Peter Brennan: A Lifelong
Ambition
A
librarian in the elementary school that Peter Brennan
once attended found his name on a card in a library book
and gave it to his wife, Erica. The book? "I Want to Be a
Fireman."
Mr. Brennan joined the Lakeland Volunteer Fire
Department at 16, served for years as a volunteer, most
recently in Hauppauge, and six years ago finally became a
New York City firefighter.
It was his dream, even while he was a New York City
police officer for several years. (Walking a beat in
Queens, he rescued an elderly couple from an apartment
fire.) More recently, he stopped at a fire in Ronkonkoma
and -- in street clothes -- saved three trapped volunteer
firefighters.
On Sept. 11, Mr. Brennan, who would have been 31
today, came off vacation to fill in for a colleague in
Rescue 4, an elite unit that specializes in saving lives.
"He died doing what he loved at probably the greatest
fire he'd ever been to," said his wife, Erica Brennan,
who is expecting their second child. "I can see him on
the truck being excited on the way."
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