transporting a patient with
a Paramedic unit on the morning of
November 1, 2005, EMT Stephen
Smith stopped at a traffic light at the
intersection of 230th Street and
Merrick Boulevard. Several civilians
came running up to the vehicle and
reported a fire with people trapped a
few doors down at 232-12 Merrick
Boulevard. EMT Smith consulted
with the Paramedics over the radio,
who advised him that they would continue
transport and suggested that he
and his partner, EMT Eccles Flynn,
see if they could help.
EMT Smith notified the Queens
dispatcher of the location of the fire
and responded to the scene. Once there,
he observed a barbershop next to a row
of stores with apartments on the top
floors. Several frantic civilians met
EMT Smith in front of the building and
reported that three elderly residents
were trapped in the rear basement.
With no firefighting personnel
yet on the scene and without the aid
of protective equipment, EMT Smith
entered the smoke-filled, burning
building to attempt to rescue the
trapped victims who now were
screaming for help. As he entered the
building, the dense, acrid smoke was
banking down, making it difficult to
see and breathe.
Staying low, EMT Smith followed
the terrified cries to the rear
yard of the building where he
observed two senior citizens at the
bottom of a flight of stairs. EMT
Smith assisted both to the top of the
stairs, where the male informed him
of another elderly female beyond the
door at the bottom of the stairs. Even
with conditions worsening, EMT
Smith returned to the basement door a
second time. Crawling in and down
the hallway, he attempted to enter a
room where he believed the elderly
female was located, but was driven
back by the intense heat and flames
inside the room.
As he exited the building, he
found that the elderly male had
returned to the basement in search of
his companion. With flames now
coming from the doorway and window,
EMT Smith ascended the stairs a
second time and once again removed
the elderly man. He then led the two
elderly civilians back though the fire
building and out to the street.
Exiting the building, EMT Smith
told the ladder company Officer about
the civilian still trapped in the basement.
He then re-entered the building
and showed the Firefighters the location
of the stairwell. Finally, he went
outside and assisted EMT Flynn, who
was treating civilians.
Without his valiant efforts, this
deadly fire would have claimed two
more victims. For his exemplary
actions in rescuing two people, EMT
Stephen A. Smith is awarded the
Christopher J. Prescott Medal.--SCH |
