Back when....

M

memory master

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Aug 29, 2008
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Remember when you would hear, at the top of the hour, the boro dispatcher say over the air..."The time is XX, this is KEB 526 of the New York City Fire Department, in the Borough of Queens, operating on an assigned frequency of 154.37 megahertz. Dispatcher XX."

That was way before the electronic ID tones came about and yes, Brooklyn and Queens shared the same frequency back then.

Or on weekdays at 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. you would hear..."Queens conducting the roll call for outside activities, Engine XXX" and down the numerical line. Of course then there was no roll call for the truck companies as they switched with the engine crew except for the M.P.O., truck chauffeur and tillerman. Oh, just another stroll down memory lane I suppose. :'(
 
And don't forget the big sign we had to hang on the side of the rig when we did
AFID.

It said something like "This company Is available to respond to calls via two-way
Radio, or something to that effect.
 
Building inspection started around '54 or '55 by then Commissioner Cavanaugh when the rigs were first equipped w/2 way radios.....the original BI signs were masonite .......much later they were a soft vinyl......the signs kind of went by the wayside around '88 or '89......Tiller rigs also used to switch the Officer & FFs (except the Chauf & Tillerman w/their associated ENG Co (minus the MPO).......this was done because the tillers were considered too long to park easily at the BI site.....this practice stopped when a LAD received a Rearmount or TL....the few remaining Tillers today do not switch anymore.
 
It was interesting when a job occured and the first due engine and truck were in switched positions. That was one of the rare occurances where an engineman got the roof and a truckie had the nozzle. I think the chiefs weren't too happy about that situation.
 
A few times a year the company would be "up for the rock."  This meant that for a two week period there was a chance the company would be sent to Div. of Trng. for evaluation.  Not training.  There were a lot of companies on the schedule so there was a good chance of not being called.  Nevertheless, every morning for two weeks it would be all hands on the apparatus floor at 0800 to clean the rig and tools.  We would get a tip from the dispatcher about 0845 if we were going.  At 0900 a series of bells would come in special calling several engine and truck companies.  When we arrived we would have to go thru the evolutions and other exercises.  There was a lot of resentment as these were the 'war years" and guys with soft jobs were putting us thru the paces.  A report was sent to the Division as to how we performed. If  it wasn't a good report there would be extra chief's visits and extra drills.  One time we screwed up.  Two of us got into a loud argument right in the middle of raising the 35' ladder.  Then the lieutenant was supposed to hand in a drill outline but he said he left it in quarters.  I don't think he ever wrote it.  But it was like the dog eating the homework and we got a lousy report.  The BC back home got pi##ed off and it was many an extra drill for a few weeks. 
 
Sounds like Vietnam in the 60's. I was one of 5 enlisted personnel in I Corps authorizied to put in air strikes, a job now the same as a Combat Controller. Every now and then I went to DaNang AB, while there I was trained by a REMF in th ways of combat. Draw your own conclusions.
 
Can't read sign butlooks like company on BI, maybe late 1950s-1960s:

KGr_Hq_YOKj_IE1u_d_Hd_BNo_K_v_Ul_Q_3.jpg
 
Did FDNY members ever wear Class A's on a regular tour (when they'd do BI)? Looks more like parade dress to me.
 
On BI/AFID we wore the uniform cap and work clothes which early on consisted of store bought jeans and depending on the season, a company t-shirt or sweatshirt.
 
mack said:
Can't read sign but looks like company on BI, maybe late 1950s-1960s:

Click to expand...
  1953 Ward LaFrance Civil Defense pumper C.D. 10 was quartered at Engine 44 so it may have been E44 although that rig was moved around a lot.
 
mack said:
Can't read sign butlooks like company on BI, maybe late 1950s-1960s:

Click to expand...
........Even though the rig has the Fire Prevention sign on it  i think it might be in a parade .....notice the civilians behind the Police barricade on the left.
 
Good point, chief.  It does look like a parade  But it is similar to units out on BI back then.

When I looked at this picture again, I noticed the simplicity of the equipment carried on the pumper.  Engine companies had:  hose; extinguishers; fittings/nozzles; scaling ladder; life net (?); pump; deck pipe; booster tank (maybe); masks; ax.

Today, departments have rescue pumpers with: computer system; EMS or ALS equipment/meds; power tools; detectors; haz mat stuff; lighting equipmentt; communications systems; etc.; etc.; etc.....
 
I don't remember that. Not that I'm disagreeing, but weren't the nets folded in half and stored in a bottom compartment by the running boards on the tiller rigs of the truck companies?
 
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTO OF THE PUMPER IT LOOKS LIKE 5TH AVE OPP CENTRAL PARK & A PARADE. THE RIG LOOKS LIKE ONE OF THE 65 OLD CD PUMPERS.
 
82 engine carried a life net my time there. Only once did we try and use it. 5 story tenement woman and kid trapped top floor apartment, hanging out front window. 94/48 went in first. 94 stretching 48 raising aerial. Ladder would raise and extend but was malfunctioning on rotation, only a few inches each try. Fire was already venting from apartment fire escape window, room vics were in was starting to light up. I told my guys to get the net. FF Tom Neary and Lt. Don Butler, L31 rescued both from interior. Butler first dived out window with kid in arms then Neary threw woman onto ladder now 2 to 3 feet from window. Neary dove out then head first onto ladder with his turnout coat smoking and his pants (no bunker gear then) on fire. Butler received a Class 1 and medal for rescue. Neary received a Class 1 and the Bennet medal that (1975) year. But, we did carry a net in 82. 
 
I vaguely remember the "civil defense" pumpers.  What was the story there.  Were they paid for by the Federal Govt.  That rig is not on BI.  It is in motion and although you don't get a good look at the backstep, it is obvious the rest of the company is not there.  If it was stationary you could make the argument that the troops are inspecting bldgs. 
 
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