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Anyone who has fought a fire in a railroad flat knows that it can be very difficult. Usually, there are two entry doors into the apartment--one in the rear and one in the front. Experienced Firefighters know the main entrance is usually the rear door and the front door is heavily fortified or blocked with furniture, making it inaccessible. Additionally, the secondary means of egress in these occupancies is the rear fire escape, but if the fire is in the rear of the apartment, this limits egress to the one door. Anytime a Firefighter moves toward the front rooms to search, it is dangerous; his only protection is the 21/2-gallon extinguisher that the can Firefighter carries. On January 19, 2003, at 1202 hours, Box 930 was transmitted and Ladder 111 responded first due for a structural fire at 273 Halsey Street. On arrival, Ladder 111 members were confronted with a heavy smoke condition coming from the third floor of this four-story tenement. Ladder 111 is a well-trained unit. This appeared to be a “routine” fire, with each member going to his assigned position. When the inside team reached their position at the fire floor, they were met with a heavy smoke condition pulsating out the rear apartment door, which was left open. Without hesitation, FF Erik Wiener immediately crawled under the smoke and heat and headed toward the front bedroom area. The thought that this was a “routine” fire quickly was put aside when FF Whelehan, the member assigned to the roof position, gave an urgent message: fire had blown out the two rear rooms and was threatening to auto-expose. With two rooms of fire heading toward them, Lieutenant Steven Luisi and the can man maintained their position, holding back the fire until the line could be stretched to their area. Compounding the urgency, Lieutenant Luisi then heard a 10-45 message from FF Wiener. The Lieutenant immediately radioed Engine 214 to see if water was forthcoming. There was still no water on the fire at this time. Meanwhile, FF Wiener was confronted with removing the victim, Mrs. Gloria Threat, a 70-year-old, 200-pound woman, from a hospital bed. To make matters more difficult, the bed had guardrails around it and due to the heat, FF Wiener could not stand up to lift her out. Calling on his years of experience, FF Wiener summoned the last of his strength and turned the hospital bed over on its side to bring the woman to the floor. Simultaneously, the frantic woman grabbed FF Wiener’s low-pressure hose, ripping off his helmet and face piece. Conditions were deteriorating quickly. FF Wiener could not free the woman’s death grip on his face piece. Without the benefit of a mask and only his determination and super-human effort, FF Wiener was able to drag this woman to the safety of the public hall. His inside team was unable to assist due to the deteriorating conditions caused by the unchecked fire. The can man was on his last drops of water and the Officer was trying to maintain their position and still keep the door open for FF Wiener and the victim. Due to the heat, FF Wiener was forced to drag the woman nearly 20 feet to the interior door while on his belly. This was no simple task, considering the conditions of the apartment, the intensity of the heat and the fact that FF Wiener already had strained his back and shoulder trying to turn the heavy hospital bed over on its side. When FF Wiener and the victim reached the door, members of Engine 214 pulled them out into the public hall. FF Robert Hosie had to forcibly pry open two of the woman’s fingers to free FF Wiener’s regulator hose from her grip. Both FF Wiener and Mrs. Threat were carried to the street, both in a semi-conscious state. FF Wiener’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the FDNY. His act of bravery was accomplished alone and without benefit of a charged hose-line. For these heroic actions, FF Erik M. Wiener is awarded the Brooklyn Citizens Medal/FF Louis Valentino Award. --JTV |
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Brooklyn
Citizens Medal/FF Louis Valentino Award
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