MAYOR GIULIANI AND FIRE COMMISSIONER VON ESSEN UNVEIL PLAQUE IN MEMORY OF FIREFIGHTER JOHN CIORCIARI
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and New York City Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen today dedicated a plaque in memory of Firefighter John Ciorciari, a member of Queens Ladder Company 142, who was shot and killed while off-duty last year outside a Howard Beach restaurant after attempting to restore order during a fight.
"I'm very proud to be here today as we remember a courageous firefighter, a devoted family man and a loyal friend," Mayor Giuliani said. "An eight-year veteran of Ladder Company 142, John Ciorciari had known from an early age that he wanted to follow in the proud footsteps of his father and become a firefighter. He knew, first hand, the dedication and sacrifice that the job required, but he also knew the tremendous reward and satisfaction that come as a result of helping people and saving lives.
"John was good-natured, loyal and brave -- he never hesitated to come to the aid of others despite the risks to his own personal safety," the Mayor continued. "This is exactly the way he conducted himself on the night he was killed. Acting as a peacemaker, John tried his best to defuse a tense and dangerous situation. Although he was not in uniform that night, John carried with him the highest ideals of the Fire Department and acted in a way that is a tribute to the men and women of this Department.
"To his wife Christine, his daughter Nicole, his parents Dottie and John Sr., I cannot fathom the void that you must feel. But please remember that John's loving and courageous spirit always surrounds us. He is a true hero of New York City," the Mayor concluded.
"Firefighters take an oath to assist those in need," said Fire Commissioner Von Essen. "This pledge came naturally to John Ciorciari who, without hesitation, gave of his time and efforts to help many people, both on and off-duty. His death, while acting as a peacemaker in a dispute, was terribly tragic. By this plaque dedication, we vow to remember the positive influence he exerted as a dedicated firefighter, and a husband, father and friend."
On July 6, 1996, 33-year old John Ciorciari was shot in the back after attempting to break up a dispute at the Cactus Bar and Grill in Howard Beach. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Jamaica Hospital.
Firefighter Ciorciari was a 7-year veteran of the Fire Department, assigned to Ladder Company 142 in Woodhaven, Queens. He also worked as an assistant football coach at his high school alma mater, St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens. Mr. Ciorciari played football throughout high school and college; he attended C.W. Post College and St. John's University.
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