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by ROBERT F. MOORE
The FDNY tapped the off-duty skills of its own members - including a blacksmith, a rock climber and a weapons specialist - to design a new safety device that it hopes will get firefighters out of burning buildings in as little as 10 seconds.
There was no model to replicate, so the FDNY decided to come up with its own, becoming the first big city in the nation with the device.
"If you look at the makeup of the FDNY, we have lawyers, accountants, machinists and X-ray technicians," said Lt. Christian Delisio, a member of the 150-person design team and the grandson of a blacksmith. "What better place to look for solutions than within the ranks?"
The idea for the device, which includes a 50-foot rope and harness, was hatched at St. Barnabas Hospital five months ago. Officials met there a day after two Bronx firefighters jumped four stories to their deaths.
"This can't happen again," Delisio said. "We have to give firefighters every possible escape option."
After testing 36 types of rope, they agreed on a Kevlar model that can withstand temperatures of 1,100 degrees and support more than 4,000 pounds.
FDNY designers sent Firefighter Bill Duffy, a rock climber for six years, rappelling out windows more than 100 times before deciding the system needed a metal latch to control the speed of the downward climb.
The team also needed an anchor for the rope, so they tapped several other employees, including Firefighter John Gormly, a U.S. Navy reservist and weapons expert trained to jump from F-15 fighter jets.
Officials said Gormly's input was critical in making the sharp fishhook anchors - called Fidny, for the FDNY - lightweight and easy to use. "We can get out in as little as 10 seconds," Capt. Mike Hayes said.
Delisio, who learned the basics of metal work decades ago while watching his grandfather in Rockland County, teamed with Firefighter George Grammas to create dozens of prototype anchors before casting the final version - a steel hook that can be attached to a radiator, fixed appliance or window sill.
The FDNY will start distributing the 3-pound safety devices Sept. 1, beginning with rescue units. By the end of the year, 11,000 firefighters should be trained and equipped. The project costs $11 million.
Lt. Curtis Meyran, 46, and Firefighter John Bellew, 37, died when they jumped from a Bronx apartment Jan. 23. Four others who jumped suffered extremely serious injuries.
"We vowed right then to do something about it," Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said.
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