FDNY Medal Day 2016

23rd Street Fire Memorial Medal
Captain John T. Zollner
Ladder Company 55
August 18, 2015, 1758 hours, Box 75-2346, Bronx
Appointed to the FDNY on February 8, 1998. Previously assigned to Engine 80, Ladder 23 and Engine 91. Brothers-in-law,
Lieutenant Brian Moloney, is assigned to Engine 317; Lieutenant Patrick Moloney, is assigned to
Engine 233; and FF Andrew Moloney, is assigned to Ladder 45. Member of the Holy Name Society, Steuben Association
and Company Officers Association and is a former member of the FDNY Soccer Club. Holds a BS degree
in Finance from St. John’s University. Resides in Bayside, Queens, with his wife, Siobhan, and their children, Jake
and Katie.
On August 18, 2015, Ladder 55 was returning to quarters
when they were assigned to respond first-due to Bronx
Box 2346, a phone alarm for a heavy smoke condition
on the third floor of an eight-story, 360- by 110-foot, Class 2,
multiple dwelling. Already on the road and in proximity to the
address, Ladder 55 was the first unit to arrive.
Captain John T. Zollner and his inside team—Probationary
FFs Shane V. Franky, with the forcible entry tools, and Timothy
M. Caffrey, with the extinguisher, entered the building and made
their way to the third floor via the “B” stairwell. While the inside
team was making their way up the stairs, FF Robert L. Fay,
Ladder 55’s chauffeur, made his way to the rear courtyard and
reported smoke emanating from a third-floor window on the east
wing of the building.
Once at the third floor, Captain Zollner and his team encountered
a fire door in the closed position in the hallway. Peering
through the blackened window in the door, Captain Zollner
could see that the hallway on the other side of the fire door was
charged with smoke. Opening the door slightly confirmed his
suspicions and Captain Zollner transmitted a 10-75 signal via
handie-talkie to Battalion
Chief John T. Ricketts, Battalion
26.
Instructing his inside
team to don their facepieces,
Captain Zollner opened
the fire door and used his
thermal imaging camera
to ascertain the location of
the fire apartment. Noticing
that smoke and heat were
escaping from the second
door on the right, Captain
Zollner radioed his findings
to Chief Ricketts and established
stairwell “B” as the
attack stairwell.
Leaving FF Franky to
maintain control of the fire
door, Captain Zollner and
FF Caffrey plunged into
Fire Department, City of New York • Medal Day 2016
23
the inky, black smoke to try to contain the fire and search for
victims. With fire showing at the ceiling, they entered the fire
apartment and closed the door behind them. The fire was just to
the left of the apartment door and had consumed the entire kitchen.
Captain Zollner directed FF Caffrey to use his extinguisher
to keep the fire in the room, while he went past the fire without
the protection of a hose-line, in search of life.
Following the wall on his right side, Captain Zollner located
a bedroom. Searching the bedroom, he encountered a wheelchair,
but the search of this room proved to be negative. Captain
Zollner re-entered the hallway and heard a distinct moan. On his
hands and knees, Captain Zollner followed the moaning into the
living room and located the semi-conscious body of an elderly
woman. After transmitting a 10-45 signal and stating his location
to Chief Ricketts, Captain Zollner proceeded to remove the
victim via the apartment hallway.
Captain Zollner requested help from FF Caffrey, who had
been containing the fire there in the kitchen. The two members
dragged the woman to the public hallway, using their bodies to
shield her from the searing heat of the kitchen. She then was
handed off to Ladder 19
members, who carried the
woman from the smoky
public hallway downstairs
to the street. Captain Zollner
and FF Caffrey then returned
to the fire apartment
to continue primary search
and containment of the fire
until the fire was extinguished.
It should be noted that
this entire rescue took place
quickly and before the initial
hose-line had been
placed into operation. Because
of his selfless actions,
Captain John T. Zollner
Captain John T. Zollner, second from left, with the members of Ladder 55 and Engine 71
at the scene of the fire, Box 75-2346, on August 18, 2015.
is honored today with the
23rd Street Fire Memorial
Medal.—TM