Location

Date: 12-31-07
Time: 0500hrs
Location: 540   Willoughby  Ave.   x   Marcy  Ave

Personal Safety System Used for First Time, Saves Firefighter's Life

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For the first time since it was issued, a firefighter used the FDNY’s new Personal Safety System (PSS) to escape a fire on December 31.

The PSS is a hook, 50-foot rope and descender device that is used by firefighters as a last resort to escape a fire.

“This is a great success story,” said Battalion Chief Stephen Raynis of the FDNY’s Safety Command.

Firefighters responded to a fire in a wood-frame building on 540 Willoughby Avenue at 3:41 a.m.

As firefighters began operations, Firefighter Raymond Pollard of Ladder 102 was venting the fire on the fourth floor by breaking the three windows facing the street with the aerial ladder.

He then climbed the ladder to the window above the stoop on the fourth floor to begin his search for occupants.

After searching the room and entering the hallway, the fire quickly spread up the stairway. It blew over his head and out the window from which he entered the building, blocking his means of egress.

Firefighter Pollard, a 24-year veteran of the Department, then entered the adjacent room and was chased to the window by the fast moving fire.

As he straddled the windowsill, he said that fire was blowing over his head out the window. Since he had no other means of escape, he hooked his PSS to the window frame and escaped outside, where he dangled two feet below the ledge.

Firefighters manning the aerial and bucket ladders saw him and immediately moved their apparatus to meet him and lower him to safety.

“Fire was blowing out all three windows as he escaped,” said Chief Raynis. “He’s home now because of teamwork.”

The fire, which began in the basement, escalated to a third-alarm at 5:11 a.m. and the roof collapsed into the fourth floor at around 5:50 a.m. The fire was deemed under control at 6:31 a.m.

Firefighter Pollard suffered second-degree burns to his left hand and three other firefighters suffered minor injuries in the blaze.

Fire marshals are investigating the cause of the fire, which they believe to be suspicious.