HUGH BONNER MEDAL

 Captain TIMOTHY J. GALLAGHER

Engine Company 88

711 East 183rd Street

BOX 3304

It was Friday evening and the Memorial Day weekend was only seven minutes old, when Engine Company 88 responded to Bronx Street Box 3304. 

While most of the workers in New York City were on their way home to join loved ones for a festive holiday, these men rolled in at 5:09 P.M. to a scene all too familiar to NY Firefighters. 

Arriving first at 711 East 183rd Street, Captain Timothy Gallagher and the men of his command were met with people stampeding down fire escapes, fleeing the fire raging out of five windows on the third floor of a four story apartment house. As he surveyed the fire, Captain Gallagher announced 88's arrival at the scene by Department radio and called for a full first alarm assignment. Suddenly, a girl's face appeared in a third-floor window, visable only momentarily-then she was gone. 

Ordering a hose line stretched to the fire floor via the interior stairs, 3allagher raced up the fire escape and dove into the heavily charged apartment. The intense smoke forced Gallagher to his knees, as he made a quick search of this room while working his way towards the girl. By now the ire had completely engulfed the living room and rear bedroom and was streaking along the ceiling into the apartment's interior hallway. 

In between the rooms of fire and the room Captain Gallagher had used to gain entry, 18 year old Aracelis Santiago, with the helplessness of a child, was huddled in abject horror, she was unable to bring herself to move ... Aracelis 3antiago was mentally retarded. Crawling out into the interior hallway, Captain Gallagher was grabbed by the intense heat. It greedily sucked breath and strength from him, as he drove himself under the flames and into the next room and Miss Santiago. Entering the room, he found a 200 pound woman, rolling on the floor, semi-coherent and in a state of complete panic. She was well beyond the point of being able to offer him any help whatsoever. 

Years of experience in the skills of firefighting warned Captain Gallagher hat tragedy was only moments away. It was at that moment he heard his men forcing the apartment door. It was like music to his ears. Grabbing hold of Ms. Santiago Gallagher began dragging her out towards the apartment door. They ere more than halfway to safety when the entire apartment burst into flames radiating heat well over 200 degrees down upon them. The ceiling's plaster could no longer withstand the flashover temperatures and collapsed mercilessly showering white hot embers all over them searing flesh where ever they found it. 

In severe pain, with the strength of someone in her condition, Ms. Santiago broke free of Captain Gallagher's grasp and fled deeper into the apartment. In state of veritable collapse, Captain Gallagher refused to give up; once again he turned back towards her direction of flight just as the members of his company burst in and pulled him out into the hallway and safety. Burned, exausted, and on the verge of collapse all Captain Tim could think of was the girl who had fled back into the inferno. Distressed with their Captain's condition (blistering second degree burns to his face, head and both hands later third degree burns would be discovered on his left knee and left ear) the men held him back and went in after Ms. Santiago on their own. In a very short me, it became apparent that they were having trouble finding her. So again, Captain Gallagher entered the fiery apartment, this time leading his men in his quest to save this life from such an unfortunate demise. Despite his injuries Captain Tim successfully located her unconscious form in the kitchen. 

Only scant minutes remained in Arcelis Santiago's life; speed was of the essence. The fire raging throughout the apartment made any efforts at mouth to mouth resuscitation impossible there. Calling for assistance, Gallagher gain began moving her to safety. The going was slow because Ms. Santiago was unconscious, so when Firefighter Joe Brosi came to his aid, Captain Tim as grateful. As Engine 88 moved its hose line in to do battle with the fire, Ms. Aracelis Santiago was revived by a resuscitator in an adjoining apartment. Captain Tim Gallagher was hospitalized for two weeks due to the injuries he suffered making this inspiring rescue. 

Today, the F.D.N.Y. proudly bestows the Hugh Bonner Medal on Captain Timothy J. Gallagher.

Appointed to the New York Fire Service on October 16, 1965.

Served with Engine Companies 

82, 95, Squads 1, 6, and Ladder Company 19. 

Promoted to Lieutenant August, 1963 and worked in Engine Companies 45 and 94,  

to Captain and assigned to Engine Company 88 in June 1974. 

Cited for heroism on ten previous occasions.

 Attended Queens College. 

Served with the U. S. Marine Corps.

Captain Tim organized the 1st F.D. N.Y Ice Hockey team. 

Another proud ED. N. Y family, his father,

Lieutenant Charles J. proudly served with Engine Company 92.

The tradition goes on....

HUGH BONNER MEDAL 

Donated by the Rev. James Johnson, Fire Chaplain attached to Grace Church in 1897, and named in honor of Chief Hugh Bonner, "a stalwart Chief of Department who preferred to rule by example." This medal was first awarded in 1897.

This annual award has been made possible by the establishment of a trust fund in the last will and testament of Mr. Joseph Reich, for "outstanding heroic service," rendered by members of the Department.