This memorial was erected by the mayor, the City of Binghamton, the Fire Department, Firefighters local 729, and the Broome Monument Company.
There are images of the firemen and text about the drownings.
text :" At 6:30 on September 28, 1975, a Crowley Foods worker saw two men launching a rubber raft from the shore of the Susquehanna River. He hurried to the nearest telephone to call the Binghamton Fire Departmen, but before his call went through, the pair had been hurled from the raft into the water as they tried to shoot the turbulence at the base of the Rockbottom Dam. It should be noted that the river was swollen to flood stage at this time by Tropical Storm Eloise.
Within minutes the BFD Rescue boat was on the scene and three rescuers attempted to pull the youths out of the water. Tragically, as the rescuers strained to retrieve the youths, their boat was pulled into the dam and was capsized by the ferocious water. All were now in danger, struggling to keep their heads above water and fighting to hold out against the river's drain on their vital energy.
By some miracle, the two youths and two of the rescuers were eventually released from the boil of the dam, but FF Russell, the firefighter who initially reached out to pull the victims out of the water could not escape the river's grasp and drowned.
The search for John's body continued into the night. The next day, September 29th, Fire Chief John Cox and Captain Donald McGeever, while standing on the riverbank, could see the lifejacket worn by FF Russell in the pounding waters of the dam. The decision was made to try and recover FF Russell's body from the boil. Chief Cox and Captain McGeever drove their boat towards the base of the dam but it too, was drawn in by the backwash and capsized about 9:30 a.m.
A second Rescue boat was launched to try and rescue their comrades. Ring buoys with life lines attached were deployed, but the men in the water could not reach them. After attempts to rescue them with a 100' aerial ladder failed, a rescue boat was dispatched from shore carrying two Broome County Sheriff Deputies. This boat also capsized, throwing two more valiant rescuers into the water.
Firefighters from Endicott, Johnson City, Vestal, and West Corners came to help in the midst of a worsening situation. Vestal launched a boat and fortunately, was able to help the Sheriffs Deputies escape the river's pull.
Eventually Chief Cox and Captain McGeever were washed clear of the churning water at the base of the dam and swept downstream; but by then it was too late and they did not survive. The river had claimed three lives in less than 24 hours.
FF Russell's body would not be found for 8 more days. Searchers walking along the riverbank located him on October 6th, six miles downstream on the south shore of the river in the town of Vestal.
What started out as a rescue ended in a tragedy for our entire community. We will never forget these brave souls, our brothers, who gave their lives in the line of duty."
TV coverage of the drownings (
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"A television news videotape of the drowning of two Binghamton firefighters in 1975 continues to be used in training emergency workers."