Patchogue-Off duty Smithtown Fire Marshal saves two people

September 1, 1996 Smithtown Fire Marshal Andrew Brofman had just been discharged from St. Catherines Hospital and was returning to his home in Patchogue when he monitored a call for a possible roof collapse at the Linens and Things Store in the Gateway Plaza on the Service Road of Sunrise Highway in Patchogue. Although not in his GAOE, Brofman was a block away so he stopped to investigate. Brofman arrived to find that the steel roof was sagging due to a tremendous snow load.

The store manager stated that there were still two employees within the building. Brofman entered the building, located a female employee and escorted her out the front. Brofman was then advised that the store manager had re-entered the store. Although he believed that a collapse was imminent, Brofman re-entered the store and after a search, he found her in the managers office. Brofman ordered the woman out, but she refused to leave and became combative. Brofman was forced to physically and forcibly remove her from the building. As the two made their way to the front of the store, a 60X100 foot section of the roof collapsed, blowing out the storefront and throwing the two of them into the parking lot.

With fire department units just beginning to arrive, Brofman got into his vehicle and left the scene, not mentioning the incident to anyone. Brofman’s deed would not go unnoticed though as a bystander sent a letter to Linens and Things, who in turn tracked Brofman down and sent him a $100.00 gift certificate as a thank you. Fire Marshal Brofman sent the gift certificate back and asked that Linens and Things send him two $50 dollar gift certificates, which he then donated in the name of the Smithtown Fire Marshals Office to the widows of FDNY Lieutenant John Clancy and FDNY Firefighter James Williams. Both FDNY members were killed in the line of duty and both of their wives were expecting. As a resut of Fire Marshal Brofmans actions on this date, at least two lives were saved. Brofman received a lifesaving medal for his work here, the first of three that he would earn in his career with the Town of Smithtown.