FDNY early chiefs car

[313164]

 

[STAjo]

  OUTSTANDING !  8)

 

[*******]

That was my favorite car. But I used to get tired as hell pulling that damn bell on long runs.

 

[soda-acid]

Car 16 = Staff Chief?

 

[raybrag]

My Dad had a 1950 DeSoto, and I learned to drive in it (3 on the tree). that thing was a tank, not a car.

 

[JohnnyGage]

That was my favorite car. But I used to get tired as hell pulling that damn bell on long runs.

How valuable that bell would be today!  In some cities during WWII rigs were only permitted to use the bell and not siren because the siren could be confused with air raid siren. Did FDNY have a policy similar? 

 

[lucky]

That  was the purpose of the "Buckeye" exhaust high pitched whistle. I had a lieutenant who would chastise the junior man if he didn't ring the bell in the rhythm that he wanted. It had to be steady on our return to quarters. They were getting out of the practice of washing the tires to remove the horse poop even though the horses were gone. The job might have to get back into that with what is going on in Manhattan today with the homeless.