Senate Resolution No. 1736
BY: Senator MARTINS
COMMENDING nine members of the Glen Cove Fire
Department upon the occasion of their designation as
recipients of the Firefighter of the Year Award for
their heroic efforts in saving the lives of 12
individuals
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize and
honor those distinguished firefighters and citizens who would devote
themselves to public service, demonstrating great courage and diligence
in providing for the care and welfare of the citizens of their
communities and this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Within every community of the State of New York there are
certain individuals who, by virtue of their commitment and dedication,
command the respect and admiration of their community for their
exemplary contributions and service on behalf of others; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend nine
members of the Glen Cove Fire Department upon the occasion of their
designation as recipients of the Firefighter of the Year Award for their
heroic efforts in directly saving the lives of 12 individuals involved
in a building fire, who will be recognized at the Glen Cove Fire
Department's Annual Installation Dinner on Saturday, April 11, 2026; and
WHEREAS, On Thursday, April 17, 2025, the Glen Cove Fire Department
received a call regarding a fire in a two-story building containing 10
apartments; Captain Philip Grella III, 1st Assistant Chief Justin Valeo,
2nd Assistant Chief Carlos Cardenas, 2nd Lieutenant Christian
Klimaszewski, Firefighter Rodni Leftwich Jr., Firefighter Henry
Maldonado, Firefighter Ian Jackson, Ex-Chief Patrick Peet, and Ex-Chief
Joseph Solomito of the Glen Cove Fire Department all reported to the
scene that day; and
WHEREAS, Philip Grella III and Justin Valeo were the first to arrive
at the scene, and when Justin Valeo arrived he witnessed five occupants,
including a 6 year-old child, hanging out of a second-floor window with
heavy smoke above their heads; simultaneously, police officers reported
three additional individuals trapped at the rear of the building; and
WHEREAS, Upon hearing the reports of individuals trapped inside the
building, the nine firefighters from the Glen Cove Fire Department
immediately understood the severity and complexity of the situation, and
each was determined to respond swiftly; and
WHEREAS, Prior to the arrival of any fire apparatus and filled with
immense courage and bravery, Philip Grella III entered the burning
building with full personal protective equipment and a water can with
Glen Cove Police Officer Frank Vezza behind him; after using his water
can to clear a path into a second-floor apartment, he was able to reach
and evacuate three individuals; and
WHEREAS, Due to the intensity of the fire, Philip Grella III and the
individuals he evacuated had to crawl through the building to avoid
smoke and flames; with merely a water can, Philip Grella III was able to
gain control of the situation and maintain a clear path for the
civilians he was saving; and
WHEREAS, Justin Valeo and Rodni Leftwich Jr. quickly raised a
24-foot extension ladder to a window with trapped civilians while Henry
Maldonado spoke to the trapped family in Spanish, calming them down,
preventing them from jumping, and reassuring them that help was on the
way; and
WHEREAS, When the ladder was prepared, Rodni Leftwich Jr.
immediately climbed through the smoke in full personal protective
equipment to grab the child hanging from the window; Justin Valeo then
climbed the ladder to assist the mother down and was followed by two
additional occupants who were able to escape on the ladder; and
WHEREAS, After these initial rescues, Henry Maldonado and Carlos
Cardenas conducted searches through the heavy smoke on the first floor,
and they successfully located four additional occupants in two separate
apartments who had been asleep and unaware of the immediate danger; one
individual was handicapped and was carried to safety by Carlos Cardenas
and Henry Maldonado; and
WHEREAS, These initial rescues were all done without the protection
of a charged hoseline, and every firefighter involved in the rescue
efforts contributed despite the risk to their own personal safety; and
WHEREAS, Christian Klimaszewski, Philip Grella III, and Rodni
Leftwich Jr. continued to search for trapped civilians inside the
building; Ian Jackson and Patrick Peet worked diligently to stretch the
first attack line while Joseph Solomito secured a positive water source
to use to combat the fire; and
WHEREAS, Ian Jackson ascended through the heavy smoke and heat to
the second floor with the hoseline to begin extinguishing the fire;
Patrick Peet remained at the top of the staircase to feed more hose that
would allow Ian Jackson to attack the fire within the apartment; and
WHEREAS, The efforts of the nine members of the Glen Cove Fire
Department were extremely risky and potentially deadly; despite the
risks, each member bravely put their personal safety aside to prioritize
the rescue of the civilians involved in the fire; and
WHEREAS, As a result of their courage, swift decision-making, and
deep sense of duty, the nine members of the Glen Cove Fire Department
were able to successfully remove three civilians from the second floor
via the interior staircase, five civilians from the second floor via a
ground ladder and window, and four civilians via the hallway on the
first floor; three additional civilians had self-evacuated via a
second-floor balcony; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those
dedicated public servants who unselfishly devote their lives to the
preservation of order and the protection of others are worthy and due
full praise for their commitment and noble endeavors; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend nine members of the Glen Cove Fire Department upon the occasion
of their designation as recipients of the Firefighter of the Year Award
for their heroic efforts in directly saving the lives of 12 individuals
involved in a building fire; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Captain Philip Grella III, 1st Assistant Chief Justin
Valeo, 2nd Assistant Chief Carlos Cardenas, 2nd Lieutenant Christian
Klimaszewski, Firefighter Rodni Leftwich Jr., Firefighter Henry
Maldonado, Firefighter Ian Jackson, Ex-Chief Patrick Peet, and Ex-Chief
Joseph Solomito.
