Probationary Firefighter Thomas A. Wylie Medal

Firefighter Darrell S. Dennison Ladder Company 119

April 25, 2005, 0552 hours, Box 3969, 104 Ross Street, Brooklyn

Appointed to the FDNY on December 5, 2004. Member of the Vulcan Society. Holds an associate’s degree in computer technology from Devry University. Served in the U.S. Navy from 1997 to 1999. Recipient of a unit citation and a Service Rating A. Resides in Jamaica, Queens.

On Monday, April 25, 2005, at 0552 hours, Ladder Company 119--with Probationary Firefighter Darrell Dennison on the irons--and Engine 211 responded first-due to a phone alarm for 104 Ross Street in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. As the companies were leaving their Hooper Street quarters, they received a second source.

Arriving at the building, Engine  211 gave the 10-75 for a fire in apartment 2N on the second floor of a six-story, class 1 building. Ladder 119’s rig stopped when a chain attached to two poles blocked the apparatus from proceeding further. Lieutenant Matthew Komorowski and his inside team of FFs Tomislav Dadic with the can and Dennison got off their rig and quickly made their way to the fire building.

The inside team ran approximately 60 yards up the access road to the courtyard. When the trio reached the second floor, they were met with a heavy smoke condition and zero visibility.

Lieutenant Komorowski ordered his Firefighters to mask up and proceed down the long hallway. The Lieutenant used the thermal imaging camera to help guide his men to the fire apartment.

When FFs Dennison and Dadic and Lieutenant Komorowski reached the fire apartment, they opened the unlocked door and were met with fire to their right and fire rolling over their heads.  The kitchen was fully involved and the fire was extending to a closet on the left, the hallway behind the kitchen and to the living/dining room, which was behind the kitchen to the left. Smoke also was pushing from all the windows in the rear of the apartment.

FF Dennison and Lieutenant Komorowski made an initial push into the fire apartment beneath and to the left of the fire area. The Officer was monitoring the egress conditions and discovered that the fire had communicated behind the entrance to the apartment, thus potentially blocking the team’s exit. As a result, Lieutenant Komorowski immediately ordered FF Dadic to use the can on the fire to protect the apartment’s only means of egress so FF Dennison and he could continue a deeper search into the fire apartment.

With Engine 211 still in the process of stretching the initial 21/2-inch line off the standpipe, water was not yet on the fire. The fire apartment had a high heat condition and no visibility. Lieutenant Komorowski ordered FF Dennison to search to the right, while he proceeded to the left. FF Dadic continued to protect the exit with the can.

While conducting his primary search, FF Dennison found a young boy 15 feet into the apartment in the bedroom hallway behind the kitchen. Lieutenant Komorowski immediately transmitted the 10-45 to Battalion 35 and let Battalion Chief John Molloy know it was for a child. FF Dadic continued to hold back the fire with the can so that FF Dennison could exit the apartment with seven-year-old Israel Falkowitz.

FF Dennison passed under the fire area to remove the child from the fire apartment and once outside the apartment, he handed the child off to another Firefighter. As FF Dennison was removing the child, Lieutenant Komorowski continued his primary search, monitoring conditions with the thermal imaging camera. He then found a second victim in the living /dining room, approximately 20 feet into the apartment. Lieutenant Komorowski immediately transmitted another 10-45 to Chief Molloy and let him know that Ladder 119 had a total of two victims.

After the two victims were removed from the fire apartment, FF Dennison and Lieutenant Komorowski returned to the fire apartment to continue their search. At this time, Engine 211 had completed its stretch and was attacking the fire. As Ladder 119’s inside team was making two rescues inside the apartment, the outside team was effecting the rescue of three other people. The two children rescued by the inside team were transported to the hospital, but they did not survive.

For his bravery and determination, FF Darrell Dennison of Ladder 119 officially is recognized by the FDNY today and presented with the Probationary Firefighter Thomas A. Wylie Medal.—NG

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