L84 was covering the entire South Shore of SI with a 1955 FWD wooden tiller. As 2nd due truck, runs to Tottenville or Charleston were 5 miles on the old Drumgoole Blvd, Amboy Rd, Hylan Blvd or Arthur Kill Rd. If they were in Tottenville, they could pick up a first due box maybe 8 or 9 miles away along the slow, pot-holed streets. South Shore of SI had miles of undeveloped woodland. The federal government had workers (the CCC - Civilian Conservation Corps) cut gridiron roads thru a lot of the South Shore, Huguenot thru Tottenville, maybe more. There were dirt roads and sidewalks, in some areas, just concrete sidewalks. FDNY had "dummy boxes" assigned. You could get 3 or 4 different boxes for a brush fire or car fire. There were no hydrants. No street signs. There were small groups of houses all thru the area, so any brush fire had occupied exposures. The beach areas from Tottenville to Rossville (and up to the Port Richmond) had derelict barges and boats. Kids would walk out on low tide and set barges on fire - often. Always good for an all hands. Dispatchers kept Huguenot and Tottenville firehouses filled with relocating companies because of large, distant response area to cover. No good maps, always new construction. As GMan said, all engine companies had 2 pieces. Long, long stretches. During busy brush seasons in spring and fall, 2nd sections were manned with OT and became 2nd section of companies. Rescue 5 was located with E155 and L78. L78 was manned with 7 FFs, every shift. They responded as ladder truck in response area. They kept a guy back with old shop-converted Ward LaFrance hose wagon converted rescue rig. If a rescue run (multiple alarm or special call) came in, guy who stayed back would drive rescue rig to fire, pick up L78 crew, and they became Rescue 5. Another truck replaced them at the original fire. They clipped a rescue shield over their L78 helmet front piece responding as the rescue. L 78 did not respond out of their response area while they had double-duty as Rescue 5. SI changed greatly in the 1960s with VN Bridge, R 5 disbanded, new firehouses, new dispatcher building, Voice Alarm system, highways built, new schools, new developments, SI mall, new movie theaters. Goodbye - Al Deppes, Weissglass Stadium stock car racing, SI airport, SI Farmers' Market, Empire movie theater, Augustinian Academy HS, St Louis Academy HS, Mt Lorretto Orphanage, St Michael's Home, breweries, farms, Drumgoole Blvd, Wetson's Hamburger chain, Clove Lake Stables, Bayonne Ferry, Tottenville Ferry, 69th St Ferry to Booklyn, Surf Club South Beach, Tavern on the Green New Dorp, Weissglass milk deliveries, Holterman bakery deliveries, SI public pools, Tompkinsville Pier basketball courts, SI Hospital. But multiple alarm brush fires at Great Kills park existed then and remain today.
