Mayor
LaGuardia Medal
LT. LEO F. FRACASSI
Ladder Company 38
June
24th, 1984
The
firestorm that swept the borough of the Bronx during the savage seventies did
not miss the district of 38 Truck, and to some it would seem it never ended.
This aerial ladder has the curious distinction of always being in the top 25
companies, both in runs and workers, and has been ever since statistics were
compiled. This is a distinction shared by only two other companies in the entire
Department.
On
the 24th of June at eleven in the morning they were at it again. First to arrive
at Bathgate Avenue, they declared a 10-75. People were streaming out of the 6
story building yelling that the fire was on the third floor in the rear.
Lt. Fracassi ordered the aerial raised to the roof to enable the roofman
to ventilate the interior stairs. Then, accompanied by the forcible entry team,
he raced to the third floor where he was met by a severly burned, hysterical
woman. The woman was holding an 11 month old baby and was screaming that her
other baby was still in the fire apartment.
They
found the apartment door closed and it was extremely hot. As the entry team
popped it the Lieutenant could see fire rolling along the hallway ceiling
towards them. He realized that he had only moments before the fire would blow
out the door. He dropped to his knees and without taking time to don his
face-piece, crawled into the apartment under the fire. The heat in the hallway
grew even more intense as he neared the kitchen, the seat of the fire. The fire
rolling over his head and behind him burned his ears, neck, and face but he
persevered.
Deep
into the hallway, at the entrance to the kitchen, he found the child, Hector
Rios. Clutching him to his body to Protect him from the searing heat he rapidly
retreated to the safety of the public hallway. Just as he left the doorway the
fire blew out into the public hallway forcing them to retreat to the floor
below.
Lieutenant
Fracassi quickly initiated rescue breathing and continued until relieved by
personnel who evacuated Hector to a waiting ambulance. He then returned to
supervise his unit for the duration of the fire. The Seventh Division Chief,
upon learning of his deed and injuries, ordered the Lieutenant to Columbia
Presbyterian Hospital.
All
of Lt. Fracassi's activities were performed in the face of the fire, without
benefit of a hoseline or mask and with complete disregard for his own safety.
His performance and his entire career, serve as a shining example of those
qualities" that create the finest traditions of this Department.
Today
it is with great pleasure that we proudly present the Mayor Fiorello H.
LaGuardia Medal to Lieutenant Leo F. Fracassi.
Lt Fracassi:
Appointed
to the Fire Service on January 1, 1947.
Served
in the US Army
3rd Army (General Patton) 11th Armored
Division European Theatre of Operations June 1943-January
1946.
Has
been awarded the Purple Heart, European Campaign Medal with 3 Battle Stars for
the Battle of Central Europe, Ardennes and Rhineland. W. W. II Victory Medal,
American Service Medal, German Occupation Medal, Good Conduct Medal.
Member
of the Holy Name Society, Columbia Association and the Company Officers
Association.
Previously
awarded Merit Ratings Class Il and Class III, Service Rating A & B, 4 Unit
Citations, Thomas E. Crimmins, Daily News Fireman of the Month Award June 1984,
and the New York Telephone Public Service Award in March 1985.
Son,
John is a firefighter with Engine 43.
He
resides in the Belmont section of the Bronx, N. Y, three blocks from Ladder 38,
with his wife Pauline and is the proud father of Paul, John and Laura.