Dr. John F. Connell Medal

Lieutenant Wayman A. Iriarte Ladder Company 116

April 25, 2005, 0144 hours, Box 1961, under the subway at Roosevelt Island subway station, Manhattan

Appointed to the FDNY on May 9, 1993. Previously assigned to Ladders 116 and 9 and Engine 33. Now assigned to Ladder 11. Brothers-in-law, Patrick Flynn, is assigned to Engine 286 and Thomas Flynn is assigned to Ladder 8. Member of the FDNY Soccer Team. Holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Queens College. Resides in Queens with his wife, Maureen, their daughters, Clare and Catherine, and son, Matthew.

New York City Firefighters do so much more than just extinguish fires. Firefighters are trained to respond to a variety of other emergencies, including confined space rescues. One kind of confined space rescue involves a person trapped under a train.

On April 25, 2005, at 0144 hours, Ladder 116 in Long Island City, Queens, received a run for a phone alarm to respond to Manhattan Box 1961 for a person trapped under a subway car in the Roosevelt Island station.

Arriving at the subway station, Lieutenant Wayman A. Iriarte of Ladder 116 asked a police officer on-scene about the location of the victim. Lieutenant Iriarte then told his company to bring air bags and cribbing. The Lieutenant spoke with Rescue Battalion Chief Don Hayde about the exact location of the victim. The Chief informed Lieutenant Iriarte that the companies still were waiting for confirmation from the FDNY dispatcher that the power to the tracks was off.

The train had run over the victim’s feet. Lieutenant Iriarte walked through the train to a catwalk on the opposite side where a transit worker informed him that power was still on. The Officer went down to the catwalk and began his size-up. He could see the victim, Michelle Carter, under the train. Both of her feet were severed around the ankles. She was conscious, but disoriented. Ms. Carter was trying to sit up, but was in danger of touching energized equipment under the train.

After seeing the victim’s injuries and the position she was in, Lieutenant Iriarte determined that an immediate rescue was necessary. He ordered FF Christopher DiMaria of Ladder 116, who was carrying two air bags and two wooden planks, to pass him the equipment. Lieutenant Iriarte used the air bags and wooden planks to shield the electrified third rail in order to minimize the risk of coming in contact with it.

Without regard for his personal safety, the Lieutenant crawled under the train--in between the energized equipment--and made his way across the train to the opposite end. There were many transformers located there. The victim was in a state of panic and on the other side of a transformer, which made the rescue more difficult and dangerous.

Lieutenant Iriarte instructed Ms. Carter to lie down with her head toward him. He then reached under the energized transformer with his left arm and pulled her safely to his side. During this period, his area of operations was approximately four by eight and four feet high.

FF DiMaria then joined Lieutenant Iriarte and they packaged the victim on a backboard for removal. A Paramedic joined them and assisted in removing Ms. Carter from her extremely tenuous position. Ms. Carter was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.

For his actions in rescuing a woman who was injured and trapped under a subway train, Lieutenant Wayman A. Iriarte of Ladder Company 116 officially is recognized by the New York City Fire Department and presented with the Dr. John F. Connell Medal.—NG

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