 Fire
Marshals Benevolent Association Medal
Firefighter John W. Vanderstar
Ladder Company 6
December 23, 2003, 0134 hours, Box 0131, 11 Oliver Street, Manhattan
Appointed to the FDNY on October 27, 1996. Previously assigned, during
rotation, to Engines 234 and 246. Brother, FF Jerry Vanderstar, is assigned
to Engine 254. Member of the Emerald Society and the Columbia Association. Cited
for bravery on two previous occasions.
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FF John Vanderstar, Ladder 6, after a job.
photo courtesy of FF John Vanderstar |
In the early morning of December 23, 2003, Ladder Company 6 received a phone
alarm for Box 131, 11 Oliver Street in Manhattan. The report
was for a fire on the first floor of a five-story brownstone,
which was converted to a multiple dwelling.
The address prodded Lieutenant Robert Blanco’s memory
bank. He advised FFs John Vanderstar and Christian Murphy--the
forcible entry team--and the rest of the crew that this particular
building had no rear fire escape. This information had been
obtained on a recent drill and was passed on to the members,
always a good move by a “step-up” Company.
On arrival, Ladder 6 was met with a heavy smoke and fire condition
on the first floor. The 10-75 signal was transmitted. Sizing
up the fire building, the Ladder Company members noticed wrought-iron
gates--which prevented any escape--and numerous distressed
people on the front fire escape, threatening to jump. This
scenario was a sure indication of the heavy fire conditions
inside the building.
FFs O’Grady and Skonieczny quickly raised ladders to
remove panicky people on the fire escape and raised the aerial
to the roof for FF Strandberg. A language barrier made it
difficult to communicate with the Chinese victims and served
to increase the urgency of the situation. Fortunately, acting
Lieutenant Hom of Engine 9 was available to speak the Cantonese
dialect. At least one person was trapped inside.
Entering the fire building, the inside team crawled down the
35-foot-long narrow, hot, smoky hallway to the fire apartment
door. Going through the door, the inside team members were
met with high heat and smoke down to the floor. With melting
PVC pipe above, fire in the front rooms and no hose-line protection,
the search began.
As the fire was advancing down the hall, FF Murphy held it
back with the can and then proceeded to block the fire with
the entrance door by opening it into the apartment and blocking
the hallway. This gave FF Vanderstar and Lieutenant Blanco
the opportunity to make their move to the rear.
Searching quickly and aggressively, FF Vanderstar felt his
way to the rear bedroom by feeling the doorjamb and then the
knob. He entered the room and closed the door behind him to
give himself added protection from the heat and smoke. He
found two sets of bunk beds and quickly found an unconscious
victim on the lower bed at the rear of the room. The Firefighter
gave the 10-45 code 2 signal.
Lieutenant Blanco completed the primary search. FF Vanderstar
decided to take the rear window to safely remove the victim,
but was confronted by a heavy, wrought-iron gate. Unable to
force this gate and with little time, the rescuer realized
that the only means of escape was to go back to the apartment
entrance, pass the fire and remove the victim to safety.
The arduous task of removing this heavy and unconscious victim
was not an easy one. Employing tremendous physical strength
and determination and realizing that the victim was near death,
FF Vanderstar began dragging and carrying the victim back
through the hall, all the while moving toward the fire.
Arriving at the entrance door, FF Vanderstar removed the victim,
passed the advancing fire and crawled back down the long hallway
and out into the street. At this point, he was assisted by
other Firefighters and Squad 18 members administered CPR.
A life had been saved.
If not for FF Vanderstar’s bravery, tenacity and knowledge
of search and removal operations, it is doubtful that the
victim--Wan Wei Pan--age 15, would have survived. His actions
exemplify the greatest traditions of the New York City Fire
Department. FF John W. Vanderstar is honored today for those
actions and is presented with the Fire Marshals Benevolent
Association Medal.--TW
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