As a result of this very tragic fire, many fire departments changed their policy involving roof operations on "bow string truss roofs". Whether these bow sting roofs were tied together with cross members of wood or steel, once any one of those pieces failed, the entire roof section would come down. Not only presenting the danger to those members operating on top of it, but also to those operating under it as well.
A sad reality of firefighting is that so many times we have had to learn from tragedies like this. The loss of family members, fathers, sons, brothers, good friends, Brother Firefighters who were there when you needed them most.
Forty years later we remember the sacrifice that these Brave Firefighters and their families gave to us. We will NEVER FORGET THEM. And the lesson "they" taught us has no doubt saved the lives of many other firefighters as well.
Chief JK and the other members of the FDNY here who lost members and friends at this Waldbaum's fire, my personnel condolences to you on a day you will never forget. I remember watching it on the news with my own family members and my mother and wife crying as they watched it. I think every parent or wife who had a son or husband on the job and saw that event felt probably the same way.
May they Rest in Peace.