A LOOK BACK.

S

STAjo

Joined
Jun 15, 2012
Messages
3,650
1261Truckie said:
Talk to and listen to the men that worked in Brownsville, East New York, South Bronx, Harlem, etc. The running was there and the work was there. Dropped and/or lost run tickets, JTO's edicts and the CO's being overwhelmed all contributed to a scenario where we don't know what the "true numbers" are for sure, BUT one thing is for certain, the guys who worked those neighborhoods back then worked their tails off and gave us a helluva "War Years" legacy.
To those of them who are still with us - God love you and thank you for your service and dedication.
To those who aren't with us any more - Rest in Peace and thank you for what you did and the tradition we continue to honor.
Click to expand...
I saw on another site where L103-Ret. Spoke of going into work at POSA (290/103-Sheffield Ave) at 6PM, and, if they were Lucky, getting back at 9A
 
C

Captain784

Joined
Jul 20, 2022
Messages
292
I covered a Lieutenant in Battalion 26 in the South Bronx from 1984 to 1986. One of the units I covered in the Batt. 26 "R" group was Engine 92 quartered with Tower Ladder 44 and Battalion 17. One summer night while covering a vacation in Engine 92 we had 48 runs and 3 working fires in one 15-hour night tour. Great firefighters, great officers, and great Chiefs it was a pleasure but a lot of hard work, but it was exciting. The "War Years" ranged over a good part of the city, and the Lower East Side and Harlem in Manhattan, Most of Brownsville most Middle and Northern Brooklyn, The South & West Bronx, Jamacia in Queens all had a full "Boat Load" of fire duty. But FDNY was not alone. Boston and Philadelphia also and well as manyFDNY Buswick is Burning 11th Alarm 7-18-77.jpg other cities, had their "War Years." A great book about "Boston's war years" is called "Busy as Hell' Both #1 & #2.

Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
 
N

nfd2004

Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
5,568
"Captain784", I spent a lot of time buffing in those neighborhoods of NYC that you mention.
For many years 92/44 was the neighborhood I hung out in.
No doubt Captain Rainey, somewhere along our paths crossed.

I also spent a little time in Boston as you mention.

The picture you posted above in reply # 562, I believe is from the 1977 massive fire in Bushwick and I'm guessing, that tower ladder might be TL 105.
 
T

ta176

Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
270
The runs back in 1970 only came via the bells, so no paper ticket was produced. The Officer would write the box # down and hope he didn't miss a few here and there. Maybe when we interchanged with them they never got the true number we did. When we did interchange with Squad 4 and we would be at Linden Blvd. and Fountain another run would come in and now we were directed to East NY and Howard. So in the end doing 30 or more runs a night, was it 9700 or 10,000 does it really matter now? It's something that will never be duplicated. But it was the most enjoyable time to be in the Fire Dept..
 
C

Captain784

Joined
Jul 20, 2022
Messages
292
That indeed is my friend Ray Phillips "Gonzo" and the members of TL-29, in the photo. I worked in TL-29 as Covering Lieutenant in the mid 1980s. and worked with him at some really tough fires. He left L-29 to go to Rescue 3 where he was a leader and often the Chauffeur of "Big Blue" R-3. I left the Bronx to be assigned to Manhattans TL-21 in "Hell's Kitchen." We were friends until his sad passing from a WTC related heart condition.
I miss you "Gonzo." Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
 
M

memorymaster

Joined
Nov 2, 2020
Messages
1,003
The Ward LaFrance tractor on the aerial was the replacement for an older "bathtub" style American La France tractor. Notice the old Dept. Of Hospitals box truck on the service road, it was Grey over blue in color. That preceded D.O.H. becoming NYC Health & Hospitals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top