On January 23, 2005 at 7:55 a.m., I was just about to finish my twenty-four hour shift at Ladder 27 in the Bronx, when the run came in. It was a run that would change my life; it was a run that would change the lives of 6 FDNY members and their families. Two of those members were killed and four of us seriously injured when we were all forced to jump out of the fourth floor of a Bronx tenement. The fall ended up being fifty feet due to a setback in the rear yard.

Fire Family Transport Foundation was pressed into service to deal with six families in six different locations around the area. To make matters even harder we were in the middle of a blizzard, and we lost another firefighter in Brooklyn that same afternoon.
My wife was assigned a van which transported her back and forth to the hospital for the month I was in Cornell Medical Center. We had a 2 year-old daughter at the time and my wife was pregnant with twins. I had nine surgeries within that month and was in a very grave condition. My worst injury was the dislocation of my spinal cord from my skull, leaving me paralyzed for two and a half months.

By the end of February I was moved to Kessler Rehabilitation in New Jersey. My wife and family were still being transported by the Foundation van everyday. After seven months as an inpatient I went home. Out-patient rehab would continue for another two years. I was transported to Kessler Rehab in New Jersey by the Fire Family Transport every day I needed to go to rehab.
The Foundation’s dedication to me and my family will never be forgotten. This prompted me to offer my services to the Foundation once I was well enough. I talked to Pat Concannon at the end of 2007 about helping the Foundation out. Pat was creating a new position in the Foundation and he asked me if I would want to take it on. That is how I became the Operations Manager for the Fire Family Transport Foundation.

As Operations Manager I will deal with many of the day-to-day operations of the Foundation. I will also be there to help plan some of the events the Foundation runs throughout the year. As one who knows firsthand the benefits of this Foundation I will continue to work with the members of the Foundation to help FDNY members and their families. With your continued support we will be able to serve you better.

Eugene Stolowski
FDNY Ladder 27

It is 2008 and the Foundation is starting its 15th year. This year comes with some changes in the Foundation. After many years of dedicated service, Bill Schillinger has resigned his position with the Foundation to pursue other avenues. We thank him for all his hard work and wish him luck. With Bill’s departure, we have restructured the Executive Board with some new blood: Joe Valenti is VP/Treasurer, Jim Ginty is 2nd VP, Eugene Stolowski is Operations Manager, Mike Legge is Secretary, Steve Collins is Sergeant at Arms, Ken Haskell is FF Representative, Joe Seeney is Officers’ Representative, and I, Pat Concannon, am still the President and Founder.

With the old and the new members on the Board, we are dedicated more than ever to serving the members of the FDNY and their families. The Foundation will continue to work toward making the lives of our members and their families a little easier during the difficult times that they may be facing. Our fundraising is off to a great start and with your continued support we will be able to serve you with comfort and ease.

As always, plans are under way for the Mychal F. Judge Walk of Remembrance in September and the Blue Mass in October. We will also continue to support the Wounded Warriors and make our trips to Walter Reed Hospital to support the troops.

2008 Fire Family Transport Foundation leadership was announced under the direction of the Foundation’s President and founder, Pat Concannon.