Dozens of first responders from the Lower Hudson Valley area lined a hallway leading from the Burn Center at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla and “clapped out” Lewisboro Police officer Joseph Briggs.
Briggs was a first responder at the April 16 house fire on Old Shop Road in Lewisboro that claimed the lives of two people.
What happened at the April 16 Old Shop Road fire?
Two residents died after the fire swept through the home. Noel M. Rae, 93, was taken to a medical facility, where he died from injuries, a state police news release said Friday. The other person was found dead inside the home, with identification pending further investigation.
Briggs was severely burned while trying to save trapped residents from a house fire in Cross River last week. While searching the residence a flashover occurred sending a ball of flames towards Briggs. Several other first responders were also injured during the rescue attempt.
‘Clap out’ a longstanding tradition for first responders
A New York State Police bagpiper led the procession with Lewisboro Police Chief Dave Alfano and fellow police officer Andrew Llewellyn escorted him out of the medical Center.
According to Lewisboro Police Chief Dave Alfano “It’s a tradition for cops or firemen or EMS who get hurt in the line of duty to do a clap out like we just did.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Contributing: lohud’s Michael P. McKinney
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Watch video of moment Lewisboro officer ‘clapped out’ from burn unit
Reporting by Frank Becerra Jr., Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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