FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section
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FDNY SCALING LADDER RESCUES
AUGUST 29, 1955
MUGGING FOR THE CAMERA 1955
From the Vault:
Aug. 29, 1955: A relieved mugging for the camera, after two firemen, Malachy Cox, left, and Gilbert O’Neill rescued Eugenie Ward of Chicago from her burning room at the Madison Hotel on 58th Street. While the two men were making their dramatic rescue, Otto H. Knocenhauer, deputy fire chief in command of the Fire Department’s Third Division, was overcome by smoke in a vain attempt to reach Mrs. Ward’s locked room.
Scaling Ladder Used in Rescue Once Again,
Acrobatic fire fighters have demonstrated the usefulness of pompier, or scaling ladders in furthering rescue operations. These ladders, ordered on all New York Fire Department ladder trucks in 1884 by Chief Eli Bates, following the fatal World Building fire of Jan. 31, 1882, have been discarded by some departments and viewed with disfavor by others. But New York has continued to carry them on its apparatus, and to use them in its training. The fire for which, as the papers termed it, “the fish-boned shaped ladder” was used, involved a ninth floor suite in the 15-story Madison Hotel. Madison Ave., at 58th St., Manhattan, on Aug. 29 last.
AUGUST 29, 1955
MUGGING FOR THE CAMERA 1955
From the Vault:
Aug. 29, 1955: A relieved mugging for the camera, after two firemen, Malachy Cox, left, and Gilbert O’Neill rescued Eugenie Ward of Chicago from her burning room at the Madison Hotel on 58th Street. While the two men were making their dramatic rescue, Otto H. Knocenhauer, deputy fire chief in command of the Fire Department’s Third Division, was overcome by smoke in a vain attempt to reach Mrs. Ward’s locked room.
Scaling Ladder Used in Rescue Once Again,
Acrobatic fire fighters have demonstrated the usefulness of pompier, or scaling ladders in furthering rescue operations. These ladders, ordered on all New York Fire Department ladder trucks in 1884 by Chief Eli Bates, following the fatal World Building fire of Jan. 31, 1882, have been discarded by some departments and viewed with disfavor by others. But New York has continued to carry them on its apparatus, and to use them in its training. The fire for which, as the papers termed it, “the fish-boned shaped ladder” was used, involved a ninth floor suite in the 15-story Madison Hotel. Madison Ave., at 58th St., Manhattan, on Aug. 29 last.
FDNY SCALING LADDER RESCUES
JAMUARY 5, 1961 - BROOKLYN BOX 688 - ENGINE 217
Recent New York scaling ladder operation
—Photo and report by Alex Donchin
MEMBERS OF FDNY Engine Company 217, stationed in Brooklyn, employed a scaling ladder in a rescue attempt on January 5, upon responding to Box 688 for a blaze in a tenement at 856 DeKalb Avenue shortly after 11:15 p.m. Fire on the third floor of the building sent heat and smoke up the interior stairways and heavily charged the upper floor. A 14-year-old girl, Ada Cordona, alone in a top-floor flat was trapped and forced to hang from a window, supporting herself on an ornamental ledge, to escape the heat and smoke. The officer in charge of Engine 217, first due, realized that the location was equidistant from the two responding truck companies and as a safety measure, ordered an immediate “pompier” ladder rescue operation.
Scaling ladder effort replaced by arrival of ladder company. Woman was rescued by aerial ladder.
JAMUARY 5, 1961 - BROOKLYN BOX 688 - ENGINE 217
Recent New York scaling ladder operation
—Photo and report by Alex Donchin
MEMBERS OF FDNY Engine Company 217, stationed in Brooklyn, employed a scaling ladder in a rescue attempt on January 5, upon responding to Box 688 for a blaze in a tenement at 856 DeKalb Avenue shortly after 11:15 p.m. Fire on the third floor of the building sent heat and smoke up the interior stairways and heavily charged the upper floor. A 14-year-old girl, Ada Cordona, alone in a top-floor flat was trapped and forced to hang from a window, supporting herself on an ornamental ledge, to escape the heat and smoke. The officer in charge of Engine 217, first due, realized that the location was equidistant from the two responding truck companies and as a safety measure, ordered an immediate “pompier” ladder rescue operation.
Scaling ladder effort replaced by arrival of ladder company. Woman was rescued by aerial ladder.
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the scaling operation required upper body strength...
and i find it odd that the scaling ladder was removed from all our rigs
right about the same time the fdny changed the physical exam as per judge sifton.
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Now wasn't that coincidental? Yeah, right.
Nice job done by DCFD Probie Firefighter Dan Potter, aka "Johnny Gage". Those of us who know Dan personally can also attest to the fact that he is a true gentleman.
I have that poster which was given to me after that test by a member of the FDNYs Engine 46/Ladder 27 back in those busy 70s. My plan is to pass that poster onto the FDNY Museum, where it can be fully appreciated.
I believe according to the thread "A War Years Member Passes", FF Clyde Williams passed away a 2 or 3 years ago
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A gentleman? Thanks Willy for the recognition, yes in DCFD 1982 I was operating 2nd due in the alley of 17th Street for a fire in an apartment house. When my company E 21 pulled up a woman was screaming from the fourth floor. There ws a 35' portable ladder placed against the building but it was too short. Since we were an engine and preparing to stretch a line, another firefighter from L 3, Joe, rounded the corner of the building with the scaling ladder. The covering boss of E 21, Sgt Ketcham ordered me to help the firefighter who was struggling with the 12 foot ladder. He started to climb, I followed and grabbed the bottem as he climbed with the gooseneck in hand. We reached the third floor and he hooked the ladder into the fourth floor apartment and started to climb, I was right behind him.
When he reached the screaming woman on the 4th floor, he entered her apartment, I reached the top of the ladder and all I could see was the legs of the woman as she started to evacuate, her legs almost knocking off my head as she climbed onto the ladder. I proceeded to grasp the rungs around her, she was rather large, and I was just able to hold onto the edge of the ladder rungs as she and I descended. I had on my pull up boots and the rungs of the ladder felt very small. We descended to the third floor, the window was intact and I kicked it in, then pushed the woman inside followed by the fireman from L 3.
Since she was safe and sound, I climbed back down the 35' portable ladder, thought nothing of it, and worked with my E 21 crew. I went off that following morning, and to my surprise this firefighter was all over the local news network doing interviews. He, deservedly so, received the highest honor of the DCFD a "Gold Bar". I went to "a bar", then received a Chief Commendation. A remarkable memory of my time with the DCFD, the last time a scaling ladder was ever used to effect a sucessful rescue.
Thanks for remembering.
When he reached the screaming woman on the 4th floor, he entered her apartment, I reached the top of the ladder and all I could see was the legs of the woman as she started to evacuate, her legs almost knocking off my head as she climbed onto the ladder. I proceeded to grasp the rungs around her, she was rather large, and I was just able to hold onto the edge of the ladder rungs as she and I descended. I had on my pull up boots and the rungs of the ladder felt very small. We descended to the third floor, the window was intact and I kicked it in, then pushed the woman inside followed by the fireman from L 3.
Since she was safe and sound, I climbed back down the 35' portable ladder, thought nothing of it, and worked with my E 21 crew. I went off that following morning, and to my surprise this firefighter was all over the local news network doing interviews. He, deservedly so, received the highest honor of the DCFD a "Gold Bar". I went to "a bar", then received a Chief Commendation. A remarkable memory of my time with the DCFD, the last time a scaling ladder was ever used to effect a sucessful rescue.
Thanks for remembering.
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I have a question about E71/L55 old house on Park Ave. It looks like there is a bay that fronts on to 159 St. Did the battalion come out of there? It appears that due to the slope of the street the 159 St bay would be a floor below the main apparatus floor. If the battalion did respond from there I assume the chief and aid had to run downstairs to turn out. Seems to be kind of an odd set up. I also didn't realize 71/55 were in this house until 1989 so pretty much through the war years. I thought they had moved to Melrose much earlier.
Maybe the Deputy Chief's office was above the lower level chief's door. The 4th, then 5th the 6th and then 7th Division chiefs were located there following after the 1904 opening.
Maybe some of the Bronx guys know more.
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Park Ave is now EMS Qtrs ....prior to that it was Fire Marshal's .....& before LAD*55 was organized R*3 was there w/ENG*71 in addition to having been w/60/17 & later with 45/93 in Manhattan before coming back into the BX on 176 St in the vacated Qtrs of 46/27.
Dan - I found this news article of your rescue with video.
DC Fire And EMS
April 3, 2019 ·
In 1982, DC Firefighter Joseph Neville of Truck Company 3 accomplished an extraordinary rescue using a unique tool known as a pompier or scaling ladder. It was the first such rescue in approximately 50 years in the District, and would also be the last.
These type of ladders are no longer used. Listen to the narrative below describing the actions of "Spiderman" Neville.
VIDEO
(2) Facebook
FIRE BUILDING
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Chief K - Was there a firehouse in the Bronx with a pole that dropped 2 floors? Maybe from the 2nd floor office area. My father would tell a story of covering when he took the wrong pole and wound up in the cellar. Maybe I got it wrong, but he claims to have been set up as a new LT.