Former FDNY Medic Killed in N.C. Blaze

SALISBURY, N.C. -- Last summer, former FDNY Paramedic Victor Isler moved his family to Harrisburg, N.C. from New York to become a firefighter with the Salisbury Fire Department.

On March 7, Firefighters Isler and Justin Monroe were killed while battling a fire at the Salisbury Lumber Company. The two men were on the first hose team that responded to the blaze.

Isler wasn't in the city long, but quickly made a positive impression on those he came in contact with.

"Never met a guy like him before ... He gave everything he had to this department. He was a type of father figure to us," Firefighter Chris Haynes said. "If you were having a bad day, you were not going to have one for long."

Captain Buddy Miller appeared very emotional as he was the first to find Isler's body in the debris of the fire.

On moving on without Isler he said, "We're going to crawl on that truck and we're going to go, and Vic's going to be right there next to us."

Becoming a career firefighter is something he pursued with long-time friend Chris DeMatto, who also moved to the area from New York.

Both men where members of the Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department back in New York.

On Saturday, March 8, one day after the fire, DeMatto's wife, Kelly gave birth to a baby boy. The couple named their son Nicholas Victor DeMatto, in honor of his close friend and fellow firefighter.

Isler is survived by his wife Tracy and their 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter.

Memorial funds for the families of Firefigher Monroe and Isler have been setup at the Salisbury and Harrisburg locations of the Bank of North Carolina:

Salisbury
415 Jake Alexander Blvd W
Salisbury, NC 28147
Phone: (704) 633-3436
Fax: (704) 647-0951

Harrisburg
3890 Main Street
Harrisburg, NC 28075
Phone: (704) 455-1070
Fax: (704) 455-1260

Memorial and funeral information for both firefighters will be added as it becomes available.