By Brian Zanzonico
More than $14,000 was raised for the FDNY Firefighter Michael Kiefer Fund care of the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation.
Kiefer, born and raised in Franklin Square, was killed along with 342 fellow New York firefighters in the terror attack on the World Trade Center. He was 25.
Kiefer was also a Long Beach lifeguard, and jogged on the 2.2-mile boardwalk to loosen up before every shift. Dozens of Kiefer's family members, people from his firehouse, childhood friends and Long Beach lifeguards gathered at the bench between Lincoln and Monroe boulevards dedicated to Kiefer and spent the morning and early afternoon reflecting on his life.
"Later that night I was counting the money, reading the names on the checks and thinking about all the people who came," said Kiefer's sister, Kerri. "How good it makes me feel that six years later, he hasn't been forgotten."
During his grade school days at St. Catherine of Sienna in Franklin Square, Kiefer would set up fake fire scenes outside their home and cast his sisters, Lauren and Kerri, in the roles of probationary firefighters. His love of firefighting was forged as a child, when Bud would take him to the Franklin Square & Munson Fire Department on weekends to keep him occupied.
When Kiefer was old enough, he bought a police scanner and trekked to fire calls on his bike. More than once he was escorted home by police officers who spotted him wandering around fires in tough neighborhoods. In his teens he joined junior firefighter programs in several local neighborhoods, and hoped to one day turn his passion into career.
After graduating from St. Mary's High School in Manhasset in 1994, Kiefer joined the fire cadet program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The experience culminated with a job with the New York City Fire Department as a paramedic. A year and a half later, he took the exam to become a firefighter. In December 2000, he became a probationary fireman in Engine Co. 280/Ladder Co. 132 firehouse in Crown Heights. He was killed less than a year later.
To date, the Kiefers have raised $50,000 for the FDNY Firefighter Michael Kiefer Fund through fund-raisers. More than $280,000 has been given by donors.
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