FDNY Crews Deploy Ropes for Two Rescues at Two Fires

March 6, 2017
A firefighter used a rope to exit a second-story window and other crews rescued a trapped man with a roof-rope.

FDNY fire officials said ropes played an integral part in saving at least two lives over the weekend.

As a massive seven-alarm blaze that ripped through a block of buildings in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens Saturday night, a firefighter from Ladder 143 used his personal safety system (P.S.S.) to escape from the second floor as fire conditions changed.

"I was searching the rear bedroom when the fire flashed over me. I had about 10 seconds to put it on and get out the window," FDNY Firefighter Charles Flohr said.

"I've been a firefighter for 13 years and this is the first time I've deployed the P.S.S., but all of the training that we do kicked in," Flohr said. "I knew exactly what to do and I felt confident."

Hours later in Brooklyn, firefighters used their rope gear to rescue a man trapped by fire.

Firefighters were call to a structure fire on Rockaway Avenue in the Bushwick neighborhood at 7:30 a.m. 

Inside the building was Ubeaka McKinney, who was searching for his grandmother inside the building when fire forced him to the top floor of the three-story structure. With his escape path cut off, McKinney went out a window in the rear.

Firefighters from Ladders 120 and 176 were on the roof and set up their roof-rope equipment to get McKinney to safety.

Fire officials said the crews used Ladder 176's aerial ladder as an anchor point while Ladder 176 firefighter Andrew Scharf went over the edge of the roof.

"I had to reassure him just to hold on to me and he'd be down quick," Scharf said of the rescue. "He was very thankful and very happy."

Todd Brenner, Ladder 120, used the rope to lower Scharf to McKinney, and then guided them down to safety.

"Those guys, they got me out of the building," McKinney said. "I was hanging out of the window and they came down from the roof on a rope."

“Firefighter Scharf, on the roof, was advised that a panicked civilian was at the top floor window surrounded by heavy smoke," FDNY Deputy Chief Ajello said. "The members repositioned the aerial ladder to be used as a substantial object, and proceeded to rescue the civilian by a performing a roof rope rescue.” 

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