FDNY Medal Day 2016

Uniformed Fire Officers
Association Medal
Lieutenant John D. McGinty
Ladder Company 13
April 8, 2015, 0445 hours, Box 22-1078, Manhattan
Appointed to the FDNY on August 8, 1999. Previously assigned to Engine 95 and Ladder 36 and Engine 9 (on
rotation). Brothers, FF Mark P. McGinty, is assigned to Squad 252 and FF Robert McGinty, is assigned to Ladder
33. Member of the Emerald and Holy Name Societies. Resides in Mahopac, New York, with his wife, Trudy, and
their sons, Connor and Brian.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA),
more than half of all civilian fire deaths in the United States occur
between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Additionally, bedroom
fires account for one-quarter of home fire deaths annually. When
Tower Ladder 13 in Manhattan’s Yorkville section responded to a
call for fire at 0445 hours on April 8, 2015, it would bring to bear
each of the above statistics. The early-morning alarm reported
a fire in an apartment on the second floor of a six-story, nonfireproof,
multiple dwelling, with stores occupying the first floor,
between First and Second Avenues.
The Manhattan Dispatcher updated the 10 th Battalion units
that they were receiving multiple calls for fire and people
evacuating onto the fire escapes. Engine 44 arrived first-due and
the Officer reported a 10-75 via his handie-talkie. Lieutenant
John McGinty and the members of Tower Ladder 13 arrived
just after the engine. Lieutenant McGinty and Ladder 13’s
inside team—consisting of FFs Harry Callahan with the irons
and Matthew Murtagh with the can (detailed from Engine 53)—
entered the building where they were met by an elderly male. He
told them that a woman was trapped in the fire apartment on the
second floor. Lieutenant McGinty led his team up to the second
floor where they encountered
a rapidly increasing, heavy
smoke condition.
After donning their selfcontained
breathing apparatus
(SCBA), Lieutenant McGinty
and the inside team entered
the apartment through the
door that had been left ajar
by the fleeing male occupant.
Simultaneously, FF Eugene
Squires, Ladder 13’s outside
vent Firefighter, called
Lieutenant McGinty and
reported heavy fire blowing
out of two windows in the
rear (exposure #3, toward
the exposure #4 side), with
possible auto-exposure to the
floor above.
Fire Department, City of New York • Medal Day 2016
40
Acting Battalion Chief Liam Donnelly, Battalion 10, ordered
a second hand-line stretched immediately to the floor above
and transmitted a second alarm. While searching the kitchen
area in blinding smoke and high heat from the adjoining,
unenclosed and fully involved bedroom, Lieutenant McGinty
found an unconscious female lying supine on the floor. The
Lieutenant positioned himself above the victim where he was
able to partially lift her limp body and wrap his arms under
her shoulders, while attempting to protect her face and head.
Lieutenant McGinty directed FF Callahan to quickly pull at the
woman’s feet. Together, they pushed, pulled and dragged the
unconscious woman toward the apartment door.
With fire rolling over their heads, the flames now were
exiting the top portion of the apartment door into the public
hallway. Lieutenant McGinty and FF Callahan were met by FF
Murtagh at the door, who took over removal duties. The Officer
of Engine 44 transmitted the 10-45. While the two Firefighters
were removing the victim to the first floor, Lieutenant
McGinty turned his attention back to the fire apartment door
where he operated the water extinguisher in a valiant attempt
to hold the fire back and gain control of the entrance door.
Engine 44’s hose-line was
positioned and charged and
they began darkening down
the visible fire. Once again,
Lieutenant McGinty entered
the apartment behind the hoseline
to direct the team toward
the rear bedroom. After being
joined again by his inside
team, they assisted Lieutenant
McGinty in completing the
primary search and overhauling
the original fire area.
In recognition of his
courageous actions, the FDNY
Board of Merit has chosen
Engine 91 fed Tower Ladder 13 at Manhattan Box 55-1406, March 12, 2014. Tower
ladder streams were used to combat the gas-fed fire burning below the debris pile.
Photo by Katy Clements
Lieutenant John D. McGinty
to receive the Uniformed Fire
Officers Association Medal.—
SM