About Captain Vincent G. Fowler
Captain Vincent G. Fowler
Vincent G. Fowler was born on August 8, 1953 in New York to Vincent J. and Dorothy Fowler. He had five siblings: Karen, Gerard, Ellen, Andy and John. He attended St. Claire's grammar school in Rosedale and graduated from Christ the King H.S. in 1971 where he played soccer. He attended St. Joseph's Seminary in Princeton, NJ and graduated from Farmingdale State College in 1975. He really enjoyed his motorcycle and his Dad's pick up truck. Vincent was married to Mona and had three daughters, Dina, Amy and Stephanie. He loved to coach his daughters in softball. He was very athletic and loved all sports. He also enjoyed many outdoor activities including camping, hiking and fishing.
Vincent left his lucrative air conditioning and refrigeration business to follow in his father's footsteps and became a FDNY firefighter in 1978. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1990 and was promoted again to captain in 1996. Firefighting was a family profession and passion in the Fowler family. His father Vincent J. Fowler was a Battalion Chief and his brothers Andy and John are both retired from the FDNY. He was a proud member of the Emerald Society.
Captain Fowler died on June 4, 1999 from injuries sustained while battling a fire. He was cited for his bravery twice during his career and awarded the Medal of Valor posthumously. Vincent Fowler was a hero for all of his bravery as a firefighter but he was also a hero as a dad, friend and neighbor. He was a religious man who had a strong faith which gave him a guidance that he lived by. He taught his children by example, often displaying acts of kindness and compassion. He was an active member of his community and was always willing to help out a neighbor. One of Captain Fowler's favorite phrases was "We can do that" and it is actually on the fire truck of Ladder 7 in Manhattan. And as per his father, one of his favorite words was "effort".
Our school was renamed the Captain Vincent G. Fowler school in May 2000 and it is so fitting for our school. Our staff and our students always have the "we can do that" attitude and we look up to Captain Fowler as a role model in his professional and personal life. Every year P.S. 108Q holds an annual "Fowler Day" celebration. The students put on a performance, Captain Fowler’s family attends and we often have active and retired firefighters who join us in Captain Fowler's honor. It is a truly special day, when you can feel the happiness and spirit of Captain Fowler in the building. Many of the thoughts and information in this biography of Captain Fowler come from his father, Vincent J. Fowler who passed away on January 22, 2016. He wrote them to his granddaughter and it is evident how proud he truly was of his son. His final thought about his son, Vincent Fowler was a quote, "No greater love hath man than to lay down his life for his friend."
Click on the articles below to find out more about Captain Fowler
https://www1.nyc.gov/html/om/html/2000a/pr211-00.html
Memorial
https://www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/vincent-g-fowler/
https://www.ufanyc.org/cms/contents/view/10501
https://www.ufanyc.org/cms/contents/view/17097
Technical / Educational Articles
http://www.backstepfirefighter.com/2009/12/23/collyer-mansion-part-ii/
https://citylimits.org/2011/09/06/when-fire-wins-causes-of-fdny-deaths/
