10/21/2026
Gilmer County Fire/Rescue is honored to announce that we have been selected as a 2026 grant recipient from the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation. This grant will allow us to purchase 67 personal bailout kits for our firefighters. These kits will be Carried in their protective gear for quick access, these kits provide a critical means of escape through a window if a firefighter becomes trapped by life-threatening fire conditions. The Foundationโs mission grew from tragedy and an extraordinary act of selflessness. On January 23, 2005 a day remembered as โBlack Sundayโ in FDNY history firefighters battling a Bronx tenement fire became trapped on an upper floor and were forced to jump five stories. Two firefighters died, and four others suffered life-threatening injuries. A third FDNY firefighter died at a separate fire in Brooklyn that same day. During the Bronx fire, Firefighter Jeff Cool offered to use his personally purchased safety rope to lower Joseph DiBernardo. Knowing Jeff had a wife and children, Joe insisted that Jeff go first and helped him escape before attempting his own. Joe survived the fall with devastating injuries and endured a lengthy recovery, during which he was promoted to lieutenant. He passed away on November 22, 2011, as a result of the injuries he suffered on Black Sunday. The Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation carries his legacy forward by helping fire departments obtain personal safety systems and providing firefighter safety education. Through that mission, Joeโs commitment to protecting others continues to make a difference including right here in Gilmer County. We are extremely grateful to the Foundation for investing in the safety of our firefighters. We also extend a special thank-you to our grant specialist, Gina Bennett, for her outstanding work preparing and writing this successful grant. These 67 kits represent more than equipment. They represent an additional lifeline for the firefighters who serve our community and the families waiting for them to come home.