Hudson Valley Fire Chief Given Second Chance at Life After Collapsing on Call

In August 2025 a local firefighter faced a medical emergency while on a call.

Now, Westchester Medical Center is sharing how Rombout Fire Company Assistant Fire Chief John Lucariello was given a second chance at life.

Local Firefighter Collapses At Fire in Fishkill, New York

On Monday August 11th, 2025, the Rombout Fire Company were called out to a fire on Mountain View Road in Fishkill, New York.

As first responders arrived on the scene Assistant Fire Chief John Lucariello collapsed. Lucariello collapsed due to a "cardiac event."

READ MORE: Hudson Valley Firefighter Suddenly Collapses at the Scene of Fire

Paramedics and firefighters on the scene began to perform life-saving efforts on Chief Lucariello. WMC Health explains " Despite repeated attempts to restart his heart, John was pronounced dead at the scene."

But just minutes later "something extraordinary happened: his heart began to beat on its own again."

Rombout Fire Chief Gets Second Chance at Life

Now, WMC Health is spotlighting Chief Lucariello and his amazing story.

When Lucariello's heart starting beating on it's own again, he was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center. From there a cardiac specialist took over his care according to WMC Health.

On their website, WMC Health explains:

Through advanced technology, expert intervention, and continuous monitoring, the team guided him through a fragile recovery and toward the possibility of life after cardiac arrest.

Thankfully, a few weeks later Lucariello was able to leave the hospital. His brothers and sisters in the firefighting community came together for a movie tribute with firetrucks and police cruisers lining the road home.

Watch below as Chief Lucariello shares his story with Westchester Medical Center:

First Responders Honored for Life Saving Action

After Chief Lucariello recovered he, and the community, were quick to thank everyone who jumped into action after his cardiac event.

Empress Emergency Medical Services shared photos of their EMT and Paramedics who were at the scene when Lucariello collapsed.

In a social media post in October of 2025 Empress wrote "Paramedic Moore began life-saving ALS interventions, and the crew transported him to St. Luke's Montefiore Hospital, where he was pronounced dead after the ER worked on him aggressively for nearly an hour."

It goes on to continue to tell the story of Lucariello's miracle and how he began breathing again on his own shortly after.