Firefighters turn out for 'Tough Timmy'

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A blaze was ripping through the third floor of 711 E. 183rd St. during the afternoon of May 28, 1982. Led by Capt. Timothy Gallagher, the Bronx’s Engine 88/Ladder 38 responded to the fire, according to a FDNY newsletter published this month. Mr. Gallagher, a Kingsbridge resident, soon saw the face of a mentally disabled teen named Aracelis Santiago in a third-floor window and raced up the fire escape to reach her.  

As the flames closed in and the ceiling began to collapse, Ms. Santiago broke away in panic. But with the help of his fellow firefighters, Capt. Gallagher was able to bring the 18-year-old to safety. The captain, who suffered severe burns, received awards including the FDNY’s Hugh Bonner Medal for firefighters who lead by example.

Friends and colleagues remembered Capt. Gallagher for a career full of bravery at his funeral at St. Margaret’s of Cortona Church on Nov. 16. Capt. Gallagher died of natural causes at the age of 86, according to a fellow firefighter.

Numerous FDNY members reflected on Capt. Gallagher’s career during services.

“Timmy was a legend on his job,” said Lt. Pete Critsimilios. “He embodied all the qualities good in this world.”

Prior to joining the FDNY, Capt. Gallagher fought as a Marine during the Korean War. After he became a firefighter, he helped organize the FDNY’s hockey team in 1968 with two teammates on a squad with players from the 14th Battalion, the Bronx Bums. The New York City Fire Department Hockey Team now competes around the world, and 96 of the city’s firehouses play in the annual “King of the Ice” firehouse tournament.

Remembered by many as “Tough Timmy” or “Terrible Timmy,” Capt. Gallagher earned widespread respect for his bravery while fighting fires out of Engine 88/Ladder 38 on Belmont Avenue.

“He was wild. He broke all the rules,” Capt. Gallagher’s friend Sheila O’Rourke recalled. 

Timothy Gallagher, Engine 88/Ladder 38, Robert Keating, FDNY
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