Additional battalion chiefs in service?
- Thread starter mosol
- Start date
What part of Brooklyn were they working out of?
A quick story about the 71 Bn. Back in the late 80?s during the notorious 4th of July celebrations when fireworks were burning up the city I worked the 71 Bn.
I volunteered for OT for the 6 x9 but there were no Captain spots available but they needed a BC for the 71 Bn, activated that night. So I got the ABC spot. We had an extra 2 Eng and 1 Lad at The Highway House for the night. They were to be assigned as needed when there were no other companies available. Needless to say the night was hot and heavy and everybody caught work.
We would go out and not come back until the early morning hours. I remember companies doing outstanding work and not get recognized do to the amount of work and lack of reports. On many runs the Bklyn Disp. would ask if anybody was available on structural fires. The silence was deafening.
One call I remember was on Neptune Ave in Coney Is. Eng 318 under than Lieut Mike Gala, now Deputy Asst Chief of Operations, worked on an 2nd floor apartment fire above a store. All alone. When we arrived with two trucks I had to give him an Atta Boy and leave. Told him he had the report! Looked like heavy fire on arrival for them. Great work done by 318.
Another company L169 was calling for help, they had a roof fire in Gravesend section with no Engine company available. They had used up there extinguishers and were using a garden hose that neighbors were using. The ingenuous use by the neighbor?s hose was that it was attached to a lawn sprinkler to keep his roof wet. 169 was using it to form a bucket brigade. The fire was around a roof scuttle where a rocket had lodged under and communicated to the under roof boards. They probably saved the house.
There were many stories those nights but the best was nobody knew who Bn 71 was when we arrived. We nick named ourselves the Lone Ranger and Tonto for the evening, we came and left. To this day when in see Pete Esposito, my aide that night we still call ourselves by that name.
A quick story about the 71 Bn. Back in the late 80?s during the notorious 4th of July celebrations when fireworks were burning up the city I worked the 71 Bn.
I volunteered for OT for the 6 x9 but there were no Captain spots available but they needed a BC for the 71 Bn, activated that night. So I got the ABC spot. We had an extra 2 Eng and 1 Lad at The Highway House for the night. They were to be assigned as needed when there were no other companies available. Needless to say the night was hot and heavy and everybody caught work.
We would go out and not come back until the early morning hours. I remember companies doing outstanding work and not get recognized do to the amount of work and lack of reports. On many runs the Bklyn Disp. would ask if anybody was available on structural fires. The silence was deafening.
One call I remember was on Neptune Ave in Coney Is. Eng 318 under than Lieut Mike Gala, now Deputy Asst Chief of Operations, worked on an 2nd floor apartment fire above a store. All alone. When we arrived with two trucks I had to give him an Atta Boy and leave. Told him he had the report! Looked like heavy fire on arrival for them. Great work done by 318.
Another company L169 was calling for help, they had a roof fire in Gravesend section with no Engine company available. They had used up there extinguishers and were using a garden hose that neighbors were using. The ingenuous use by the neighbor?s hose was that it was attached to a lawn sprinkler to keep his roof wet. 169 was using it to form a bucket brigade. The fire was around a roof scuttle where a rocket had lodged under and communicated to the under roof boards. They probably saved the house.
There were many stories those nights but the best was nobody knew who Bn 71 was when we arrived. We nick named ourselves the Lone Ranger and Tonto for the evening, we came and left. To this day when in see Pete Esposito, my aide that night we still call ourselves by that name.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2008
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Nice story Sir and welcome to the pack!