Romano Petrucco was born to Italian parents on October 27, 1927, in Havana, Cuba. In 1930, the family returned to their home base in Fanna, a small municipality in the province of Pordenone in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeastern Italy. There, Romano and his family lived through the horrors of World War II. After the war, in December 1948, he emigrated to the United States of America, where his skills and training as a tile, terrazzo, and marble setter were in demand. He became a naturalized citizen in March 1955.

While working on a job in Cooperstown, New York, Romano met the woman who would become his wife, Cora Bridger. They married in 1952 and settled in Cooperstown. In 1959, he joined the Cooperstown Fire Department, despite the fact that his job took him out of town almost on a weekly basis. He remained a member of that department until 1963, when he bought a house and relocated his young family to Cortland, New York, for employment reasons. Many years later, after a small electrical fire in his residence, he requested to join the Homer Fire Department in 1975, which was contracted to cover the Town of Cortlandville, in which he achieved the rank of lieutenant. In both volunteer fire departments, he found comradery, a spirit of friendship and community, and an avenue to give back and help others.

During his lifetime, Romano enjoyed activities such as fishing (especially ice fishing on Otsego Lake), snowmobiling, bowling, bocce, pitching horseshoes, music, and dancing, and there was always a home improvement project to complete.

In the late evening hours of October 8, 1981, Romano responded to a call at a local gas station where a vehicle had rammed a gas pump. Upon returning to his personal vehicle, he collapsed across the steering wheel. Despite lifesaving efforts, he succumbed on October 9, 1981, at the age of 53.

At the time of his death, Romano left behind his loving wife, Cora; daughters, Maria, Teresa, and Angela; and son, Richard.

Although Firefighter Petrucco never got to see the final formation of the Cortlandville Fire Department in January 1982, we are certain his inspiration and dedication to the fire service lives on in his legacy. He was posthumously given the CVFD Frank K. Taylor Memorial Fireman of the Year Award for 1981 and has been honored by the CVFD with their meeting room bearing his name.