Firefighter Heroes
Featured stories about firefighters who go above and beyond the call of duty.
The Medal Day ceremony marks the FDNY’s largest public event since the onset of the pandemic, with more than 1,000 people expected to attend
Hundreds of people gathered to cheer for New Haven fire Lt. Samod “Nuke” Rankins, who was released the day after his 29th birthday
Fallen Worcester Lt. Jason Menard was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
Brinley Jungnitsch began her second round of chemotherapy Nov. 2, and to support her journey she launched a “bald head challenge”
Patrick and Amanda Stewart, married four months ago, worked together to save a man dropped off at the fire station after a heroin overdose
One year after his accident, a friend noticed his feet moving in his sleep; after years of therapy he started walking again
They were going to a meeting they thought was scheduled for Thursday but was the day before; they said they were going to the wrong place at the right time
Sarah Ray became a social media sensation when a photo of her helping at a crash scene in her wedding dress went viral
Barry Rezac developed pulmonary fibrosis, an illness that doctors said he developed while on the job; he’s known for acting as a human shield to save a family from being attacked by Rottweilers
When firefighters showed up to help the disabled man’s friend who suffered a seizure, they wanted to help do a job he couldn’t do himself
The volunteer firefighter, who also works at an electric company, called to get the power shut off to get the patient removed from a car that struck an electric pole
After treating the 12-year-old for bumps and bruises, they decided to rally around him and boost his confidence
Sarah Ray was on her way to her wedding reception when she received a call stating her grandparents and father got into a crash
Firefighter Don Bardsley was driving his daughter to school when he saw the submerged vehicle in a pond with its driver trapped
Firefighters shielded the 9-month-old from the flames in the three-story building; he has been listed in serious but stable condition
Brody Channel was honoring his father who died in the line of duty last year; he pulled to the side of the road to help an officer perform CPR on an unresponsive 9-month-old girl
The chief, who was in the area at the time, saw the vehicle and provided care and comfort to the trapped man while they waited for firefighters to respond
The firefighter, with the help of two off-duty nurses, stabilized the man; responding crews extricated the man from the car
Firefighter Michael Agostinelli went to the two-story house, alerted the family to get everyone out and called 911
The woman called looking for help building the bike; while they were helping they checked her smoke alarms, replaced a dead battery and took out the trash
Firefighters rescued her from a house fire on Feb. 11; her lungs were badly damaged and she was in a coma for 10 days
Without any gear, the off-duty firefighter charged into a burning garage and pulled the victim to safety
Fire officials said the fire originated from a plastic cigarette disposal container
The firefighters quickly assessed the woman’s wound and provided treatment; she was rushed to a local hospital and received several doses of anti-venom.
He said the bright side of the viral news is it shows the public the compassion of first responders as they do their jobs even in serious situations
Kevin Dowell wrote a $2,400 check to spend on equipment and training; he also gave firefighters an antique plate to display at the firehouse
A woman and her two sons watched firefighters work for 30 minutes to revive the dog following the fire
Chief: “It’s a good feeling, especially with everything that’s gone on lately with the police department and the negativity. We love our brothers in blue.”
Crews promised the 4-year-old pizza and a ride on their fire truck if he would step in the rescue loop to pull him out of the hole
The rescue was so unbelievable that some guests thought the family of first responders had planned it
Firefighters are raising money to buy a $50,000 truck to help Cameron Crouch, who lost both of his legs from injuries sustained during his tour
Their rig broke down en route to a medical call; while waiting for a tow truck, they got a call for a cardiac arrest and ran a quarter of a mile to save a man’s life
Responding firefighters said as they worked to free the four-year-old boy, they were thinking of their own children; both were unharmed