FRANK W. KRIDEL MEDAL

Fireman 1st Grade

 ALBERT M. MISKIEWICZ

Ladder Company 38

     Fire at 2149 Southern Blvd., Bronx. Box 3129,

0336 hours, February 18, 1973. Five story. 50' x 85',

          N.F.P., Multiple Dwelling.

            A Pompier Ladder" is a piece of equipment that every, young fireman at sometime or other reads about. The Americanized version,called a "Scaling, Ladder," is something else again.  Every young fireman entering this department is made thoroughly familiar with its construction and uses at a very early stage of his probationary training. Generally, other than periodic drills, that is his last close association with this fundamental, but very necessary tool. 

At about 3:30 A.M. on February 18, 1973, Fireman Miskiewicz had reason to become very familiar with the scaling ladder. He and fellow members of Ladder Company 38 arrived at a fire which bad possession of the only occupied apartment in the building on the fourth floor. This fire had effectively trapped Raymond Ross, aged '40 years, in a rear bedroom of this apartment with no way out except a jump to almost certain death in the court. yard four floors below. Mr. Ross was driven out the window by the excessive smoke and heat in the building and, when Miskiewicz arrived, was standing on the outside of the window sill, holding on to a bedspread which had been lowered from the roof by neighbors, frantically screaming for help. 

Quickly sizing up the situation, Miskiewicz, along with Fireman James Behrman, grabbed a scaling ladder and made his way to the side courtyard, via a very narrow hall and stairway, where he started his perilous climb up the side wall of the building. Meanwhile a nylon life line had been lowered from the roof to the exhausted, panicky victim to replace the bedspread. 

Miskiewicz' daring climb was extremely hazardous because of falling fire debris and the possibility that Mr. Ross might lose his hold and fall on Miskiewicz, carrying both to almost certain death in the courtyard below. Added to this was the fact that Fireman Miskiewicz strength was fast ebbing because of the difficulty in piercing the plexiglass windows in his ascent. Reaching the victim and finding it impossible to descend because of the exhaustion of both men, Miskiewicz clung to the victim and the ladder and awaited complete extinguishment of the fire for removal to safety. 

Mr. Ross owes his life to the strength, courage and endurance of Fireman Miskiewicz.

FRANK W. KRIDEL MEDAL 

To' be awarded annually by the New York State Hotel & Motel Association, Inc. to a member of the Fire Department of the City of New York in recognition of an act of valor above and beyond the call of duty. In addition to the medal an award of $200.00 in cash will be made by said Association to the recipient.