For Tarasiewicz‚ an 11-year FDNY veteran‚ becoming a member of Rescue 5 was the culmination of a life spent looking for new challenges. A former Marine‚ he had worked as a coalminer and honed his skills as a scuba specialist. At home in Staten Island‚ Tarasiewicz was working with his wife on the complete renovation of a 100-year old home‚ bought so he would be close to his firehouse.