Rooms in Staten Island University Hospital Burn Unit Dedicated to Five FDNY Firefighters
A patient room honoring to Capt. Scott LaPiedra is dedicated at Staten Island University Hospital.
Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) gave the families of five fallen FDNY firefighters a special gift on Nov. 15 - they named patient rooms in their Jerome L. Finkelstein, MD, Regional Burn Center in their loved ones' memory.
The honored members included Capt. Scott LaPiedra, Engine 80; Lt. Robert Ryan, Engine 155; Firefighter Faustino Apostol, Engine 55; Firefighter Joseph Maffeo, Ladder 101; and Firefighter Stephen Siller, Squad 1.
"Firefighters are a special group, they're the ones running in to protect us when we're running away from harm," said Anthony C. Ferreri, President and CEO of SIUH. Speaking of the five members who were being remembered, he said, "Through their courage and sacrifice, they will inspire a generation to come."
Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said he "knew all [the firefighters] and I know their families well. I can say there is no better, more fitting tribute for these men."
A representative from each family said a few words at the ceremony.
Lt. Ryan's wife, Kathleen, praised the "amazing care" he received while at SIUH.
Firefighter Richard LaPiedra remembered his brother's "unique charm that made him choose this profession and made me want to follow in his footsteps."
Keith Manfredi, Firefighter Maffeo's brother-in-law, also remembered his brother's unique personality.
"He showed that you didn't have to move a mountain to be a hero, you just need to treat others with compassion and dignity," he said. "He just made the world a better place."
Justin Apostol, the firefighter's son, and Russell Siller, the firefighter's brother, both thanked the FDNY for their support.
"We now have a new family, the Fire Department family," Mr. Siller said on what would have been his brother's 44th birthday. "We'd love to have him back, but we have something great - you guys."
The Siller family thanks their "Fire Department family" during the room dedication ceremony at Staten Island University Hospital.
Captain Scott LaPiedra
Capt. Scott LaPiedra joined the FDNY in 1979. On June 5, 1998, while detailed to Ladder 176, he was critically burned when the floor collapsed while operating at a fire on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. He was cared for at SIUH Burn Center until his death on July 4, 1998.
His family carries on his legacy through the work they continue to do for the SIUH Burn Center.
Lieutenant Robert Ryan
Lt. Robert (Bobby) Ryan joined the FDNY in 1991. On Nov. 23, 2008, Lt. Robert Ryan lost his life while operating at a two-alarm fire on Van Buren Street on Staten Island.
Two years before his death, Lt. Ryan was seriously burned while fighting a fire in Brooklyn, when plastic melted through his protective gear. He saw numerous children at the SIUH Burn Center during his recovery, and said wanted to do something to make their hospital stay a little easier. In 2006 he began a toy drive for these children, which continues to this day.
Firefighter Faustino Apostol
Firefighter Faustino (Faust) Apostol first joined the FDNY in 1974. While working as a firefighter, he also worked a second job at the in the SIUH's security department, serving there for 21 years.
He was killed while working as a chief's aide on Sept. 11, 2001.
Firefighter Joseph Maffeo
Firefighter Joseph Maffeo joined the FDNY in 1995. He was working with Ladder 101 on Sept. 11, 2001, when he went missing in the rubble at the World Trade Center.
His family created the Joseph Maffeo Foundation and has supported the Pediatric Unit and Emergency and Trauma Center at SIUH.
Firefighter Stephen Siller
Firefighter Stephen Siller, Squad 1, joined the FDNY in 1995. He was off-duty on Sept. 11, 2001, but decided to respond on his own. Since his truck was prohibited to enter the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, he ran with his gear through the tunnel to the World Trade Center, where he was killed.
His family created the Stephen Siller Children's Foundation and Tunnel to Towers Run/Walk in his honor, raising money for numerous charities and local burn centers, including the Regional Burn Center at SIUH.