All,

Inwood (Nassau County, LI, NY) Firefighter Joseph Sanford Jr., 43 remains in critical condition at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset after being found in the basement of that mutual aid dwelling fire in Woodmere this morning. He was discovered "by chance" in that basement after the first-floor collapse. The Inwood Chief of Department Rivelli stated that "I didn't know he was missing until I heard the Maydays going out," FF Sanford remains at North Shore University Hospital, breathing with the help of a ventilator - in stable but critical condition.

Sanford is a 17-year department veteran and a former Inwood Assistant Fire Chief. He is a husband and a father who works full time for the Nassau County Public Works Department

More than a dozen departments responded to the dwelling fire on Central Avenue after neighbors reported the fire shortly before 0400 hours.The house had been recently renovated and the owners were at their Manhattan apartment at the time of the fire. The fire had reportedly started in the basement and spread quickly.

Firefighters entered the home on arrival and discovered that a section of the first floor had collapsed. At that point, the firefighters were ordered to evacuate, Firefighters later entered the basement - and while stretching a hose line in the rear, found the downed Firefighter as they went down the basement steps. Members worked aggressively to remove Sanford while administering life saving techniques simultaneously. Please keep him, his family and the Inwood and area Firefighters in your prayers.

====REMEMBERING:
More incidents around this time of year in the NY Metro area for us to remember....

TWO COMMERCIAL PLANES COLLIDE OVER NYC:

The day was Dec. 16, 1960, and two airplanes had collided in midair over Staten Island. One, a United Airlines DC-8 from Chicago heading to Idlewild (now Kennedy) International Airport, smashed into buildings in Sterling Place, just west of Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn ... many thought a bombing occurred......

WATCH THE VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjYyBCuysG0

READ THE NEWS ACCOUNTS:

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/54-years-planes-collide-midair-city-article-1.2047397

3 FIREFIGHTERS KILLED-WIND DRIVEN CONDITIONS IDENTIFIED:

THIS WEEK Today is the anniversary of the tragic Line of Duty Deaths for Canarsie (Brooklyn) Firefighters from FDNY Ladder 170: Joe Cavalieri, Chris Bopp and Jimmy Bohan. Early Friday morning December 18, 1998, FDNY along the entire fire service experienced another tragic multi-loss LODD 7 days before Christmas. At 0454 hours Brooklyn C.O. send 1st alarm companies for a top floor fire of a 10 story 50 x 200 fireproof building used as a senior citizen's residence. Engine 257 and Ladder 170 were 1st due and arrived within 4 minutes with fire showing out 2 windows. Second and 3rd alarms were quickly transmitted. As per SOP, 1st due Ladder 170 were assigned to search the fire floor for victims. Lieutenant Joseph Cavalieri with FF's Christopher Bopp and James Bohan went up 10 flights of stairs with cans and tools to search for and rescue the resident of apartment 10-D, who was believed trapped...but she got out prior, unknown to FF's.

On her way out, the lady left her apartment door open. The additional air from the hallway fed the fire and blew it out the windows. The halls were equipped with sprinklers but they were deactivated. As the Lieutenant and FF's got to the door, the winds changed and blew estimated 30 mph winds back into the apartment creating a 2,000 degree fireball now blowing into the hallway. 

The 3 FF's were able to transmit a MAYDAY ...but that was it. The extreme heat trapped them, horrifically asphyxiated them and burned their masks off. Also injured in the fire were 6 other FF's and 4 residents. Despite efforts to save their lives they succumbed to the injuries. Today, December 19, 2014, we remember FDNY's Lieutenant Joseph Cavalieri, FF Christopher Bopp and FF James Bohan.
READ THE FIRE REPORT:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/reports/face9901.html

MORE FROM CHIEF MONTAGNA:

http://www.chiefmontagna.com/memorial/memorial.htm

Take Care. Be Careful. Pass It On.

BillyG

The Secret List 12/19/2014-2100 Hours