Christmas at the Firehouse
- Thread starter nfd2004
- Start date
Engine 231 Ladder 120 Battalion 44 - Christmas 1993
Brooklyn Box 1600, 0412 hours, December 25
At 0400 hrs on Christmas morning (1993), Watkins Street was dispatched to 1440 ENY Ave for a routine emergency. E231 FF Joe Cooney (now BC Cooney) was conversing with a young child in Apt 10B and it became apparent that the poor child would not be enjoying the Christmas experience as many of us know it. Upon being relieved from duty, FF Cooney (with his own money) went shopping on Pitkin Ave and proceeded to hand deliver toys to this child before heading home to his own family. The child?s mother (obviously moved by this chain of events) decided to contact the Brooklyn Dispatchers in hope of finding out the identity of the FF who left the toys. Upon investigation, a phone call was placed to E231 informing the Officer on duty (Lt Bobby Higgins, our future Captain) of what had occurred. FF Cooney returned to work again on the Christmas 6?9, but did not tell his Brother firefighters how he had spent his Christmas morning.
Attached is the Department Letterhead forwarded up the Chain of Command to then Fire Commissioner William Feehan, informing of the actions of FF Cooney. Appropriately (during the holiday season), this letter has been posted in the Watkins Street kitchen every year since.
As then Lt Higgins so eloquently wrote, ?FF Cooney?s actions on Christmas morning were of the highest quality and in the finest tradition of the FDNY. For that morning at least, Brownsville and Bethlehem did not seem so far apart.?
Merry Christmas from all of us on Watkins Street.
Brooklyn Box 1600, 0412 hours, December 25
At 0400 hrs on Christmas morning (1993), Watkins Street was dispatched to 1440 ENY Ave for a routine emergency. E231 FF Joe Cooney (now BC Cooney) was conversing with a young child in Apt 10B and it became apparent that the poor child would not be enjoying the Christmas experience as many of us know it. Upon being relieved from duty, FF Cooney (with his own money) went shopping on Pitkin Ave and proceeded to hand deliver toys to this child before heading home to his own family. The child?s mother (obviously moved by this chain of events) decided to contact the Brooklyn Dispatchers in hope of finding out the identity of the FF who left the toys. Upon investigation, a phone call was placed to E231 informing the Officer on duty (Lt Bobby Higgins, our future Captain) of what had occurred. FF Cooney returned to work again on the Christmas 6?9, but did not tell his Brother firefighters how he had spent his Christmas morning.
Attached is the Department Letterhead forwarded up the Chain of Command to then Fire Commissioner William Feehan, informing of the actions of FF Cooney. Appropriately (during the holiday season), this letter has been posted in the Watkins Street kitchen every year since.
As then Lt Higgins so eloquently wrote, ?FF Cooney?s actions on Christmas morning were of the highest quality and in the finest tradition of the FDNY. For that morning at least, Brownsville and Bethlehem did not seem so far apart.?
Merry Christmas from all of us on Watkins Street.
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Wonderful, Touching story Joe! Thanks for posting!
Engine 231/Ladder 120/Battalion 44:
A great time was had by all as Watkins Street past and present (130 total) gathered together for a night of fun at Kasey?s in Rockville Center for the Annual Reunion Christmas Party. Watkins Street royalty from the 1950?s and 1960?s (including Andy Gargiulo, George Guinan Sr, Charlie Wagner, Lou Monteleone, Pete McGreevey, and Vinny Bonasia) headlined the Senior Table. Addressing The Brothers, Captain Eysser (L120) & Captain Duggan (E231) would speak eloquently as to the state of the Firehouse, highlighting (not only the bond shared), but also the opportunity each person in the room has been given at one time or another ? before capping the evening off with an introduction of our newest probies (Sean Kittle and Frank Sarcone of E231).
A great time was had by all as Watkins Street past and present (130 total) gathered together for a night of fun at Kasey?s in Rockville Center for the Annual Reunion Christmas Party. Watkins Street royalty from the 1950?s and 1960?s (including Andy Gargiulo, George Guinan Sr, Charlie Wagner, Lou Monteleone, Pete McGreevey, and Vinny Bonasia) headlined the Senior Table. Addressing The Brothers, Captain Eysser (L120) & Captain Duggan (E231) would speak eloquently as to the state of the Firehouse, highlighting (not only the bond shared), but also the opportunity each person in the room has been given at one time or another ? before capping the evening off with an introduction of our newest probies (Sean Kittle and Frank Sarcone of E231).
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - TOTTENVILLE
Five firehouse friends started holiday gift-gathering together 40 years ago and have no plans to call it quits By Mark D. Stein
More than 40 years ago, former Brooklyn-based firefighters Michael Deddo, Jim Hynes, Richie Evers, Wayne Ward and Joe Zappia began a Christmas shopping tradition, which they're still carrying on today.
- Shopping during the holiday season is almost always a hassle. But for one group of buddies, it's nothing short of a blast.
Former Brooklyn-based firefighters Michael Deddo, Jim Hynes, Richie Evers, Wayne Ward and Joe Zappia began a Christmas shopping tradition more than 40 years ago and they're still carrying on.
While working in Engine 243, Ladder 168 in Bensonhurst, the Staten Island residents were approached by Evers. He wanted some help as he went shopping for his wife.
"We kind of made fun of him and all that stuff," said Deddo. "Then we went along and had a good time. We've been doing it ever since." The holiday tradition started in 1971 and they shopped at the Menlo Park Mall in Edison, N.J.
"They had a nice sports bar," Deddo recalled. "What we did then was go over there, go to the bar, went to the mall, and then came back to the bar."
Last year, they discussed the fact that they were about to reach the four decade mark. They wanted to do something special for their wives. So for the shoppers' 40th anniversary, Deddo, Hynes, Evers, Ward and their wives (the Zappias couldn't attend) boarded a cruise to the islands of St. Thomas and St. Maarten. It was a Christmas gift for their wives.
The funny part, said Deddo, was that St. Maarten had a bar on the beach called The Firehouse.
"A lot of things happened in 40 years," said the 70-year-old South Shore resident. All of the firefighters were promoted and wound up at different firehouses over time, but regardless, they all remained close friends.
Evers now resides in Florida, which prompted the group to head down to his neck of the woods to go Christmas shopping one year. For the shoppers' 40th anniversary, the men and their wives boarded a cruise to the islands of St. Thomas and St. Maarten. From the left are Pat and Jim Hynes, Mary and Wayne Ward, Rich and Denise Evers, and Michael and Kathy Deddo.
The retired firefighters have plenty of stories from spending holidays in malls and other crowded locations.
Five firehouse friends started holiday gift-gathering together 40 years ago and have no plans to call it quits By Mark D. Stein
More than 40 years ago, former Brooklyn-based firefighters Michael Deddo, Jim Hynes, Richie Evers, Wayne Ward and Joe Zappia began a Christmas shopping tradition, which they're still carrying on today.
- Shopping during the holiday season is almost always a hassle. But for one group of buddies, it's nothing short of a blast.
Former Brooklyn-based firefighters Michael Deddo, Jim Hynes, Richie Evers, Wayne Ward and Joe Zappia began a Christmas shopping tradition more than 40 years ago and they're still carrying on.
While working in Engine 243, Ladder 168 in Bensonhurst, the Staten Island residents were approached by Evers. He wanted some help as he went shopping for his wife.
"We kind of made fun of him and all that stuff," said Deddo. "Then we went along and had a good time. We've been doing it ever since." The holiday tradition started in 1971 and they shopped at the Menlo Park Mall in Edison, N.J.
"They had a nice sports bar," Deddo recalled. "What we did then was go over there, go to the bar, went to the mall, and then came back to the bar."
Last year, they discussed the fact that they were about to reach the four decade mark. They wanted to do something special for their wives. So for the shoppers' 40th anniversary, Deddo, Hynes, Evers, Ward and their wives (the Zappias couldn't attend) boarded a cruise to the islands of St. Thomas and St. Maarten. It was a Christmas gift for their wives.
The funny part, said Deddo, was that St. Maarten had a bar on the beach called The Firehouse.
"A lot of things happened in 40 years," said the 70-year-old South Shore resident. All of the firefighters were promoted and wound up at different firehouses over time, but regardless, they all remained close friends.
Evers now resides in Florida, which prompted the group to head down to his neck of the woods to go Christmas shopping one year. For the shoppers' 40th anniversary, the men and their wives boarded a cruise to the islands of St. Thomas and St. Maarten. From the left are Pat and Jim Hynes, Mary and Wayne Ward, Rich and Denise Evers, and Michael and Kathy Deddo.
The retired firefighters have plenty of stories from spending holidays in malls and other crowded locations.
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Mack, is the Pete McGreevey that you mention in the Watkins street post, Pete Jr?
FDNY brings Santa Claus to visit sick kids in Queens By: DANA ARSCHIN
http://www.fox5ny.com/news/fdny-santa-claus-sick-kids
NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - For so many of the children at St. Mary's Hospital in Queens, life is a never-ending cycle of sadness and pain. But on this Friday, they had reason to celebrate.
Dozens of FDNY firefighters, Mr. Met and, most importantly, Santa Claus made a grand entrance at the hospital in Bayside Friday afternoon. They came to visit young patients who suffer from cancer, genetic diseases, and trauma. Most of them are nonverbal and some are terminally ill.
Teddy, 6, from Astoria, has no connection to anyone here but felt compelled to come and donate gifts.
"They're sad so I want to give them toys for Christmas," Teddy said.
Firefighter Peter Hidalgo said nothing is more special than spending the holiday with these little heroes. "How can you be sad when you see them smile and so happy?" Hidalgo said. "It just benefits the community and we're happy to help."
St. Mary's and the FDNY have been working together to create these special holiday visits for more than a decade now. About a hundred children will spend Christmas inside the hospital, but they now have some new memories and a few extra toys to make the holiday just a little bit brighter.
http://www.fox5ny.com/news/fdny-santa-claus-sick-kids
NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - For so many of the children at St. Mary's Hospital in Queens, life is a never-ending cycle of sadness and pain. But on this Friday, they had reason to celebrate.
Dozens of FDNY firefighters, Mr. Met and, most importantly, Santa Claus made a grand entrance at the hospital in Bayside Friday afternoon. They came to visit young patients who suffer from cancer, genetic diseases, and trauma. Most of them are nonverbal and some are terminally ill.
Teddy, 6, from Astoria, has no connection to anyone here but felt compelled to come and donate gifts.
"They're sad so I want to give them toys for Christmas," Teddy said.
Firefighter Peter Hidalgo said nothing is more special than spending the holiday with these little heroes. "How can you be sad when you see them smile and so happy?" Hidalgo said. "It just benefits the community and we're happy to help."
St. Mary's and the FDNY have been working together to create these special holiday visits for more than a decade now. About a hundred children will spend Christmas inside the hospital, but they now have some new memories and a few extra toys to make the holiday just a little bit brighter.
