My younger Buff years

[guitarman314]

  Charlotte St? Back in the day, we would hear boxes like: 2743-Charlotte & 170 and know right away that there would be a big job. Buffing at 60/17 we heard that box come in so often that we didn't have to pull up the card because we already knew that 60 was 1st due on the 4th. And a couple of times that box went to 4 alarms.  

[guitarman314]

   I remember assignment cards printed just before the "War Years" had certain Bronx companies that didn't relocate while others almost always did. For instance, in the Bronx, Engines 38, 41, 42, 43, 48, 50, 81, 83, 88, 89, 90, and 94 did a lot of relocating while Engines 45, 46, 52, 60, 61, 63, 64, 68, 70, 71, 73, 75, 79, 82, 92 and 97 were almost always covered. E41 relocated to 36, 58, 68, 91, 92 and 94. E42 relocated to 36, 45, 60, 62, 63, 71 and 79. E43 covered 45, 46, 68 & 84. E48 covered 60, 61, 62, 63, 71, 92, 93 & 97. E50 covered 69, 73, 82 & 92. E81 covered 63, 68, 75 & 95. E83 relocated to 60, 64 & 73. E88 relocated to 45, 46, 70, 75 & 92. E89 relocated to E64, E90 relocated to 45, 46, 75, 79 and 82. E94 relocated to 45, 60, 71 & 73. E96 relocated to 73. Ladder companies were more of a mixed batch although some like L17, 31, 39, 52, & L53 didn't relocate.

[johnd248]

I remember when the NY Jets played in Super Bowl III in 1969; I had a choice of watching the game alone on my old black and white TV or going out to Engine 248 and watching on their brand new color set.  I went to the firehouse, signed in, put my gear on the rig, and watched the endless pregame hoopla.  Just as the teams were lining up for the opening kickoff, the bells announced a first run and out we went.  It turned out to be an all hands in a multiple dwelling.  By the time we picked up our lines, returned to quarters, stripped wet lengths and replace them with dry, we got to see one play of the game; this was the Baltimore Colts one and only TD of the game.  The bells rang for our home box: 1552- Flatbush and Church Avenues.  We turned out to see heavy smoke pouring out of Jahn's Ice Cream Parlor just down Church Avenue.  Another first due all hands.  By the time we got back to quarters, the infamous Joe Namath Super Bowl was over.  I shoulda stayed home.

[nfd2004]

As pointed out earlier was a famous street noted for its arson during the War Years. That is Charlotte St. It really isn"t a very big street, but that became the symbol of the Arson in NYC. The book "Report from Eng 82" talked about it, Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reegan visited it, The documentry "The Bronx is Burning" made mention of it, and the movie "Wolfin" had filmed on it. Today Charlotte St has beautiful single family raised ranch houses, with nice lawns and white picket fences. Long gone are the rows of burned out 5 and 6 story tenements. Or the huge rubbish piles or rat infested lots. A few streets over are beautiful two story new condos. Crotona Park, once filled with high weeds, abondoned burned out cars, plenty of rat holes burrowed into the ground, has been replaced with beautiful tennis courts, well kept lawns, walking paths and lakes with water sprays. It certainly doesn"t look like the same place it was 30 years ago. Its hard to believe that a place like had been described actually existed. At times it was compared to a third world country. I remember bringing down a few buffs, and when we left the South Bronx, one commented; "its like they opened the gates and let us out".

[nfd2004]

It wasn"t only the South Bronx that was burning in those years. Neighborhoods in Harlem, Bed-Sty, Brownsville, and the Lower East Side were all catching their share of work. A little later companies in the Washington Heights area, Bushwick and the WEST Bronx all started picking up too. But it was the South Bronx that had gotten the Reputation as "The Arson Capital of the World". For those travelers and truckers driving along I-95 South bound on the Cross Bronx Expressway, if they didn"t know what was going on down in those South Bronx streets, they sure got to see the effects of it. Just before the Third Ave Exit, you could see from the expressway, an entire block of burned out five and six story brick apartment buildings. Every single apartment was burned out. Maybe if you happened to ride by the right time, you could see the smoke rising while Tower Ladder 31 or 58 went to work on it from their bucket.
  Then in 1975 or 1976, the "Entire Country" got to see for themselves what firefighters and buffs already knew. As people watched their TVs the World Series was being played from Yankee Staduim. While the fans were cheering on Regie Jackson, the FDNY was doing what they had been doing every night. That was putting out fires in the South Bronx and other neighborhoods throughout the City. Only this time it was in the area of Yankee Stadium, and the TV cameras focused in on it between plays. Sports Announcer, the Late Howard Cosell, not only talked about the Series Game, but also how the Bronx was burning. I believe the fire went to a Fourth Alarm, and the next day everybody from NY to LA was talking about the Game, "AND" "The Fire". America had now witnessed for themselves, what really was going on in "The Arson Capital of the World". And by the way, "I do believe the Yankees won".

[guitarman314]

  That was on Wednesday, Oct. 12th, 1977, a 5th Alarmer seen worldwide on ABC Sports. The fire building was the old PS 3 school building which was a  large 400 x 200 4 story vacant school built in 1890. E71 responded to an ERS box at 1917hrs then 3 minutes later Box 2310-Melrose & 158 was sent, followed by a 7-5 and it progressed all all the way up to a 5th alarm at 2151hrs, 2 hours later. The Super Pumper and 2 additional tower ladders were also called in. 

[grumpy grizzly]

If I remember correcly there was a movie titled "Fort Apache, the Bronx" This movie concerned itself with NYPD operations and I think Paul Newman starred in it. In the movie there is an actual fire scene that was in progress while scenes were being filmed so the director just kept it in. I think 82/31 was shown in action

[nfd2004]

Guitarman314, Yes, thats the fire I was talking about. I never expected anybody out there to have that many details on it. Yes, it was a school on fire. I remember my buddies talking about it. There were no computers, Web Sites, or pagers in those days to get the rundowns etc. It was one buff telling another, or in my case, I saw it on TV. I was a new guy on the job and they were watching the game in the firehouse. I don"t remember exactly what I was doing at the time, but I do remember the guys yelling to me; "Hey Willy, come check out this job in the Bronx". Thank you Guitarman for that info.
   Mr Grumpy Grizzly, Yes, that movie "Fort Apache the Bronx" did show 82/31 going into a job near the end of the movie. For those who don"t know, the movie itself was about the NYPDs 42nd Pct. It showed the conditions that existed in the chaotic South Bronx during those busy years. It was filmed on the streets of The South Bronx. I have it in my collection because I consider it to be a good movie, and it shows what it was like in those years. I had thought about mentioning that movie, but you beat me to it.
   Thank you both for your input.

[turk132]

Fort Apache was the 41 PCT I believe.

[guitarman314]

Fort Apache was the 41 PCT I believe.

Yes, the "real" Fort Apache was the 41st Pct. then located on Simpson St. nr. Westchester Ave. but the movie was shot at the 42nd Pct. at Washington Ave. where it begins off 3rd Avenue & 160th St. Could be because the 42 was located in a plaza setting and it would be better for scenes like the local people rioting in front of it.  

[nfd2004]

One day as my buddy and I were heading down to buff, he suggested we have a change of pace. He said, "how about we go to Brooklyn and check those guys out". I was happy with the Bronx, but I figured what the heck. So we headed to Brooklyn. We knew that some of the hot spots were in Bed-Sty, Brownsville, and Bushwick. So I drove while my buddy checked the map. It was the first time I had been to Brooklyn since my Rescue 2 Rides. That was around 1968 and it was now 1976. I remember that because a lot of firehouses had painted their apparatus doors in honor of the up coming Bicentennial Celebration for July 4, 1976. Some of the rigs had also been painted. I remember the entire cab of one American LaFrance Tiller Ladder being painted red, white, and blue. I think the FDNY was holding a contest for the best looking rig and firehouse doors. A few were even published in a WNYF Magazine.
  Anyway, my buddy and I located a good spot to hang out. It was a McDonald's on Broadway in Brooklyn. Bed-Sty was to the south, Bushwick was to the north and Brownsville was to the east. All busy areas. It didn"t take long for our first hit. It was about 11 AM and a job came in for Evergreen Ave (Bushwick Section). I could see the smoke as we left the lot. Just as we arrived the 28 Battalion transmitted the Second Alarm. This fire was on the top floor of a 4 story row frame building. There were maybe ten 4 story frames all attached by a common cockloft in the entire city block. It was the first time I had ever seen a fire in a row of wood frames. I couldn"t believe how quickly the fire had spread throughout the cockloft, taking the entire block. I remember having a framed picture of it in my living room for a long time. ( Sure lucky to have such an understanding wife ). The entire block was on fire and other friends from the fire service would look at the picture and couldn"t believe that they held it to a Second Alarm. 
  Bushwick certainly saw their share of fire, epically around 1975, 76, and 77. Companies like E271/L124, E277/L112, then Eng 252 (now Sqd 252) sure caught it. And that area was loaded with the row frames. In those days there was no FAST truck or Rac Unit. On a Hot, muggy, summer day, you"d knock down one fire and then get ready for another. I think it was August of 1976 that the FDNY had over 100 Multiple Alarms for the month. At one time I had heard that if a chief went to a Multiple Alarm it was like they were stealing companies that the city needed elsewhere. I certainly have Great Respect for Firefighters today. But the guys that were on the job in those days have to go down as "The Greatest Generation" of Firefighters. The amount of work they caught with very limited resources is overwhelming to say the least. And by no means do I mean to forget those Great FDNY Dispatchers who worked behind the scenes, with no computers, only paper and pencil.

[johnd248]

Back in the late 60s and early 70s, the Battalions would go from firehouse to firehouse delivering "the bag" which contained department orders and other important correspondence.  One night Battalion 41 was making the rounds and we read that a new signal (10-38) had been instituted to report, at the time, steam leaks.  In those days, in addition to the firehouses, we also delivered "the bag" to the Brooklyn CO as they were in our response area.  Wouldn't ya know: before we got to the CO, we had a call which was a steam leak.  The aide radioed the preliminary: 10-18 for a 10-38.  There was silence from the dispatcher.  After a few minutes, he asked what the signal was.  Again, the aide merely said: 10-18 for a 10-38.  More silence and then the dispatcher said: Battalion 41, please call the CO.  We were there two minutes later and showed them the department order with the new signal.  We all had a good laugh!!

[rdm258]

Back in the 60's and 70's what was the response after the 10-75 was transmitted. I assume the recsue and Div went but what else? What was the Super Pumper sent on and how many Satellites responded with the Super Pumper.

[johnd248]

Back then, there was no 10-75.  The signal for a working fire was a 10-30.  There were no special units until the all hands was transmitted.  Fast truck did not exist.  I believe the Super Pumper did not go until a third alarm.

[nfd2004]

Just to add to the above, yes, I believe the Super Pumper system would respond Citywide on a Third Alarm or Greater. That usually consisted of The Super Pumper Unit, The Super Tender Unit, the Maxi Water Unit (which I believe were all at the quarters of Eng 207/Lad 110 in Brooklyn), plus the nearest Satellite Unit. At that time there were only three Satellite Units. I believe Sat. 1 w/Eng 9, Sat. 2 w/Eng 72 and Sat 3 w/Eng 330. All of the units were also manned. The Maxi Water Unit might have been manned by the boss of the System, because Maxi Water was the one that seemed to always give the Super Pumper Hookup site over the radio. And Maxi Water was a rig similar to the Satellite Units. The Super Pumper hook up site could be blocks away from the fire, but would give the best water supply.