Today, the FDNY remembers Lieutenant Joseph Graffagnino (left), of Ladder 5, and Firefighter Robert Beddia (right), of Engine 24, who made the Supreme Sacrifice on this day in 2007 at a devastating 7-alarm fire at the former Deutsche Bank building in Lower Manhattan. Lt. Graffagnino and Firefighter Beddia were among the 275 Firefighters and 70 units that responded to the high-rise fire at 130 Liberty Street. The two members became trapped on the 14th floor of the building, which was undergoing demolition. Lt. Graffagnino was an 8-year FDNY veteran who began his career at Engine 24 in 1999. He later worked at Engine 284, before moving to Ladder 5 in December 2006. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of Lieutenant on June 19, 2008. Firefighter Beddia, a 23-year FDNY veteran, was appointed to the Department in 1983 and spent his entire career at Engine 24, receiving three citations for bravery.
