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May 16, a seemingly normal Wednesday afternoon, changed Debra Lombardo’s life forever.
When a fire broke out at 935 S. Ninth St., the 14-year-old’s home in the Italian Market, everything was lost — her possessions, her house, even her mother, 50-year-old Domenica.
As the young girl’s story spread, help from the community poured in. A little more than a month later, a group of firefighters has joined in to lend all the support they can muster.
"We heard that she had lost everything," Mike Bresnan, a firefighter at the Fourth-and-Arch-street station, said, "that she didn’t have much family, that her mother had no insurance, and we thought the time was right to lend a helping hand."
Bresnan, president of the Concerned American Firefighters Association (C.A.F.F.A.), is the organizer of a June 22 Beef-n-Beer to support Debra’s $5,000-per-year tuition at Ss. John Neumann-Maria Goretti High School.
Bresnan did not know the girl’s mother and he has never even spoken to Debra, but when he heard about the tragic fire, along with reading about Debra’s dire economic straits shortly afterwards, Bresnan and his organization decided to take action.
Even though Debra has three years left at Neumnan-Goretti, Bresnan knew the school would almost certainly take mercy on her situation. However, he also knew Debra would need all the help — emotionally and financially — she could get.
C.A.F.F.A., a group of about 800 firefighters who work throughout Philadelphia, generally speaks out against issues involving other firefighters, including race discrimination. However, the organization recently decided to extend its reach into the community, and Bresnan and his crew thought aiding Debra was the perfect place to begin.
"We’ve gotten an amazing amount of assistance so far," Bresnan said. "The Second Street Irish Society has donated their hall and the beverages, Sarcone’s Deli has donated the bread and Esposito’s has donated all the meats.
"People have really stepped up to help us and, more importantly, to help her."
The fire that claimed the life of Domenica Lombardo, the result of unattended cooking and no smoke alarms, according to fire officials at the time, occurred at 2:09 p.m. at her shop, the House of Bread. The two-alarm blaze was extinguished by 3:10 p.m., but Domenica was not able to escape. Debra was not at home at the time.
Bresnan has been a firefighter for 13 years and has headed C.A.F.F.A. since the Philadelphia Chapter’s inception in 2003. He also serves as the treasurer of the Firefighters Local 22 Union.
Now, Bresnan has turned his focus to those outside the firefighting community, namely Debra Lombardo.
"We’re not trying to save the world," he said, "but if we can just take a little off her mind, it will all be worth it."
The Beef-n-Beef Benefit is 7 to 11 p.m. June 22 at the Second Street Irish Society Hall, 1937 S. Third St. A $25 donation will be taken at the door, with proceeds going to Debra Lombardo. Donations also may be sent to C.A.F.F.A., P.O. Box 65714, Philadelphia, PA 19155, with the notation "Debra Lombardo."
