Rombout Assistant Fire Chief John Lucariello has returned home after collapsing at the scene of a fire.
Lucariello had been in critical condition at Westchester Medical Center after responding to an Aug. 11 fire.
The Rombout Fire Company was dispatched to 70 Mountainview Road in Fishkill at 5:19 a.m. that day for a report of a structure fire. While investigating the fire, Lucariello collapsed at the scene.
According to The Yard Foundation fundraising page set up for him and his family, firefighters and paramedics performed life-saving efforts on Lucariello, including delivering electrical shock five times without success, but Lucariello resumed breathing on his own a few minutes later.
In an Aug. 26 post on its website, the Rombout Fire Company said Lucariello was welcomed home by an “extraordinary demonstration of appreciation.”
Stepping out of the hospital, while still recovering, a scene of “raw emotion” unfolded, according to the fire company. Lucariello was met with cheers from the Rombout firefighters alongside other emergency responders.
A police and fire escort accompanied Lucariello from Westchester Medical Center to his home, “a gesture symbolizing the deep respect and admiration for his unwavering commitment to the safety of others,” the Rombout Fire Company said in a statement.
In the procession, local police vehicles led the way with fire trucks close behind, sirens blaring, on a route lined with community emergency responders demonstrating their support for Lucariello.
“This homecoming was more than a celebration of John’s recovery; it was a celebration of the spirit of emergency services, underscoring the bonds forged between those who respond to calls for help, and the community they serve,” the Rombout Fire Company said.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Rombout firefighter, recovering from fire scene collapse, gets ‘extraordinary’ homecoming
Reporting by Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
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