By Bill Carey
EMS1 Staff
NEW YORK — Mayor Eric Adams and Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh presided over the annual FDNY Medal Day Ceremony on Wednesday. Medals were presented to firefighters, paramedics, EMTs, fire marshals and fire/EMS officers for their life-saving work in 2022.
Notable in the ceremony was the recognition of the FDNY EMS Station 26 personnel in the Bronx during a house fire on December 16, 2022.
The members of Station 26 attempted to rescue and then treat a mother and child trapped in the burning structure. The account of their actions highlighted their teamwork, bravery and dedication.
They received the Yadira Arroyo Medal for extraordinary bravery. The medal is named after the sister of one of this year’s recipients, EMT Joel Rosado. EMT Yadira Arroyo was killed in 2017 when a man stole her ambulance, running down Arroyo and her partner.
“EMT Jazmin Bourdier, EMT Brandon Camacho, EMT Jose Lemus, EMT Christopher Love, EMT Vincent Rebelledo, EMT Joel Rosado, Paramedic Mark Gioffre and Paramedic Johnathan Silvera—noticed a strong smell of smoke in the station. A man who lived around the corner entered the station screaming that his house was on fire with his wife and child still inside. EMT Gioffre grabbed a fire extinguisher, and most of the group raced around the corner to Tinton Avenue. EMT Love drove the ambulance nearer to the fire building.”
“While members set up a ladder to the second-story window in the rear, EMT Love and EMT Lemus made entry to the first floor through a rear window. As they searched for victims, they could still hear the baby crying and were met with small pockets of fire and a moderate smoke condition. As they made their way toward the front of the building, it became apparent that they could not navigate farther without proper equipment.”
When fire companies arrived the EMS crew informed them of their location. Both mother and child were removed from the building. The mother was found unconscious and Paramedic Gioffre and Paramedic Silvera immediately began life-saving efforts.