New York City Fire Department, Rescue 2, Lieutenant
Peter Martin's career in the search and rescue squad and as a firefighter spans more than 22 years. Before being promoted to lieutenant in 1995, he was a fireman at Rescue 2 and at Squad 252 in Brooklyn.
He was born in Jamaica, Queens, and grew up in Valley Stream. He graduated from St. Agnes High School in Rockville Centre and earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from St.John's University, where he met his future wife. They married in April 1984.
Lt. Peter C. Martin had plenty of interests. He liked to watch Nascar races, "glued to the TV," said his friend, Lt. Peter Lund. He also kept track of how many fires he had been to, perhaps inspired by a book, "20,000 Alarms," that was lying around the Rescue 2 firehouse in Brooklyn.
And once a month, he would take out the antique rifles he collected, put on a cowboy hat and take aim at the buffalo silhouettes set up on a field in the Hamptons with other members of the local Single Action Shooting Society. There he was known as "Sidewinder Pete," a true aficionado to whom the group dedicated a memorial shoot last month.
But mostly, Mr. Martin, 43, cared about being a father to his three boys, ages 13, 9 and 6. His own father had died when he was 11 months old. "As much as he loved the Fire Department, his first love was ours," said his wife, Alice. "He would race home from work so he could put the boys to bed. He'd sing to them, and tell them stories. He had a whole routine."
Peter Martin's dedication took him to Oklahoma City, where he joined in the search and rescue operations after the bombing of the federal building. Home from his eight-day stint clawing through the rubble for survivors, he talked about how the devastation brought tears to his eyes, his wife said. He is a very sensitive soul, "very cool and calm, even in a crisis.
Now Mrs. Martin is taking care of things on her own. "I get a lot of strength from Peter," she said. "I can almost hear him saying to me, `Everything's O.K.' "
Peter Martin's career in the search and rescue squad and as a firefighter spans more than 22 years. Before being promoted to lieutenant in 1995, he was a fireman at Rescue 2 and at Squad 252 in Brooklyn.
He was born in Jamaica, Queens, and grew up in Valley Stream. He graduated from St. Agnes High School in Rockville Centre and earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from St.John's University, where he met his future wife. They married in April 1984.
Lt. Peter C. Martin had plenty of interests. He liked to watch Nascar races, "glued to the TV," said his friend, Lt. Peter Lund. He also kept track of how many fires he had been to, perhaps inspired by a book, "20,000 Alarms," that was lying around the Rescue 2 firehouse in Brooklyn.
And once a month, he would take out the antique rifles he collected, put on a cowboy hat and take aim at the buffalo silhouettes set up on a field in the Hamptons with other members of the local Single Action Shooting Society. There he was known as "Sidewinder Pete," a true aficionado to whom the group dedicated a memorial shoot last month.
But mostly, Mr. Martin, 43, cared about being a father to his three boys, ages 13, 9 and 6. His own father had died when he was 11 months old. "As much as he loved the Fire Department, his first love was ours," said his wife, Alice. "He would race home from work so he could put the boys to bed. He'd sing to them, and tell them stories. He had a whole routine."
Peter Martin's dedication took him to Oklahoma City, where he joined in the search and rescue operations after the bombing of the federal building. Home from his eight-day stint clawing through the rubble for survivors, he talked about how the devastation brought tears to his eyes, his wife said. He is a very sensitive soul, "very cool and calm, even in a crisis.
Now Mrs. Martin is taking care of things on her own. "I get a lot of strength from Peter," she said. "I can almost hear him saying to me, `Everything's O.K.' "
New York City Fire Department, Rescue 2, Lieutenant
Peter Martin's career in the search and rescue squad and as a firefighter spans more than 22 years. Before being promoted to lieutenant in 1995, he was a fireman at Rescue 2 and at Squad 252 in Brooklyn.
He was born in Jamaica, Queens, and grew up in Valley Stream. He graduated from St. Agnes High School in Rockville Centre and earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from St.John's University, where he met his future wife. They married in April 1984.
Lt. Peter C. Martin had plenty of interests. He liked to watch Nascar races, "glued to the TV," said his friend, Lt. Peter Lund. He also kept track of how many fires he had been to, perhaps inspired by a book, "20,000 Alarms," that was lying around the Rescue 2 firehouse in Brooklyn.
And once a month, he would take out the antique rifles he collected, put on a cowboy hat and take aim at the buffalo silhouettes set up on a field in the Hamptons with other members of the local Single Action Shooting Society. There he was known as "Sidewinder Pete," a true aficionado to whom the group dedicated a memorial shoot last month.
But mostly, Mr. Martin, 43, cared about being a father to his three boys, ages 13, 9 and 6. His own father had died when he was 11 months old. "As much as he loved the Fire Department, his first love was ours," said his wife, Alice. "He would race home from work so he could put the boys to bed. He'd sing to them, and tell them stories. He had a whole routine."
Peter Martin's dedication took him to Oklahoma City, where he joined in the search and rescue operations after the bombing of the federal building. Home from his eight-day stint clawing through the rubble for survivors, he talked about how the devastation brought tears to his eyes, his wife said. He is a very sensitive soul, "very cool and calm, even in a crisis.
Now Mrs. Martin is taking care of things on her own. "I get a lot of strength from Peter," she said. "I can almost hear him saying to me, `Everything's O.K.' "
Peter Martin's career in the search and rescue squad and as a firefighter spans more than 22 years. Before being promoted to lieutenant in 1995, he was a fireman at Rescue 2 and at Squad 252 in Brooklyn.
He was born in Jamaica, Queens, and grew up in Valley Stream. He graduated from St. Agnes High School in Rockville Centre and earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from St.John's University, where he met his future wife. They married in April 1984.
Lt. Peter C. Martin had plenty of interests. He liked to watch Nascar races, "glued to the TV," said his friend, Lt. Peter Lund. He also kept track of how many fires he had been to, perhaps inspired by a book, "20,000 Alarms," that was lying around the Rescue 2 firehouse in Brooklyn.
And once a month, he would take out the antique rifles he collected, put on a cowboy hat and take aim at the buffalo silhouettes set up on a field in the Hamptons with other members of the local Single Action Shooting Society. There he was known as "Sidewinder Pete," a true aficionado to whom the group dedicated a memorial shoot last month.
But mostly, Mr. Martin, 43, cared about being a father to his three boys, ages 13, 9 and 6. His own father had died when he was 11 months old. "As much as he loved the Fire Department, his first love was ours," said his wife, Alice. "He would race home from work so he could put the boys to bed. He'd sing to them, and tell them stories. He had a whole routine."
Peter Martin's dedication took him to Oklahoma City, where he joined in the search and rescue operations after the bombing of the federal building. Home from his eight-day stint clawing through the rubble for survivors, he talked about how the devastation brought tears to his eyes, his wife said. He is a very sensitive soul, "very cool and calm, even in a crisis.
Now Mrs. Martin is taking care of things on her own. "I get a lot of strength from Peter," she said. "I can almost hear him saying to me, `Everything's O.K.' "
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