8 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 24, 2022 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
FDNY honors fallen
fi refi ghter at his Far
Rockaway fi rehouse
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e mournful skirl of bagpipes fi lled
the air in Far Rockaway Friday morning,
Feb. 18, as family and friends of fi refi ghter
Jesse Gerhard joined members of the
FDNY and NYPD for a solemn bunting
ceremony to honor the fallen.
Th e 33-year-old collapsed Wednesday
night, Feb. 16, while on duty inside his
Ladder 134 fi rehouse on Central Avenue,
during a “medical episode” that was likely
heart failure, according to authorities.
His fellow fi refi ghters rushed to perform
emergency medical care and he was
brought to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital,
where he died.
Th e seven-year FDNY veteran had
responded to a multistory residential
building two-alarm fi re on Beach
Channel Drive on Feb. 15, offi cials said,
and was assigned as an “irons” man in
charge of forcing entry into a building
when doors are locked to rescue victims.
Firefighter Carl Kretkowski
remembered his
friend and partner
at Ladder 134 as
he spoke to those
assembled outside
the fi rehouse
Friday.
“He loved being a
fi reman. He lived
and breathed
being a
fi reman,” Kretkowski said. “He was a
loyal, loyal, loyal guy. He’s going to be
missed and a legend in our minds. Our
fi rehouse will miss him terribly.”
Gerhard will continue to save lives, even
aft er his death. LiveOnNY, the federally
designated organ procurement organization
in the New York metro area, worked
with Gerhard’s family and the FDNY on a
tissue donation to the community.
“We can now confi rm that this generous
gift could change the lives of as
many as 50 to 75 people, including those
in need of the gift of sight as well as
burn victims, dialysis patients and
patients with musculoskeletal conditions,”
LiveOnNY President and
CEO Leonard Achan,
RN, said. “Firefi ghter
Jesse Gerhard joins
the growing list of
thousands of New
York organ and tissue
donor
heroes who
will live on
t h r o u g h
their generosity
to help others
live on.”
Flags were
fl own across
the city and
G e r h a r d
w a s
r e m e m -
bered with
a moment
of silence before the Rangers game at
Madison Square Garden last week.
“Gerhard’s sacrifi ce embodies the true
meaning of the word ‘hero’ and this city
will be eternally grateful,” Uniformed
Firefi ghters Association President Andrew
Ansbro said in a statement. “Th e entire
fi refi ghter and fi rst responder community
grieve as one with the Gerhard family
and will stand with them as they cope
with this tragedy. Our deepest sympathies
to his brothers and sisters in Ladder Co.
134 who are heartbroken at the loss of one
of their own.”
Gerhard is survived by his parents, his
brother and his sister-in-law.
“Gerhard lost his life aft er battling a
two-alarm fi re, saving the lives of four
people in the process,” state Senator
Joseph Addabbo said. “His spirit will live
on with his family and the men and
women of the FDNY, especially those at
Ladder Company 134 where fi refi ghter
Gerhard bravely served the Far Rockaway
community for the last two years.”
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Gerhard lived in Long Beach and was a
volunteer with the Islip Fire Department.
“As a member of the FDNY, and formerly
an EMT, this young man dedicated
his life to saving others,” state Senator
James Sanders said. “He has earned the
respect of the community and this is a
tremendous loss for our entire city. Our
thoughts and prayers are with his family
and friends and all of the members of the
FDNY who are grieving.”
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell.
Photos by Lloyd Mitchell
The FDNY gathered outside the Ladder 134
fi rehouse in Far Rockaway Friday, Feb. 18, in
tribute to fallen fi refi ghter
Jesse Gerhard.
FDNY members hang the ceremonial
bunting outside the Ladder 134 fi rehouse in Far
Rockaway in tribute to fallen fi refi ghter Jesse
Gerhard.
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