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FDNY Tragedy: Heavy Gear Adds To Dangerous Job

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Jun 22, 2007 7:24 pm US/Eastern

FDNY Tragedy: Heavy Gear Adds To Dangerous Job

Yonkers Firefighter Shows CBS 2 HD How Much He Carries

By Dave Carlin, CBS 2 News
YONKERS (CBS) ― It was an emotional Friday for New York's bravest.

Daniel Pujdak slipped from a ladder and fell four stories while fighting a fire in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn on Thursday. Pujdak is the first firefighter killed in the line of duty since last August. His funeral will be Tuesday.

All that's left now is bunting and the heartache. And now healing that's being done in the course of an intensely busy and dangerous workday.

At fire scenes across the region Friday, ladders were extended and firefighters overextended themselves doing one of the most demanding and dangerous jobs on the planet. So much work to bear, along with the loss of firefighting brother Pujdak.

"How unfortunate that we sustained a loss yesterday of one of our own, but yet we continue to do what we do best," said FDNY Battalion Chief Keith Cartica.

Firefighters keep up the fight whether they are with FDNY or another department. Mike Hanney is with Yonkers Rescue One.

"I have the family I live with and I love and the fire department that I live with and I love," Hanney said.

Injured in the mid 1990s when a floor fell in, he knows how easy it is to lose your footing, especially on ladders. He illustrated for us one of the biggest challenges -- all the heavy gear.

Stepping on the scale in street clothes, his weight is 192 pounds.

Now he puts on boots, bunker pants, jacket and helmet.

But there is more, more. Now it's time to add the air pack the breathing apparatus.

"As far carrying equipment, it is not the heaviest," Hanney said.

Now he adds the Haligan multi-purpose tool, an ax and the K-12 cutting tool to open up roofs.

"Heavy ... a lot more heavier than when I just had the bottle on," Hanney said.

So all geared up, Hanney weighs 287, putting an extra 95 pounds on him. When he climbs ladders he knows the slightest wrong move can be fatal, and leading to a tragedy like the one that killed firefighter Pujdak.

"I can say none of us have ever felt not wobbly on a ladder and of course I feel for him," Hanney said. "He's a brother. He's doing his job. He's doing what he got paid for and unfortunately it cost him his life."

Our interview was interrupted by a fire call and off Hanney went, but before he did he said this about his tough job and his two families.

"We understand the consequences," he said. "We don't wish for them but we understand it may happen and if it does happen we hope our families are taken care of."

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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