Street To Be Renamed In Memory Of Firefighter Jared Lloyd

SPRING VALLEY, NY — As the first anniversary of Jared Lloyd's death in the massive blaze at the Evergreen Court Adult Home approaches, and Rockland County prepares to take over safety code enforcement in the village, Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski and Assemblyman Michael Lawler announced plans to rename a section of Route 45 in memory of the firefighter who died that night.

Joined by Lloyd's family and members of the Spring Valley Fire Department, they spoke Thursday in front of Hillcrest Fire Company No. 1. Legislation they introduced this week in Albany would designate Route 45 between New Hempstead Road and East Eckerson Road as Jared Lloyd Memorial Highway.

Lloyd, a 15-year member of Columbian Fire Engine Co. No. 1 in Spring Valley, died at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults on March 23, 2021 as he was saving residents of the facility from the massive blaze.

“Jared Lloyd's heroic actions last March helped save the lives of over 100 nursing home residents. His loss has had a tremendous impact not only on his family, but on our entire community, county, and state," said Lawler.

"Jared Lloyd is a hero," Reichlin-Melnick said. "He made the ultimate sacrifice, and preserving his memory by renaming a major road in his honor is one of the best ways we can honor his heroic actions."

"We must never forget his sacrifice, and by joining together to name this section of Route 45 after him, we will ensure that his legacy lives on," Zebrowski said.

Six people face charges in connection with the fatal fire that consumed the century-old former hotel, killed Lloyd and 79-year-old resident Oliver Hueston, and injured about a dozen people. More than 100 people had to be rescued. Lloyd, 35, was saving residents. He sent out a Mayday call from an upper floor before it collapsed, but he could not be reached.

The stretch of Route 45 is just north of the site of the fire.

As the anniversary of his death approaches, one of the long-standing problems in Spring Valley's government, one that may have been a factor in his death, is being tackled.

The village has long been known for its lack of oversight and enforcement of building and safety codes. After years of requests by local fire officials, a state monitor was actually in place at the time of the fire and the village had been required to file reports with the state on code inspections and compliance actions.

The day after the Rockland County District Attorney's Office announced the indictments of the head of Spring Valley's building department and its assistant building inspector on accusations they falsified inspection reports for the Evergreen Court Home, the New York State Department announced it was removing code enforcement from the village and assigned it temporarily to the county.

Just given the backlog of outstanding inspections, county officials have identified a need for at least 12 full and part-time building and fire inspectors and five support staff, plus a director. SEE: County Exec Submits Plan For Office of Buildings and Codes. Rockland begins work Monday.

SEE ALSO:

• Grand Jury Indicts 2 Village Employees Over Fatal Adult Home Fire
• Village Hall Raided In Investigation Of Fatal Fire
• Former Fire Chief Arraigned Over Building Code Fraud
• Village Re-Hires Felon With $50,000 6-Month Contract
• Spring Valley Mayor, County Fighting Over $125,000 Aide
• Rockland Firefighters, Officials Call for State to Intervene In Ramapo, Spring Valley
• Collapse At Old Spring Valley H.S. Traps Worker
• Spring Valley Trustee Charged in Camp Transportation Scheme
• Spring Valley Fire Department Treasurer Faces Grand Larceny Charges
• Former Spring Valley Mayor Sentenced to 4 Years for Fraud, Extortion