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Do a lot of companies have friction with one another? Where they don’t get along or have come to blows?
Do most companies get along with each other
- Thread starter Charging in 113
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So every one gets along even when another company takes there first due box???
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What's the difference who gets in first? Isnt the goal to save life and property?
The faster a company, any company, gets to the fire and starts rescue operations/firefighting the better the entire department looks.
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What kind of answer are you looking for?
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Yes, we get along, we're a Brotherhood. I've never seen an altercation that you are inquiring about, never.
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"C" what is the reasoning or purpose behind this question? Perhaps you are thinking of a couple of hundred years ago in Peter Styvesant's time when the volunteers in NYC fought for bragging rights. As "JohnnyGage" replied above Firefighters are a brotherhood not a brawling brood.
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I guess I wanted to hear about a story or two about companies going at it with each other.
that’s the point of this topic
that’s the point of this topic
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My Dept. had a lot of good natured ribbing on occasion, but when the alarms sounded, everyone put that aside. The one thing that did cause animosity, however was when the Dept. made new hires become paramedics as a condition of employment. The guys before that, like me, had to ''ride the squad'' on occasion, but when you got some time on you could get a ladder spot. The medics were up all night while the ladder guys had much better nights. Engines also took a lot of 1st responder runs too. Very few want to be involved in EMS anymore.
Sorry, but your request comes across negatively. Why would you want to hear stories about firehouse disfunction or fighting or believe it exists?
Companies frequently do not arrive at fires in the order listed on assignment cards and tickets. Traffic, existing location from prior activity, training activity engaged in when alarm received, etc. - there are many reasons a 2nd due company will arrive before a 1st due company. Brawls do not happen - period.
Maybe you are really interested in stories that are humorous or unique about delays getting to fires.
- In the early days of the department, there were a few instances of companies in Brooklyn being able to pick up telegraph alarm signals before other companies and then being able to respond quicker to the frustration of nearby companies who were closer to the fire location - but the companies never went "at it with each other."
- In the early days of the department, horses played a role in arrival time, and a slow or undisciplined team might wind up in the newspapers because they stopped while responding - but did not result in firefighter fights. There are probably many horse stories related to arrival at the fire but no related company brawl stories.
- In his War Years days, my father would admit that he frequently would turn-out to a working fire that his company would be assigned to before the extra alarm was transmitted, simply by listening to progress reports on the radio. Without officially responding, they could get much closer to the fire and maybe arrive before other companies - but the goal was to get to the fire ASAP and not to beat other assigned companies.
- In SI, when E 166/L 86 went into service, they installed a CB radio at housewatch. This was the era before cell phones and GPS devices and every truck driver had a CB radio, as well as many civilian drivers. E 166/L 86 would monitor their CB and turn out on verbal alarms to car fires, accidents and emergencies along the SI Expressway and other SI highways before a fire alarm box was pulled.
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I think that pride in the Dept./job should trump pride in your company/firehouse. Larger Dept's that get a lot of fire duty and are not connected to EMS runs makes a difference too. Just my opinion.
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Perhaps he was thinking of rival pranks?
Here's the story I heard. Thirty or so years ago a Bronx Engine Company (maybe 42) decided to take down a notch or two a certain ladder company that seemed to think a little too highly of themselves. At a job, they "liberated" a wooden elephant off the rig of Casa Elefante. A ransom note may have been produced. Retaliation ensued. Mattresses disappeared from Monroe Avenue. In the subsequent return exchange, the engine offered a joke bag of pink sawdust.
Here's the story I heard. Thirty or so years ago a Bronx Engine Company (maybe 42) decided to take down a notch or two a certain ladder company that seemed to think a little too highly of themselves. At a job, they "liberated" a wooden elephant off the rig of Casa Elefante. A ransom note may have been produced. Retaliation ensued. Mattresses disappeared from Monroe Avenue. In the subsequent return exchange, the engine offered a joke bag of pink sawdust.
In that same vein (not in a fighting manner) I can remember there was a certain house, that when either company was relocated, they would "borrow" a momento (a sign or some other significant item) from the house they had been relocated to. Rumor had it, that if you were missing something, if you went to the "sitting room" of this particular house, you would most likely find what you were looking for hanging on their wall. I'm pretty sure who the house was, but memory fails me enough to not be able to say it with certainty - though it was definitely a So. Bronx house!!!
We occasionally caught a run with 175 on Jamaica Ave. in Cypress hills. As I neared an intersection with 175 coming to, I started to slow down when
their chauffeur waved me on. When they got to the box when of the boys approached me and said they were 1st due. I replied I was going to stop but your chauffeur waved me on. Although 175 was our adjoining Truck west of us we rarely responded with them. Cypress Hills wasn't as busy as Brownsville, Bushwick and Bed Sty., but we sometimes caught a good occupied job there in the middle of the night.
their chauffeur waved me on. When they got to the box when of the boys approached me and said they were 1st due. I replied I was going to stop but your chauffeur waved me on. Although 175 was our adjoining Truck west of us we rarely responded with them. Cypress Hills wasn't as busy as Brownsville, Bushwick and Bed Sty., but we sometimes caught a good occupied job there in the middle of the night.
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19 truck , I wrote about it in Glory Days, First Page, called "da Caper". In fact, after I wrote that a member fom L 19 confessed to me!
Thanks JohnnyG - I was pretty sure it was 50/19, just wasn't positive - I remember when I was in 80/23 - came back from a job, 50 happily went home awhile later - the next night someone noticed our "B'lvd of Broken Dreams" sign in our cellar hangout was missing - couple of guys went over to 50/19 next day & retrieved the sign - the word about 50/19 had been out for quite some time by then - maybe, just maybe ******* knew about that "borrowing" policy when he was Capt. there!!!
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There was a certain Brooklyn house that appropriated the clocks of units that they relocated to. You could ask for “East New York time”,”Bed Stuy time” and down to “Bensonhurst or Coney Island time” They would give you the appropriate time from the appropriated clock from that neighborhood.