Peter Matthews talks with Jeff Cool about the tragedy of Jan. 23, 2005, which was named FDNY’s “Black Sunday” after the department lost two firefighters at a fire in the Bronx and one at a fire in Brooklyn. The Bronx fire left four other firefighters seriously injured, including one who died from the fire six years later. 

Cool, a Rescue 3 firefighter, responded a fire in an apartment building that was renovated into a maze of rooms, making firefighter access extremely difficult. When conditions changed and the fire cut them off, six firefighters were forced to jump from the upper floors to escape. He recalls the fire, the tense moments they were trapped and efforts to escape before they all jumped as flames burned over their heads. Since FDNY had taken away personal rescue ropes, they used a rope that cool purchased at Firehouse Expo which he attributed to DiBernardo and he surviving their falls.  

He shares their stories about the time in hospital, the long road to recovery and what has happened since his injuries forced him to retire. Since then, the four survivors have taken their messages of training, equipment and hope on the road to inform today’s firefighters of that tragic loss. Cool is one of the instructors with the Lt. Joseph DiBernardo Memorial Fund and helps organize the 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. 

Cool’s son, Jeffrey Cool, Jr., recently got appointed to the FDNY and Cool shares his hopes for the future.  

This episode is dedicated to the Lieutenants John G. Bellew and Curtis W. Meyran and firefighter Richard Sclafani who died that day and firefighters Brendan Cawley, Jeff Cool, Joe DiBernardo, and Gene Stolowski were severely injured. DiBernardo, who was promoted to lieutenant, died six years later from his injuries. 

Resources