Adam Burlison, an FDNY firefighter assigned to Ladder 26, wasn’t even supposed to be working in midtown Manhattan when a fire broke out in an apartment half way up a 41-story residential high-rise.
But, one might say he was in the right place at the right time. He helped save an unconscious man from certain death in a smoke and heat filled stairwell on the 30th floor.
Burlison, a 10-year veteran with FDNY and a chauffeur for Ladder 26 stationed in Harlem, is the second place winner in Firehouse Magazine’s annual Heroism Awards program. He was also honored recently for his actions at FDNY’s Medal Day.
It was Jan. 5, 2014 and Burlison was finishing up a call on 51st Street when the alarm was struck for an apartment fire with smoke from the building at 500 West 43rd Street in Manhattan.
“It was like three miles away from us and in city traffic that’s a far run,” Burlison said, noting they still got there in far less than 10 minutes.
Upon arrival, fire was issuing from one window of The Strand, a high-end, 41-story building with 311 condominium and apartments.
“When we got there, I knew there was nothing I was going to be able to do with the truck, so I parked it out of the way and went inside,” Burlison said, noting that his assignment was to make it to the bulkhead at the roof. He took the elevator to the 18th floor, two below the fire floor and started climbing the attack stairwell.
As he went inside, the fire had advanced and two additional windows failed.
As he climbed the smoke filled stairs, he encountered people heading down to get out of the building, something he wishes they hadn’t done seeing the building was fireproof with balconies on every unit.
“The best thing people should do in that case is to shelter in place,” Burlison said. “Put a wet towel under the door and head out for the balcony if you need to and wait for the fire department.”
He didn't expect the stairwell above the fire floor to be charged with smoke and heat. Unfortunately, the occupant of the apartment where the fire started left the door to the hallway open and the smoke filled the hallway and traveled up the stairs. Burlison said conduit and wiring for Internet and other amenities prevented the stairwell doors from sealing completely which didn't help either.
By the time he made it to the 30th floor, Burlison said he encountered a victim face down at the bottom of the stair landing covered in blood. The man was unresponsive and Burlison suspects he may have been overcome with smoke and fallen down the stairs hitting his head.
“I gave the transmission that I found a victim and needed some help,” Burlison said, adding that he pounded on the first door to the right of the hallway and told the occupant to go to the balcony.
Burlison dragged the victim into the apartment, seeking refuge from the smoke and heat in the hallway, and began CPR. Within two minutes, other personnel and medical units arrived to help and Burlison continued up the stairs to complete his mission to make it to the roof bulkhead.
He didn’t get far before he encountered a second victim on the 31st floor. It happened to be the husband of the man he found on the 30th floor. Apparently, they saw the smoke and figured they had to get out -- they made it from the 40th floor when they were overcome with smoke.
“He was sitting there on the landing, not responding,” Burlison said, adding that it was apparent to him the man was deceased, but he still had to try to revive him. After calling in the second victim, Burlison dragged him into another apartment. Again, another company came and gave care to the second victim.
By the time Burlison made it to the 36th floor, his air was getting low and the vibrating alarm on his SCBA was sounding. He knew he had to make it back down to where his colleagues were working on the victims for fresh air before he was completely out. There was no way to survive in the heat and smoke charged stairwell without SCBA.
Burlison said when he finally got out of the building, he was sent to one of FDNY’s Major Emergency Response Vehicles (MERV) to get checked out. He was given oxygen, has his CO level checked and ended up being transported to the hospital where he spent a few hours until the CO level in his blood stream dropped to acceptable levels.
One of the victims Burlison helped survived and one perished. The survivor spent months in the hospital and he doesn’t know much more than he survived because of health privacy laws. He’s hasn’t met the man, and doesn’t think it will happen at this point. But, it doesn’t matter, it was his first save and it felt good.
“I’ve been in fires before and we’ve pulled (deceased) guys out, but this was different,” Burlison said. “It was a good day. …I was completely shot afterward. I was on air for at least a half an hour and took in some smoke. It took me a day to get back to normal.”
Later, Burlison learned the fire was caused by an overheated extension cord connected to a heater and a live Christmas tree that was still up on January 5. The occupant had left earlier in the day and came back to find his home completely on fire. Leaving the door open was a costly mistake, but Burlison understands the homeowner’s reaction.
Knowing he gave the victim a second chance is enough reward for Burlison, but he acknowledges it was a great feeling to be honored not only by his department with a medal, but by Firehouse too.
“It’s a good feeling,” Burlison said. “It’s a good accomplishment for me, my family and my firehouse. …I do it because I love it. The recognition is a bonus and a plus, but it’s great to be doing something, every day, you love.”
Ed Ballam
Ed Ballam served as associate editor for Firehouse. He is the assistant chief of the Haverhill Corner, N.H. Fire Department, and a National Registered EMT. He is also a Deputy Forest Fire Warden for the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands. Professionally, he's been a journalist for over 35 years working for a variety of publications, including employment as managing editor of a national fire service trade journal for more than a decade.
