FF Hailed In Jefferson Valley Roof Collapse

[Guest DADAY]

Firefighter hailed as 'guardian angel' in Jefferson Valley roof collapse

By Brian J. Howard

The Journal News

(Original Publication: March 20, 2007)

JEFFERSON VALLEY - Sisters-in-law Helen and Angela Giordano say the off-duty volunteer firefighter who helped evacuate their bowling alley before Saturday's roof collapse was no less than a "guardian angel."

"He was sent in here to be in the building to help us out," Helen Giordano said moments before meeting Jeffrey Chiara of Carmel for the first time yesterday.

Her mother-in-law's maiden name was also Chiara, a further sign, she said, that a higher power was at work. Angela Giordano agreed and told her husband so.

"I said, 'Joe, he's your guardian angel,' " she said.

A New Castle Highway Department employee, Chiara, 38, was at Jefferson Valley Lanes with his wife and two children to celebrate his goddaughter's seventh birthday when the building shuddered and ceiling tiles fell onto the lanes nearby.

He began yelling for everyone to get outside. About 90 people, mostly children, were in the bowling alley. Minutes later, one-third of the dome roof crashed down.

"I was so proud of him," Chiara's wife, Shari, said. "Hours after, you look back and see what could have been."

The same thought crossed the mind of Yorktown Supervisor Linda Cooper, who invited Chiara to tonight's Town Board meeting to officially thank him.

"I think the actions he took helped to avert a tragedy," Cooper said.

A volunteer with the Brewster Fire Department, Chiara and his wife lived in Jefferson Valley for a short time in the 1990s before they moved to Carmel.

Their children, Matthew, 9, and Nicole, 5, were among 27 children at the birthday party, one of three going on simultaneously Saturday.

While roof noises alerted her husband to the imminent collapse, Shari didn't hear a thing until he yelled at her to take the children and get out.

Chiara said he has encountered emergencies while off-duty before - including a car crash in Armonk in which he stayed by the side of a woman whose legs were shattered, until help arrived.

Firefighters receive training that includes instruction in building methods, Chiara said. Newer truss roofs like the one at the bowling alley are growing more common, he said, but they may not be as strong as traditional roofs.

Friday's winter storm left a thick layer of icy snow on the bowling alley roof.

Yorktown Building Inspector William Gregory inspected the building yesterday with an insurance adjuster and a structural engineer whom the owners hired. Gregory said it was too soon to know what caused the collapse.

The owners are determined to make repairs and hope to reopen in time for fall bowling leagues. They will have to submit a reconstruction plan for his review.

Chiara doesn't call himself a hero, but he's glad he was in the right place at the right time to respond. He choked back tears recounting how his sister-in-law nearly canceled the birthday party because of the snow.

"If she had," he said, "I wouldn't have been in there."

Good Job Jeff

[Guest]

This guy should have done what the rest of the Emergency Service community does after an event, let the Chief make a comment.

Edited March 20, 2007 by roofsopen

[Guest DADAY]

Why? It was not his call, not even his department, he was acting as a CITIZEN not a firefighter.

Why can't you just be postive about this and say good job?

Edited March 20, 2007 by DADAY

[Guest]

This guy should have done what the rest of the Emergency Service community does after an event, let the Chief make a comment.

←

This guy was not on an alarm and he wasn't working with his F.D. He made a good move and got people out of a bad situation in the nick of time. He happens to be a firefighter. Good for him!! He makes everyone look a little better in the public eye as well, so lets cheer the guy on.

[DOC22 1]

This guy should have done what the rest of the Emergency Service community does after an event, let the Chief make a comment.

←

roofsopen,

I might agree with you if we were talking about a call in Brewster, but this was not. So Why don't you give the guy the accolades he deserves, and let it go at that!

[efd184 59]

roofsopen,

I might agree with you if we were talking about a call in Brewster, but this was not. So Why don't you give the guy the accolades he deserves, and let it go at that!

←

imagine if every firefighter went on tv and did what he did after making a grap or doing his job as a FIREFIGHTER thats all that would be on the news!

they should interview the guys that saved the deer also!

Edited March 20, 2007 by efd184

[DOC22 1]

imagine if every firefighter went on tv and did what he did after making a grap or doing his job as a FIREFIGHTER thats all that would be on the news!

←

I'd rather hear a bunch of that than any more of reverend al fat ass Bloviating.

[efd184 59]

I'd rather hear a bunch of that than any more of reverend al fat a** Bloviating.

←

DOC22 i agree with you 100%

its a shame what they are doing to those cops

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Here Here Doc.

That was a very decent article in my opinion. Good job brother.

As far as letting his cheif make a comment...ok based on FD operations. The story starts off with the story of the owners of the alley and they specifically mentioned him. Perhaps some don't totally understand the press world, but this is a human interest piece...not a incident based piece. They didn't ask the chief questions about him, or his department they asked the owners and they gave their story and that added him to the story about him being there off duty. How many other stories of brothers fire and police does the person not give some statement about what they did.

And for that matter how do you not know that the chief was contacted first and deferred to his member?

I'm not sure what got you riled roofsopen but I wish you give a little more input. The only thing that I can see and its not clear if he said it, was misquoted or whatever is the comment about the truss roofs. They are strong and designed to carry certain loads. Traditional or truss in the instance all could suffer the same fate. Engineering wise they are impeccable. It is under fire conditions that they suck the worst.

Edited March 20, 2007 by alsfirefighter

[X2321 133]

Its a shame that a few guys have to take something great and turn it into something negative. What he did was a little more than a grab. EVERYONE in the fire service should be proud of what this guy did. That could have been anyone of our kids at those birthday parties. Imagine if he wasn't there, and the bowling alley manager saw a couple of ceiling tiles fall, and thought nothing of it, and ordered an employee to clean them up and get on with the parties. Might have been a lot of funerals going on today, and kids funerals really suck. As far as talking to the media, it was two days after the fact, and maybe the IC in Mohegan suggested they talk to him.

[TCD0415 26]

Making a Big Deal about Nothing.

I say "Good Job". How about a pat on the back instead of beating him down?

[Guest partyrock]

I have seen countless guys end up infront of the camera at their quarters a day or two after making a big grab. Anytime we can get attention for saving a life its not only a pat on the back for that brother, but for the whole service.

[efd184 59]

point taken partyrock!

me personally i dont do my job to get on tv!

i do it because its my job!

the only people i need to impress is my fellow firefighters so they know i can do my job and my family!

now my feelings may not sit well with everyone else and im sorry for that but its a free country!

[Fex404 0]

If you dont have something positive to say -- then shut it -- outstanding job by the brewester firefighter.

[MFVFD179 0]

Job well done!

[Guest]

As a fellow Brewster Firefighter and knowing Brother Firefighter Chiara he did a great thing and it makes the whole fire service look good, great job!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[LCFD968 10]

GREAT JOB JEFF!!! From your brother in Lake Carmel Edited March 20, 2007 by LCFD968

[RWC130 594]

EXCELLENT JOB!!!!!!!!!

Kudos to Brewster FF Chiara who was on scene and the

Firefighters, EMT's, and Police Officers who responded.

Keep in mind this could have been a really REALLY bad scene

with serious injuries and maybe even death(s).

[RC2389 0]

This man is a hero, and I don't see the reason for the negativity. Did he cause the roof to fall down just so he could play the hero and be on tv? No. Did he, due to his more advanced technical knowledge, recognize there was a problem and evacuate the place? Yes.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

lWho the hell goes bowlling anymore!

[firecapt32 282]

That guy did what every firefighter in country should be trained to do. Act quickly get the citizens to safety. is he doing his job---yes should he be rewarded with interviews in the paper--by all means. Id rather read 100 stories about a firefighter doing the right thing then---then one story about how a firefighter fuked up thats for sure.

It is always good to see positive stories about the fire servce.

congratulations---- he had enough training to know what to do. thats more then i can say for some people in some departments.

[ajsbear 11]

This was about a brother who just happened to be in the right place at the right time and did what he and 10's of thousands of us are trained to do. That's to evacuate the building safely. Did he save lives? Probably. Did he do the right thing? You bet he did and he should get the credit that's his due.

All the negitive articles about the fire service we've seen this is a positive one.

[Guest car2267]

Jeff did a great thing this weekend, he used to be a member with us in Mohegan. The outcome could have been chaotic if he didnt realize what was happening in that building, So he does deserve a pat on the back, just the same as if some one made a rescue during a structure fire.

[capt2102 64]

Heads up job F.F. Chiara. Sounds like you averted a disaster.

[Guest]

Great Job FF Chiara!!! It just seems like we do not get enough positive attention these days. Hey he was there, he reacted and he did the right thing.

[Mofire24 27]

As a firematic officer that was there and knowing jeff when he was a member of Mohegan great job by jeff he got the job done.

[JetPhoto 626]

Great job! All those boring building construction classes definitely paid off for him.

Does anyone know if that guy is a member on here?

This man is a true firefighter, alert and ever ready!

[Guest]

Like someone said in one of the previous post's, he was acting as a civilian. Personally, I wouldnt have said one word to the media, especially when we get in trouble they are the first to blast us in the headlines. We have news people come up to us at many jobs we have, we tell them no comment, they just want to make money off of brothers backs.

[llm60 0]

Good story and a GREAT JOB DONE!!! THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT

[Guest car2267]

If you guys want to check out the pictures and story that we wrote, its on www.moheganfire.com