OLD ELECTION NIGHT'S IN RED HOOK.

[68jk09]

Election nights back up into the '60s....Red Hook would go nuts w/large bonfires & once the wood for bonfires ran out then many vacant bldg Fires.... 202/101 & 279/131 would have double & triple sections for the Election Night consisting of spare rigs manned by details from all over the Job (no ot in those days).....anybody who showed up w/gear was allowed to ride/work.....always plenty of action.

 

[entropychaser]

In the 1940's Engine 282 was detailed to Red Hook for Election Night. In the book "They Only Played Cards" Paul DeGaeta tells the story of the covering newly promoted lieutenant who ordered the company to put out a bonfire after they told him that would be a poor idea. Then the officer suddenly grabs the nozzle and sprays the crowd. This act probably meets anyone's idea of insanity. The crowd steals the line and runs. Things end with the Lieutenant standing in the middle of a deserted block begging for the rowdies to at least bring back the nozzle.

 

[AuxWarYearsCapt]

Election nights back up into the '60s....Red Hook would go nuts w/large bonfires & once the wood for bonfires ran out then many vacant bldg Fires.... 202/101 & 279/131 would have double & triple sections for the Election Night consisting of spare rigs manned by details from all over the Job (no ot in those days).....anybody who showed up w/gear was allowed to ride/work.....always plenty of action.

E 204 on Degraw St would have a Auxiliary pumper assigned to them. It had a FDNY OFFICE AND ECC. The staff was 5 Auxiliaries on the back step. I met Capt Huber 204 my first election night and was invited to ride with him anytime. Great guy and guy bunch of firefighters.