A LOOK BACK.

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Captain784

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Jul 20, 2022
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Squad 4 did over 10,000 runs in the late 1960s. I was a fireman in Tower Ladder 18 and was going to College for Fire Science, so I was involved in the NASA "Firefighters Integrated Response Ensemble System," = Project F.I.R.E.S, along with member of Squad 4, Ladder 19 and units from Huston, Texas and I think Chicago and L.A.. The FIRES program that was a program to use technology from the NASA space program for other uses. NASAs Technical Utilization Committee ran the program. Out of it came Nomex for turnout coats, the Scott 4.5 SCBA (based on the Astronauts space breathing system) Better fire helmets, and to a certain degree some E.M.S. equipment such as defibullators. (Hope that is spelled right?) Who says the space program was a waste. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
 
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entropychaser

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Jun 27, 2017
Messages
1,180
Captain784 said:
Squad 4 did over 10,000 runs in the late 1960s. I was a fireman in Tower Ladder 18 and was going to College for Fire Science, so I was involved in the NASA "Firefighters Integrated Response Ensemble System," = Project F.I.R.E.S, along with member of Squad 4, Ladder 19 and units from Huston, Texas and I think Chicago and L.A.. The FIRES program that was a program to use technology from the NASA space program for other uses. NASAs Technical Utilization Committee ran the program. Out of it came Nomex for turnout coats, the Scott 4.5 SCBA (based on the Astronauts space breathing system) Better fire helmets, and to a certain degree some E.M.S. equipment such as defibullators. (Hope that is spelled right?) Who says the space program was a waste. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
Click to expand...
 
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entropychaser

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entropychaser said:
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On Page A-1 is a letter to NASA engineer Pat McLaughlan.

Pat grew up in the Montrose section of Houston. As a kid he buffed at Engine 16 at Westheimer and Yaupon on a bike. After graduating from engineering school he started working for NASA in 1963. Working at Crew Systems Division, his group was tasked with expanding the application of space technology (Tang orange juice wasn't enough). Putting some off-the-shelf equipment together, they came up with a fire service SCBA.

He was sent to New York to supervise field testing at Ladder 19 (during the War Years). When leaving town he and his wife were taken to dinner at the famous Manhattan restaurant 21 Club by the Fire Commissioner- John T O'Hagan. He also worked with Boston Fire Commissioner Leo Stapleton.

During his 40 year career at NASA, Pat was a volunteer EMT on the local EMS organization: Clear Lake Emergency Medical Corps. He had written permission from the Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center to leave work on a call.

Now, near 90 years old and long retired, I have known him for decades. He lives two blocks away.
 
JohnnyGage

JohnnyGage

Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Messages
1,093
Captain784 said:
Squad 4 did over 10,000 runs in the late 1960s. I was a fireman in Tower Ladder 18 and was going to College for Fire Science, so I was involved in the NASA "Firefighters Integrated Response Ensemble System," = Project F.I.R.E.S, along with member of Squad 4, Ladder 19 and units from Huston, Texas and I think Chicago and L.A.. The FIRES program that was a program to use technology from the NASA space program for other uses. NASAs Technical Utilization Committee ran the program. Out of it came Nomex for turnout coats, the Scott 4.5 SCBA (based on the Astronauts space breathing system) Better fire helmets, and to a certain degree some E.M.S. equipment such as defibullators. (Hope that is spelled right?) Who says the space program was a waste. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
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During a recent podcast for members of this site a few weeks ago, Ira Hoffman the GURU of Runs and Workers was the guest speaker. About a dozen of us tuned in, saw and heard Ira clearly state that not a single FDNY company broke 10k runs, despite rumors of the officer throwing tickets away, not recording runs, blowing away from his tie clip, not reporting trash can fires, etc etc. Let's also not forget the solid dispatchers whose main responsibility is to record each and every run was a source too. Here is the R&W tally by Ira Hoffman of Sq 4 1970.

1970SQ4 RW.png
 
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entropychaser

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How would run numbers be affected by company officers on the night tour who were ditching run tickets to avoid the twenty runs before midnight interchange scheme? I assume squads wouldn't worry about that.

On a different issue, before the introduction the CAD system, the Brooklyn CO was observed to not count pulled street boxes during intervals of high alarm rates (30 alarms/hour); or cover the box with one engine, or one and one, against protocol (an early version of Fallback Steps).
 
1261Truckie

1261Truckie

Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Messages
1,449
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.
 
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Atlas

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Staff member
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Apr 24, 2007
Messages
891
JohnnyGage said:
During a recent podcast for members of this site a few weeks ago, Ira Hoffman the GURU of Runs and Workers was the guest speaker. About a dozen of us tuned in, saw and heard Ira clearly state that not a single FDNY company broke 10k runs, despite rumors of the officer throwing tickets away, not recording runs, blowing away from his tie clip, not reporting trash can fires, etc etc. Let's also not forget the solid dispatchers whose main responsibility is to record each and every run was a source too. Here is the R&W tally by Ira Hoffman of Sq 4 1970.

View attachment 41794
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Looking at the runs for Marine Companies, there runs were in the East River. Marines 4, 5, 6, & 7 covered the East River, while Marine 1, & 2 were on the Hudson Rv. Marine 8 & 9 covered NY Bay. That still holds true today that the East Rv is busier..
 
S

STAjo

Joined
Jun 15, 2012
Messages
3,838
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
 
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Captain784

Joined
Jul 20, 2022
Messages
416
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.
 
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