Thomas F. Dougherty Medal

Firefighter Daniel J. McGuinness
Ladder Company 18 (assigned), Rescue Company 2 (detailed)

January 23, 2003, 0628 hours
Box 22-946
1430 Fulton Street, Brooklyn

Appointed to the FDNY on July 25, 1993. Previously assigned to Engine 4. Now a Lieutenant assigned to Battalion 40. Brother, FF Robert McGuinness, is assigned to Ladder 42. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies. Cited for bravery once previously.

Before anyone gave a 10-75, the members of Rescue 2 knew they were going to have their hands full. There were numerous reports of a fire above a restaurant at 1430 Fulton Street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. At 0628 hours, they were aware that many of the residents in this four-story, non-fireproof structure would be rudely awakened by smoke, heat and the screams of their neighbors.

When Rescue 2 pulled up, the fire already had found its way to three windows on the second floor in the front and flames were lapping up at the apartments above. The people from those apartments were blocked from using the interior stairs because the door to the fire apartment had been left open. Released from the confines of the fire apartment, flames also gained control of the hall and the interior stairs.

FF Daniel J. McGuinness was detailed to Rescue 2 when he saved Ms. Jones. photo by Joe Pinto

Lieutenant Peter Lund of Rescue 2 reported to the 57 Battalion and was ordered by Chief James Bossert to split his members. Firefighter Daniel J. McGuinness was assigned to the roof position and used the interior of a similar building next door to reach his position. He reached the roof by exiting through a top-floor apartment and climbed a gooseneck ladder to the roof.

As he climbed the gooseneck ladder, the Firefighter thought he heard a woman scream, but he knew he had to make sure the roof was open. On the roof, FF McGuinness joined the roof man of Ladder 111, who already had begun roof operations, when he heard reports on his handie-talkie that people were trapped on the top floor.

Quickly descending the fire escape to the rear window, FF McGuinness was met with security gates that he couldn’t work to remove without first venting the window and drawing the heat and smoke toward him. He worked under such grueling conditions that he was forced to don his face piece because of the thick, acrid smoke spewing from the window. He finally was able to remove the gate. The Firefighter slid in the window and dropped to the floor to begin his search.

The acrid, black smoke obscured all vision and FF McGuinness was forced to use his sense of touch to conduct the methodical drill that he learned in Proby School. He worked his way around the room along the wall, sweeping out with his other arm, hoping to locate the victim.

Crawling in the darkness, FF McGuinness diligently searched the kitchen. He was working his way through the living room when he was rewarded with the discovery of 33-year-old Donna Jones, who lay unconscious on the floor.

He notified Lieutenant Lund--who had worked his way up the interior stairs--that he had found a victim. FF McGuinness was instructed to bring her to the front of the building. As Lieutenant Lund guided him in dragging Ms. Jones through the smoke-filled apartment, FF Robert Austin, the outside vent man of Ladder 111, met FF McGuinness and, together, they dragged the victim back to the window. They were able to get Ms. Jones into the bucket of Ladder 111 and down to the waiting arms of EMS personnel. She was rushed to St. John’s Hospital and treated for severe smoke inhalation.

Ms. Jones’ life could have ended that day, were it not for the bravery displayed by FF Daniel J. McGuinness as he located and removed her from above the fire, all without the protection of a hand-line. It is with great pride that the Fire Department awards him the Thomas F. Dougherty Medal.--JT

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