(Ret)Lt.Richard Hamilton FDNY

[Battalion4]

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Does anyone know of Richard Hamilton? Retired from Rescue 2 in 1972. Is he still alive? Did his son ever join the FDNY? Just curious, I've read his book a hundred times!

[deyoart]

I credit the book 20,000 Alarms and Report from Engine Co 82, along with the TV show Emergency, with inspiring me to pursue a career in the fire service. Being from New York I always want to work for FDNY. However, I got hired out here in Calif.  Our highrises are hillsides. A cold day here is below 70 degrees.

I still have Report from Eng 8-2. I read LT Hamilton's book a ton of times but I lost the book back in the 1970s. I have tried to buy another one but they cost a ton. The last one I saw was more than $100. If I pay a $100 for a paperback my wife is gonna think its got naked women in it.

If anyone knows of the book for sale cheaper let me know.

Art Deyo
951-235-6552

[Battalion4]

Mr.Deyo, Amazon.com has some copies of the book (20,000 alarms)for sale if your still looking. they were around 10 bucks or so.

[deyoart]

Hey Thanx!!!

[deyoart]

Hey Battalion 4 I got the book for less than $20 including shipping. Thanks a ton, Bro! They was one listed on Amazon for $300! Dang....

[Battalion4]

Glad I could help. I have had a copy for 17 yrs now and don't plan on getting rid of it anytime soon! Are you going to stop burning up calif. or what?? You can have those wild fires!

[tl-ff]

What's the book (20,000 alarms) about?

[Battalion4]

The book is about the career of a new york city fireman who became the departments most decorated fireman and Lt. of Rescue 2. It covers his childhood,to his first day on the job and ends with his retirement.  A time span of 20 yrs. 50's to 70's. It covers in great detail the rescues he made over the years. (such as smelling his own hair burning as he was climbing the ladder out of a burning basement were he found 2 missing fireman etc.) Legendary FDNY chief Ray Downey was a fireman under Lt. Hamilton and you can see why he became legendary in his own time.  If you like FDNY stories this is a good one!

[deyoart]

Hey, out here in Cali we burn'em up all in one day. 2,200 houses gone in the last wind storm. Its raining real good today so we won't see any action for a couple of weeks. I'll take a 100' foot wall of flames over a sky scraper any day! Or snow! It got down to 28 degrees last winter and everyone wanted to call in sick.

Now tenements, thats a different story. I wish we had them. I'd love to fight a fire in one. We have west coast tenements here. They are called "mobile homes" and in the midwest the are called "tornado magnets."

And we buy toy fire helmets. The leather ones you's guys have weigh 4 ounces more than our plastic toy helmets. The extra weight hurts our necks and makes it hard to surf so we go with the plastics.

Kinda wish my dad hand'nt moved us from Yonkers. He got tired of the snow.

[Battalion4]

Well at least someone is putting the fires out! Thought us east coast boys might have to come over and show you guys how to get it done!!

Oh yes, I wear a real fire helmet...LEATHER which is 20 yrs old and still going!!!     
I like the snow also!?!

[tah532]

Hey, no one ever answered Battalion4 question!  I too just finished this book, awesome read, and would like to know the same info.  Is he still living, and did his son join the FDNY?

[Battalion4]

I'm still working on his location. I spoke with a retired FDNY B.C. and he said that he thinks he is living in Arizona.  After his retirement he started a very good construction company in the new york area. As for his kids unknown as of yet.  So if you know any body in AZ maybe they can help.

[diablo_fire]

it is sad to say that Lt Hamilton passed away with his family at his side in April of 2010 out in Callie. And I too love his book and also him and Denise Smith inspired me more and more to become a firefighter. Although I never made it to the big time as a career ff i was a volie in the Midwest, may you Rest In Peace Lt. 

[H & L 147]

Dick Hamilton was some guy. He responded with R 2 the night my Father died of a heart attack almost 40 years ago.  My Dad was a brother Lt with FDNY and just turned 49 years old. When R 2 removed my Dad from the house to the amb Lt. Hamilton took me aside and told me that he was dead. They were taking him to the hospital on his descision, I think, he convinced the amb crew that they should take him to the hospital along with  some members of R 2 to make it easier on the family, I realized a few years latter (when I was a police officer with NYPD) what he was doing. I rode with him and the rest of Rescue to the hospital in the old walk thru Rescue rig. He was thinking of the family of a fellow member of FDNY. I would be remiss if I did not mention the efforts of Engine Company 321 (one of his former companies)  and Lt. Tom Touhy (a friend of my Dad's) that March morning in 1971 long before CFRD. A morning I will never forget.

[diablo_fire]

Dick Hamilton was some guy. He responded with R 2 the night my Father died of a heart attack almost 40 years ago.  My Dad was a brother Lt with FDNY. When R 2 removed my Dad from the house to the amb Lt. Hamilton took me aside and told me that he was dead. They were taking him to the hospital on his descision, I think, he convinced the amb crew that they should take him to the hospital along with  some members of R 2 to make it easier on the family I realized a few years latter (when I was a police officer with NYPD) what he was doing. I rode with him and the rest of Rescue to the hospital in the old walk thru Rescue rig. He was thinking of the family of a fellow member of FDNY. I would be remiss if I did not mention the efforts of Engine 321(one of his former companies)  and Lt. Tom Touhy (a friend of my Dad's) that March morning in 1971 long before CFRD. A morning I will never forget.

From what I have read and heard about Lt Hamilton that was not unusual. and if I remember correctly he talked about this in his book.

The FDNY and the fire service lost a great man when he retired and when he passed away.