Jeffery Palazzo, Res.5 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Jeffrey Palazzo loved the outdoors. Hunting. Skiing. Scuba diving. Fishing. The 33-year-old New Dorp resident, who came to Staten Island from Brooklyn, also liked to fix things around the house, a real-life version of Tim Allen’s character from the show “Home Improvement.” But firefighting was in his blood. Mr. Palazzo was first assigned to Ladder Co. 109 in Brooklyn, and spent about five years there. He then joined Staten Island’s elite Rescue 5 squad in Concord, where he had been stationed for the last 18 months. He was one of 11 members of Rescue Co. 5 who were lost in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. “He was tremendously sincere,” said Firefighter John Drury of Rescue 5. “He was not only passionate about his work as a rescue firefighter, but was always quick to tell you a caring story about his own family.” Firefighter Chris Dowd said Mr. Palazzo just completed scuba training. “He excelled in that and he would have been a great asset to the house,” Mr. Dowd said. “Actually, he already was a great asset to the house and would have moved up in his career.” Mr. Palazzo enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1988, and was a member of the Reserves. He graduated from Kingsborough Community College, Brooklyn. Mr. Palazzo was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace R.C. Church, New Dorp. Surviving are his wife, the former Lisa Vassallo; his two daughters, Nicole and Samantha; his parents, Anthony and Irene Palazzo, and a sister, Laurie Palazzo. The funeral will be tomorrowfrom the Marine Park Funeral Home, Brooklyn, with a mass at 10:30 a.m. in Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.
