FF Thomas Brick Scholarships Presented to Seven FDNY Firefighters

Seven scholarships were presented to active FDNY fire officers and firefighters on August 14 in the memory of Firefighter Thomas Brick of Ladder 36.

They are funded each year by Salvatore Bommarito and his family in appreciation for the courageous public service provided by all FDNY firefighters.

“Each of today’s recipients are the kind of people who want to be challenged, want to move forward, want to learn,” said Commissioner Scoppetta during the presentation at FDNY Headquarters. “These scholarships carry on the spirit of Firefighter Thomas Brick.”

The recipients included Battalion Chief Brendan McSweeney from Battalion 15; Captains Brian Boll from Engine 314 and Michael Callan from Division 6; Lt. James Lynch from Engine 92; and Firefighters David Abreu, assigned to Squad 288 and working from Squad 61, Tim Duggan from Ladder 24 and Steven Tagliani from Engine 168.

This is the fifth scholarship award ceremony honoring Firefighter Brick, who made the Supreme Sacrifice on December 16, 2003, while operating at a four-alarm fire at a furniture and mattress warehouse in upper Manhattan.

“I enjoy coming here because it’s simply a happy event,” said Mr. Bommarito, who has funded 25 Firefighter Brick scholarships in the last five years. “We took a tragedy and turned it into something wonderful.”

He called the $2,500 scholarships a “modest effort,” and said he hopes they will “catapult members of the FDNY to a better position, sooner.”

Thomas Brick, Sr., who attended the presentation with his wife, Margaret, said he was honored to have a scholarship named for his son.

“This is an important, wonderful event,” he said. “These are young, ambitious, dedicated young men who can further their careers with this. And having any connection with my son is great.”

One of the scholarship recipients, Firefighter Duggan, attended the Fire Academy with Firefighter Brick.

He said he plans to use the scholarship for classes in fire science at John Jay College.

Describing Firefighter Brick as “eager and intense,” he said receiving the scholarship “was especially poignant because we studied together. It’s a blessing and a huge responsibility.”