FDNY to hold first ever Passover Seder; will honor hero firefighter

 

APRIL 2, 2006 FILE PHOTO

The FDNY will hold its first official Passover Seder and the honoree is a firefighter.

(DR. SCOTT M. LIEBERMAN/AP)

The FDNY will hold its first official Passover Seder in its 152-year history Thursday, and the honoree is a firefighter who was lowered by a rope last month to rescue a man trapped in a burning building.

Firefighter Andrew Scharf will be honored for his rescue of Ubeaka McKinney, 39, from the third floor of 241 Rockaway Ave. in Brooklyn on March 5.

Scharf, of Ladder Co. 176, was lowered from the roof by Firefighter Todd Brenner of Ladder 120.

“I had to reassure (McKinney) just to hold on to me and he’d be down quick,” Scharf, 29, said at the time. “He was very thankful and very happy.”

NYC cop, firefighters credit jobs as they’re praised for heroics

“It’s a humbling experience and it’s a big honor,” he said of the award. “I wasn’t really expecting it.”

Andrew Scharf and Ubeaka McKinney.

Andrew Scharf and Ubeaka McKinney.

(FDNY)

Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, Chief of Department James Leonard, Rabbi Michael Melnicke and members of the Ner Tamid Society are among those expected to attend the event at the FDNY Headquarters Auditorium at 9 MetroTech Center. The event begins at 3 p.m.

The Ner Tamid Society is a Jewish fraternal organization.

“This is the first time the Fire Department wanted to do it and do the heavy lifting and promote it and we’re really happy with that,” said Nicholas Malter, president of the society.

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