Lieutenant John Crisci

Born in Brooklyn, New York on May 25, 1953 John was raised in the Williamsburg and Greenpoint neighborhoods. At age 18 he met 15-year-old Raffaella.  They were high school sweethearts who, after dating for seven years, were married in 1978.  In 1985 the Crisci's moved to our neighborhood.  They were looking for a community in a suburban setting to raise their children.

It was in this setting he and his wife had their three sons. On weekends John could be found coaching the boys in soccer and baseball. He enjoyed fishing, cooking and gardening, but most of all just being a dad. John's career' with the F.D.N.Y. began in November 1977.  He was assigned to several highly respected companies until his promotion to Fire Marshal in 1983. In 1984 the department was initializing the formation of its elite Hazardous Materials Company #1. John was hand picked to be one of the first assigned members of this new unit.

In 1986 he received another promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. Again he was assigned to several notoriously busy companies, one being Ladder Company 30 in Harlem. It was there he received a commendation medal for saving a young child, moments away from certain death.

Now an officer, John returned to Haz.-Mat. Co.# 1 in 1998. On September 11, 2001 John had just completed his tour and was leaving the firehouse when in the distance he could see an explosion over the Manhattan skyline. He immediately turned around to join his fellow firefighters. John was one of eleven firefighters from his station to perish that day.

Mrs. Raffaella Crisci