N.Y. Firefighter Visits Site of Blast That Nearly Killed Him

WEST HAVERSTRAW, N.Y. -- On Wednesday Jerry Knapp recited his injuries the way most of us go over a grocery list: "I have a concussion, my left left leg is really sore and bruised up pretty badly, and I have a fracture in my cheek here which causes my face to go numb but I'm not complaining." No he's not.

In fact, the West Haverstraw firefighter doesn't mind showing off the burns and scratches on his head. One of two firefighters blown back from Monday's gas explosion, Knapp was back on the site for the first time since the blast almost killed him. "We were getting ready to force the door," said Knapp who quickly added, "The house blew. I felt this over pressure and it was kind of like a giant hug, like you being tackled, but instead of being thrown down, I was thrown up."

Jerry showed PIX 11 the exact spot where he landed some fifteen yards away. It's there in the middle of the street seconds later where paramedic Laura Gluck found him, "It took him a few minutes to put it all together, but he finally figured it out. He just kept saying how lucky he was to be alive and I was, well yeah, you were."

Knapp did share that he was already looking to cash in on his luck, "I've got a few lottery tickets already and I'll be at church on Sunday. I haven't been there in a while, but I'll be there Sunday."

While law enforcement and the District Attorney's office worked the scene to piece together their investigation, PIX 11 also discovered that Jerry jumped right back into action seconds after the blast, "He went right back to work. He wasn't concerned about his own health at this point. Captain Patterson was down and probably most critical, Jerry being the medic that he was went right into operation mode and started working on Kenny bloody nose and all and the medics actually had to tell him to get out of the way so that they can work on him and also tend to Kenny. So it was very impressive for my firefighters," said West Haverstraw Assistant Fire Chief Bob LaGrow.

Looking out for the safety of others first is nothing new for Jerry. His grandfather, father and son are all firefighters. For Knapp it's pretty simple, once a firefighter always a firefighter. He's also a firefighter that is itching to get back on the job, "As soon as the doc releases me. Today would be good, but that's probably not going to happen."

McClatchy-Tribune News Service