by JEFF HARRELL
Fire officials still aren't sure why a woman jumped into the murky waters near the St. George Ferry Terminal on July 12, a little after midnight. No matter. The firefighter who accomplished her rescue was concerned only with getting her out safely. Because of his heroic efforts, Firefighter Vincent Priolo is the Advance's Firefighter of the Month for July. Priolo, 32, of Westerleigh, has worked as a firefighter and as a member of the water rescue team at Ladder Co. 78 in New Brighton for four years. According to Capt. John Graziano of Ladder 78, witnesses that night told firefighters and police that the woman, who was not identified, remarked to a female companion "something to the effect that it was a nice night to go swimming." Then she jumped in, only to be caught up in the strong currents, Graziano said. When the call came in, he told Priolo "to get ready," Graziano recalled yesterday. Priolo said he immediately saw the woman clinging to a buoy about 75 feet out from the shore. There was no time to think, he recalled, just time to put into practice all he had learned in hours of training at Silver Lake. "Vinnie didn't even wait for the ladder," said Graziano. "Other than that, he did everything exactly as we trained for." Priolo swam out on a retrieval line. When he got within 6 feet of the woman, he tossed her a torpedo-shaped life preserver. Firefighters had the woman safely ashore in a matter of moments. "It's a team effort," Priolo said. "The only reaction I had was to get into the water." Priolo, who resides in Westerleigh with his wife, Martha, and 13-year-old son, Franklin, is a graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School and St. John's University, Grymes Hill. Yesterday, he was flanked by his wife and son, parents Vincent and Carmen Priolo of Westerleigh, and brothers Peter Priolo and Anthony Priolo, as Advance Assignment Editor James Yates presented a $100 bond to Franklin Priolo in recognition of his dad's heroics. Battalion 21 Chief Michael Feminella, Deputy Chief James Leonard of Division 8, and Assistant Chief Thomas Haring, FDNY borough commander, were on hand for the presentation. "Normally when you think of firefighters, you think of them going into burning buildings while others are running out," said Yates. "Obviously, this is a different case, but the theme is the same: Firefighter Priolo risked his life to save another person's life."
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