3/9/10 -- Fourth Alarm/Box 8480

Finally have some time where I was able to get to my pictures. I apologize that they are not nearly as good as what some of the professional photographers have gotten. The mixture of NYPD and US Park Police were not letting anybody cross over Hylan, so I worked with what I had. The people near the yellow tape had been in the park when the fire broke out. It is mostly pictures of units responding. I was only able to hang around until 17:00 and then had to head back over to New Jersey for my class at Rutgers.

http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/FDNYwiz/SI%204%20Alarm%20Brush%20Box%208480/
 
Ladder companies at brush fires - It's been a few years since I spent time with Bn23, but chiefs used truck companies to help locate and extinguish small pockets of fire (they used Indian Pumps and brooms), they helped the engine stretch lines and reposition lines, they provided visibility with a raised tower ladder, they evacuated threatened homes, they opened up sheds, garages or cars that started to burn, and they were available to cover the many homes which typically surround the large areas of brush.  It was easy to get a structure fire from the flying embers blocks away from the actual fire if a good wind was going.  Great Kills Park had a lot of private dwellings around it and was always a source of good brush fires on dry windy days.  Home owners seeing a lot of smoke liked to see red trucks on their block, even if it had a ladder. 
 
mack said:
Ladder companies at brush fires - It's been a few years since I spent time with Bn23, but chiefs used truck companies to help locate and extinguish small pockets of fire (they used Indian Pumps and brooms), they helped the engine stretch lines and reposition lines, they provided visibility with a raised tower ladder, they evacuated threatened homes, they opened up sheds, garages or cars that started to burn, and they were available to cover the many homes which typically surround the large areas of brush.  It was easy to get a structure fire from the flying embers blocks away from the actual fire if a good wind was going.  Great Kills Park had a lot of private dwellings around it and was always a source of good brush fires on dry windy days.  Home owners seeing a lot of smoke liked to see red trucks on their block, even if it had a ladder. 
Click to expand...

Thanks Mack
 
Ok I understand the explanation of a (1) tower ladder for observation...But 6 or 7 ladder companies? As well as committing a Rescue and Squad Co. to fight a brush fire? I'm not second guessing or saying right or wrong, just trying to understand committing specialized units like Rescue and Squad. Would they not be better served skipping them to stay in service for their intended use?

I can understand if houses are endangered and placing companies strategically to protect them...but not if the brush fire poses no harm or has no exposures.

RM4
 
Roofman - Great Kills Park always had a lot of brush fires.  You could usually see the smoke when leaving E162's quarters.  There was about 600 acres much of fierce-burning cattails and thick brush.  There were several marinas for southern exposures and hundreds of homes to the North and West.  The worry was always a wind shift and the possibility of losing 20 or 30 homes.  They also used to be concerned about the fire jumping the park and running up the shoreline brush areas which have hundreds of homes as exposures. Fires at Great Kills Park could be fast moving with walls of flame since it had a good shoreline wind in the spring and fall.

I don't know what the Squads and Rescue did but the city was reimbursed by the National Park Service after it bacame a federal park as 811 pointed out.
 
I found many multiples reported by the press for large brush fires at Great Kills Park. 
Apr 2008 - 3rd alarm
Mar 2006 - 2nd alarm
Mar 2006 - 5th alarm
Apr 1999 - 4th alarm
There are probably many more.  I also found that the park was created from fill and they found radiological contamination and did a lot of studies in 2006.  Maybe that's a concern for special units.
 
NYC has a true urban wildland interface in some of its area. Their brush fire are usually large and threaten homes, vehicles and other property thus, Ladders/Rescues/Squads are sent. Many times their manpower is required. No point having a Compnay remain in quarters watching the fire/smoke when they can be put to work in some fashion
 
 
Great Find, MACK. What year would that be around?
Plus does the Natl Park have any brush units in service any more?
 
My guess is late 60's to early 70's.  The experts may be able to tell by E18's rig.  It's ironic that E18 which was very busy had to be relocated out of the Lower East Side for brush fires in SI.

I don't know if the National Park Service runs any brush fire equipment at Great Kills Park.  I think they had some brush fire suppression capability in the past but it could be all FDNY-dependent now.
 
Another reason why Rescue and Squad goes in addition to the homes is that there is a major DEP plant very close to Great Kills, in addition to a boat marina, and we all know what could happen once those go up..
 
By looking at the front of the BFU I think it's probably a little more recent.  I think the Ford's had grills like that in the late 80s or early 90s.  I'm sure somebody else will be able to identify the timing based on the looks of that unit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top