Firefighter Receives Firemark Award from Liberty Mutual
Firefighter Charles Maloney receives the Firemark Award from Liberty Mutual Sales Representative Matt Morse.
Firefighter Charles Maloney received a Firemark Award for Heroism from Liberty Mutual on April 30 at the quarters of Ladder 18, his Manhattan firehouse.
“This is humbling,” said Firefighter Maloney. “I was very, very surprised when they told me I’d receive this.”
Matt Morse, a Sales Representative for Liberty Mutual, said, “We’re here today to say thank you to Firefighter Maloney and all [members of Ladder 18] for the work you do in the community.”
Firefighter Maloney, a 30-year veteran of the FDNY, received the honor for a rescue on March 22, 2008, when he helped save two people trapped in an apartment fire along the FDR Drive.
The officer on duty that day, Lt. Todd Heaney, said he was impressed, but not surprised, by the seasoned firefighter’s intuition and skill.
“He’s been doing this for 30 years,” he said. “He knew exactly what to do, before I could even tell him.”
Firefighter Charles Maloney (center) after receiving the Firemark Award with members of Engine 15/Ladder 18 and Matt Morse, Liberty Mutual Sales Representative; Rose Singh, Liberty Mutual Midtown Branch Manager; and Gary Bennett, Liberty Mutual Area Manager for New York City.
Firefighter Maloney said he and the members of Ladder 18 saw a woman on the third floor, screaming and waving her hands over the child protection gates on the window as the smoke poured out from behind her.
The members of Ladder 18 put the bucket of the truck to the window and Firefighter Maloney tried to remove the bars of the gate, with no success.
When the woman collapsed, he said, “I knew one way or another we were going to get her out of there.” So he broke the window over her head and slowly pulled her from above the gate. The opening was small and there was still glass around the window frame, and Firefighter Maloney shook his head remembering how badly she was cut.
“She must have needed 50 stitches,” he said.
When she was finally freed and placed in the bucket, the Firefighter said she pointed to the window - she was a nurse’s aide and the 90-year-old woman she cared for was still inside.
Firefighter Maloney then returned to the window, crawled in and was able to quickly locate the woman in the small room. Another firefighter then helped him pass her back through the window to the safety of the bucket.
“It was a team effort - like a Swiss watch, for it to work, you need every part,” he said. “I’m happy this [award] puts 18 Truck on the board, recognizing the great work of the firefighters in the house.”