By MIKE CAPUTO
Brock was playing with toy cars beside his father, who lay on the living room couch watching "America's Funniest Home Videos." Their dog, Bingo, started barking, but that wasn't unusual for the 1-year-old German shepherd.
But Brock sensed trouble, and decided to find out what the commotion was about. The preschooler peered through the blinds at the front window, and suddenly raced back to his father.
"I said 'Dad, come look, there's a fire across the street,'" Brock recounted later. "And my dad called the fire department."
Smoke and flames could be seen coming out of a home across the street, at 1553 Luddington Road. At 8:37, Rogers dialed 911, and emergency responders began arriving two minutes later.
"He jumped right into action when he picked up that blind and looked," Rogers said of his son. "He even got a little nervous, and was laughing to try and hide ... it."
Within four minutes of the alarm, the East Meadow Fire Department's Engine No. 1 dropped off two attack lines of responders, and went straight for the nearest hydrant. Several other engines, ladders and an ambulance soon followed.
According to John O'Brien, an ex-chief of the EMFD and a department spokesman, the fire began in front of the residence and began moving upward toward the attic. After five minutes of water flow, all visible signs of the fire were gone, and ladder company crews pulled ceilings and walls down to make sure that any concealed fire was extinguished, O'Brien said.
East Meadow Fire Chief Eric Becker said that Brock's intuitive response and the quick call made by his father helped responders keep the fire from rising through the attic. "The kid is remarkable for a 4-year-old," Becker said. "[The fire] could have gotten up into the attic space of the house. Another couple of minutes, it would have been a different story."
There was damage both inside and outside the house, especially along the vinyl siding, but it remained standing. Officials said that firefighters recovered several valuables and photo albums for the family, the Fitzgeralds, who were not home at the time. The family dog, Max, was trapped inside, but Firefighter Rich Malik rescued the unharmed dog.
The Fitzgeralds were staying out of town after the fire and could not be reached for comment. As soon as they heard who had initially discovered the fire, however, they hugged and thanked their observant young neighbor, Rogers said.
O'Brien said that several firefighters happened to be on duty at nearby stations, and jumped into their trucks as soon as the call came in. A total of 102 East Meadow firefighters and emergency medical technicians responded to the scene. The North Merrick Fire Department Rapid Intervention Team for Firefighter Rescue provided assistance, and the Uniondale Fire Department was on standby.
Because the incident is under investigation by the Nassau County Fire Marshal's office, department officials could not confirm the cause of the fire, but it appeared to be electrical. There were no reported injuries.
Brock, a student at Merrick Woods Preschool, had recently taken a trip with his class to the East Meadow Fire Department. His father linked Brock's learning experience with his heroic reaction on Saturday night.
"That stuck in his head," Rogers said. "He is always on top of things. He is always paying attention to everything around him."
Becker said the fire department plans to hold a special ceremony in January to honor Brock's efforts. For now, Rogers enjoys telling the story to friends, family members and others in East Meadow. "I'm telling everybody in town about it," he said. "He's a superhero."
Comments about this story? MCaputo@
liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
