Vincent J. Kane Medal

Lieutenant Gregory J. Prial Ladder Company 43

February 7, 2005, 0041 hours, Box 1348, 123 East 112th Street, Manhattan

Appointed to the FDNY on September 5, 1981. Previously assigned to Ladder 7. Father, Phil Prial, is retired from Rescue 1; and cousin, FF Steve Brooks, is assigned to Ladder 112. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies. Served with the United States Marine Corps from 1977 to 1981. Recipient of three Service Rating As and one Service Rating B. Resides in Warwick, New York, with his wife, Anne, and their daughters, Rebecca, Brigid and Jennifer, and sons, Terence and Danny.

Things were just beginning to settle down in the busy quarters of Ladder 43 and Engine 53 on Third Avenue in East Harlem. It was 41 minutes past midnight on February 7, 2005. At that moment, the stillness was shattered by the tone of the voice alarm. Ladder 43, under the command of Lieutenant Gregory Prial, was ordered to respond second due to a phone alarm at 123 East 112th Street.

As the Firefighters in their 100-foot rear-mount aerial cleared quarters, all felt they might have a job--a phone alarm at 0045 hours. That feeling was confirmed. As they rolled to a stop, the Officer of the first-due truck, Ladder 26, transmitted a 10-75.

The fire building was a 14-story, 100- by 100-foot class 1 multiple dwelling with fire on the fourth floor. At this time of the night with 84 apartments in the building, the life hazard was considerable.

Lieutenant Prial and his forcible entry team proceeded to the fifth floor and commenced searches of the stairwell, public hall and apartment 5E. Searches were negative, with only a light smoke condition. Finding no fire on the fifth floor, the forcible entry team dropped down to the fire floor and commenced a search of the public hall.

At this moment, Ladder 26 transmitted a 10-45 (victim found). Due to the size of the victim, Ladder 26’s entire forcible entry team was required for her removal. This left the Ladder 43 forcible entry team to take over the remaining search of the fire apartment.

At this time, before a charged line was in position, Lieutenant Prial entered the fire apartment as the woman was being removed. Reports on his handie-talkie indicated a woman at the window in the fire apartment, ready to jump.

Lieutenant Prial crawled under and past the heavy fire in the living room, down the hallway into a bedroom. He came upon Mallary Claudia, trying to climb out the window in a highly agitated state. He closed the bedroom door to buy some time, calmed Ms. Claudia and allowed her a few breaths from his SCBA.

A portable ladder was raised and the victim was taken care of by the Ladder 26 outside vent Firefighter. With this situation handled, Lieutenant Prial now re-entered the heavily charged hallway and continued his search. A charged line was not yet in place.

He then found 11-year-old Jeremy Paniogua in the bathroom, burned and unconscious. After transmitting a 10-45, the Lieutenant removed the youngster back through the fire area, protecting him with his own body before water was on the fire. The child--with severe burns and CO poisoning--was removed to Cornell Burn Center.

Lieutenant Prial entered the apartment without the protection of a charged line, crawled past the fire on two occasions and saved two victims who were in grave danger of losing their lives. His actions were in the highest traditions of the New York City Fire Department. For these reasons, Lieutenant Gregory Prial is presented with the Vincent J. Kane Medal.—GAA

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