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Little did Lieutenant James Goelz know when he started his shift on a very cold, late Sunday evening, February 9, 2003, that it was going to turn out to be anything but routine. While in quarters, Ladder 112 received a run assignment as the first-due Ladder Company to Box 0794, for a report of a working fire in a private dwelling at 691 Quincy Street, Brooklyn. On arrival, heavy fire was found in the basement of the four-story brownstone. After gaining access to the parlor floor, Lieutenant Goelz assigned his forcible entry team to work with Engine 222, the first-due Engine. Lieutenant Goelz received confirmation from his roof man, FF Steve Scott--who was assisting people who had escaped to the roof--that there was still a person trapped on one of the upper floors and in imminent danger. The Lieutenant knew that waiting for additional resources would place the victim in even more danger and that they were the only Ladder at the scene. Despite no hand-lines yet in place (Engines 222 and 214--which arrived second due--still were stretching their lines), Lieutenant Goelz began searching for the one known victim, as well as other potential victims. He made his way up an old and unstable open, wooden staircase to the upper floors through the thick smoke and searing heat coming up the open stairs from the fire raging in the basement. After a methodical, exhaustive search, which required that he maneuver over piles of clothing and rubble all the way down the fourth-floor, top hallway, the unconscious victim, Jake Gambell, was found. While Lieutenant Goelz protected and tended to the victim, he transmitted a 10-45. Next, he began dragging the 60-year-old male toward the stairs. However, this exit route proved fruitless because of the Collyers mansion-type conditions. Meanwhile, in response to the originally transmitted alarm, contact was made with Tower Ladder 111’s outside vent man, FF Robert Austin, who raised the bucket to the top-floor window. Believing that the victim would not survive the trip through the smoke and heat in the stairwell that he originally had ascended, Lieutenant Goelz, aided by FF Austin, successfully negotiated the clutter and brought Mr. Gambell to the front window. Mr. Gambell was successfully removed to safety via Tower Ladder 111’s bucket and lowered to safety. He then was transferred to waiting EMS personnel who rushed the victim to Woodhull Hospital. The victim survived because of the aggressive actions of Lieutenant Goelz. For his selflessness and heroics, Lieutenant James Goelz is presented with the Holy Name Society Medal (Brooklyn/Queens).--TDM |
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