GLORY DAYS

JohnnyGage · Oct 20, 2019

DCFD; Part 4
Smiley, a new lid and Stuffy

During my day tours I arrive extra early, although change of tours is at 0900, it is not uncommon to have guys reporting for duty by 0700. The technicians relieve the going off duty technician, but for other firefighters your two options are either ?run the pipe/line?, the preferable option or perform ?Layout? and thus become the back-up firefighter, the not-so-desirable position. Basically, whoever gets in first among the firefighters usually relieves the going off duty lineman and will ?run the line? for the shift. There is no ?roll call? assignment. Since DCFD firefighters wear their uniform to and from the firehouse, you sign into the log book, put the other firefighter?s gear away, replace with yours, and you?re ready to go.

After relieving the night tour group the first order of business is to procure breakfast. Since relief is usually accomplished by 0800 hours, firehouses in DC have breakfast in lieu of lunch. Being from ?New Yawk?, I am introduced to ?scrapple?, ?grits? and ?SOS?. I will also enjoy the best pancakes I have ever had that was made by one of our Lieutenants. Lieutenant John Hammond covered our Platoon when Captain Mac moved on for promotion. Lt. John made what he called ?Hunters? pancakes. For his pancake mixture he used a can of beer instead of water, sour cream and baking soda. To this day, I have never tasted pancakes as light, moist and fluffy...the yeast in the beer is the secret! Oh yeah, he topped it off with warm blueberry compote.

Lt. John Hammond, not only made the best pancakes in the world, but a fine gentleman and superior fire officer I ever worked with...more stories about him soon! We still stay in touch, too!

Recently I have become the ?Coffee Club? honcho. Since many members in the firehouse do not drink coffee, the house tax does not cover the purchase of coffee, this arrangement goes for many of the DC firehouses as well. As the coffee honcho I maintain a logbook and collect $5 a week from members that drink coffee and make sure we have plenty of coffee stocked. This day I volunteer to procure breakfast at the nearby Safeway supermarket that is one block away from the firehouse, an alleyway between the firehouse and supermarket makes it a short walk. There I?ll pick up breakfast items for today's shift and a case of ?Chock Full o'Nuts? coffee for the coffee club.

a young JohhnyGage sitting in front of quarters.

Across the street from the firehouse is a private half-way house for special needs adults. There are about ten senior residents that reside in the converted brownstone styled home. The residents cannot wander far from the property, they mostly shuffle up and down the sidewalk in front of the home. However, a few are allowed to cross the street to the firehouse where there is a coin operated soda machine towards the back of quarters. And like clockwork two of the residents march robot like to the rear of the firehouse for their fifty cent sugar fix, rain, sleet or shine like a moth attracted to light. The two start early morning...during the course of the day they may make four or five determined pilgrimages for the bottled soda. the first is ?Smiley?, he doesn?t talk, he is about fifty years old, very well dressed, always sporting a tie and sweater, sorta like Mr. Rogers character, and always in a happy mood with a fixed grin. Like Mr. Rogers he has the same sneakers, too. Only problem is that unwittingly, Smiley walks up behind you without making a peep, there he will silently stand with his hands folded behind his back rocking on his feet. Eventually you become aware of a ?presence?, turn around...jump, blindsided and startled... ?Jesus, Smiley make some noise!?. Once he has your attention, he moves on to get his soda. If it is early morning when the bay doors are down, you?ll eventually notice a human shadow standing at the front door of the firehouse where Smiley peers through the wired window until recognized, he doesn?t bother to knock. The second character is a heavy woman that always wears a frock dress in anytype weather. She is robotic, does not make eye contact or noise, when the apparatus doors are open, she just marches through the firehouse, drops two quarters into the soda machine, punches the same soda selection, retrieves the bottled soda, does an about face and marches out. At times when the bay doors are closed, she will stand in front of them until they are open and then march by. It does not matter if you are drilling, doing hose change, hosting a school class, or washing the rigs...both God Blessed characters are committed to fetching that soda pop at all costs.

Another character from the halfway house does not come into the firehouse, we call him ?Captain Jack?, the seafaring type captain. He wears an old blue sailor hat with the gold lifesaver and rope embroidered to the front. He paces back and forth across the street and only stops to hand roll a cigarette. It is not uncommon for us to sit in front of the firehouse between runs in the late afternoon or early evening. But when the Captain stops pacing, we all watch...he holds his left hand palm up with a piece of cigarette rolling paper, with his right hand he distributes the right amount of tobacco onto the paper, then he magically ?rolls? a perfect cigarette by just manipulating his left hand, licks to seal the paper with his tongue. The act is amazing to watch. That old salty codger!

***********

Today I am putting my new leather New Yorker helmet into service. When our class was sworn in and we received our firefighting turnout equipment, all items were distributed new except our MSA plastic helmet. I received an MSA plastic helmet with plastic frontpiece that had a Washington DC Fire Dept badge decal in the center, over the badge another arching clear decal that said in black ?FIREFIGHTER?. On the side of all DCFD?s helmets are reflective stencils with your company number. Engine Companies received a white reflective background with red lettering that stated ?E-21?. Truck companies had a green background with white lettering and Rescue companies had a black background with white lettering.

If you bought a leather helmet, you were given the option of wearing it instead of the MSA job. My helmet was given to me as a parting gift from the volunteer fire company I was with on Long Island. During my time employed by NYC EMS I had moved closer to the city line cutting down my commute from my hometown. There I joined the local volunteer fire department that bordered Queens, NY called Valley Stream, Truck Company 1, The company had a Mack Tower Ladder and a good group of young eligible future FDNY firefighters, I immediately felt right at home. I was with the VSFD for about a year when Washington DC Fire Department called early August 1979 and told me I was scheduled to be appointed. At the time Truck Company 1?s policy was to purchase a leather New Yorker helmet and present it to you as a parting gift.

The helmet was purchased by a VSFD member and friend of mine who worked for a local firefighting supply company named Mike Moran. Just before I left NY and headed south, at a local gin-joint with VSFD members attending my ?hiring? celebration...Mike presented me with a brand spanking new black leather helmet with Bourke shields and a Black frontpiece that had a blank insert. Along with the helmet I received a signed ?Good Luck? card a little cash and a fine going away party that was well attended and very memorable.

E 21 Third Due apartment house fire "well off", term DCFD used instead of "JOB".

***************

I am now off probation, and at this point I have almost two years on with the DCFD. It is early morning and through the firehouse bay doors, I can see the red streaks of the sun as it is about to break through the dark sky, the ?crack of dawn?. I have been on watch for almost three long, boring hours, the only thing that keeps me awake and company is the vocal alarm announcing runs to other companies throughout the city. I could have awaken the other firefighter that would have the final watch... but what's the sense, now, both of us will be up. At the desk, I am wearing my bunker pants and knee high boots with a short sleeve sweatshirt as the apparatus floor is very cool this December morning, wearing my turnout pants is custom to DC firefighters, this will also afford me a quick response... I decide it's time to make a fresh pot of coffee for me and the incoming troops. In the kitchen, I'm careful to spoon out the correct amount of coffee into the filter. Too little coffee and the pot is weak, too much and the pot becomes bitter and strong. I eagerly await the first cup, it seems to take forever... After the final drip I grab a nice hot cup and head back to the desk at the front of the firehouse, it is close to the time that the fresh troops will be reporting in for their day tour. The first sip of coffee is remarkable, a simple pleasure of life. The night has been very quiet and there is peace and tranquility in the air, just the radiator on the apparatus floor hisses on occasion. Time for another sip of joe?.

The first firefighter through the firehouse door is ?Stuffy? Wilkens. He greets me and about to sign into the journal affecting my relief since I?m running the line...Simultaneously the vocal alarm blurts??BOOOP, BOOOP?, the desk computer starts to ?chirp? and the department phone rings (very rarely does the department phone ring so early in the morning. But a ?light-duty? member from E 21 is assigned to the Communications Office and gives the firehouse a ?heads up call? when he is sure we will be going to work)..The vocal alarm comes alive; ?BOX ALARM ENGINE 21, 9, 11, 28 TRUCK 9, 6 RESCUE SQUAD 2 and CHIEF 5; RESPOND 2611 ADAMS MILL RD FOR FIRE IN THE BUILDING?... I press the acknowledge button that goes back to the communication center telling them we are responding then bang the gong four or five times to awake the troops and activate the lights in the bunkroom, then quickly answer the department phone; ?Engine 21; Firefighter Gage?? on the other end is our light-duty member; ?You?re going to work!?....I slam the phone down and announce to the WD and officer the address and information, the box location is at the end of the street and we will be there within seconds. From peaceful serenity, the firehouse explodes with activity.

After I finally turn out the company, I run to my spot on the apparatus where my gear is in standby to ?run the line?... however, incoming firefighter ?Stuffy? has grabbed his gear and tossed my gear on the floor, ?I got it? he states as he mounts the rig in my place... ?I?ll put your gear away when we get back.''... He is relieving me on the line, snookered!...Now, all night long, anyone who wants to put out fire, yearns for this moment and I?m now I?m going to be shut out, and quite frankly a little pissed, but I?m not going to make a scene. ?That?s the way the cookie crumbles? as they say?

As the engines fire up I grab my gear from the floor, I remember that the front seat of the pumper is open!... Wallah! I?ll ride with the pumper! The members slide the poles and scurry to their position as the WD fires up the rig and the company turns out. One block from the firehouse is the location, the building is a large six story apartment house, the rigs whip out of quarters, it has not been a full minute. And, since the location is just up the block from the firehouse the other companies will take a little time to arrive... in the meantime the line is being prepared to be stretched by ?Stuffy?. On the back of the Engine are three pre-connect lines of inch and a half hose. There is the three hundred fifty foot pre-connect, the two hundred pre connect and the one hundred fifty feet of pre-connect. A single firefighter can stretch the two hundred and one fifty pre-connect by throwing the load over a shoulder, advance to fire by letting the lengths peel off. However, the three hundred fifty requires two firefighters to employ the line.

The wagon pulls up to the location and the pumper locates a nearby hydrant to pump from, but oddly, nothing is showing. ?Stuffy? goes to the backstep and shoulders half of the three hundred fifty feet load of inch and a half, while the layout firefighter shoulders the other half with anticipation of stretching to the top floor, the officer and two firefighters stretch to the front of the building...All of a sudden, a couple of single pane windows on the first floor burst and erupt with fire, a flashover has occurred. Two windows on the first floor now push out bright billowing orange flames, the first floor apartment is ?well off? (the term DCFD uses to define a ?job?). The engine officer now realizes that they have stretched way ?too much? hose for a fire not more than a length or two from the apparatus and tells Stuffy to drop the folds.

I?m watching this confusion unfold not far from the backstep of the wagon...I previously donned the pumper drivers SCBA and made sure the whole bed of three hundred fifty feet of hose clears, now I?m standing by just below the one hundred fifty feet of pre-connect, just in the right spot... The engine officer sees me, ?Start that 150!? ...with that I shoulder the load and proceed to the front of the steps...of course firefighter ?Stuffy? is trying to pry the lengths and nozzle from my hands. But I got a solid grip! I say with determination and conviction...?Maybe tomorrow, but not today?

Into the vestibule the first due truck has now arrived and gaining forcible entry, on the apartment door...once opened, the vestibule is now banking down with black, angry, hot smoke...with the door popped, the hose-line swells with water. Stuffy is my ?back up? much to his chagrin with the engine officer beside me...I crack the nozzle handle to expel the rush of compressed air and turn the nozzle tip to straight stream (even though proby school professed ?narrow fog?), being the FDNY buff that I was, I was a firm believer of straight stream. Now, with the powerful water flowing, inch by inch the officer and I crawl methodically into the blazing apartment, the hot steam enveloping and stinging us through our heavy gear. Ahead of us looks like a blazing sun of flame, I swept the straight stream in a tight clockwise circle. The fire was super hot and not letting up much, we encountered another room to the left completely ablaze...I turned the nozzle into that room to knock down the fire as the extreme heat continued to shroud us, I can feel the heat compressing through my turnout coat and bunker pants. Recently I purchased a hood, and was thankful that I now had that covering my ears as they were scorching through the hood protection... Inch by inch the boss and I moved forward on our knees as a team, his confident remarks supporting my advance??you got it Johnny, another inch...yeah, you got it...how ?bout another inch, that?s it keep movin? in, steady now, almost there?... The fire was remarkably hot, everything in the room was consumed with a bright orange flame, ventilation was limited to a few small windows, with the reach of the straight stream, slow and steady advancement we finally knocked down all visible fire. Whew, it was now time to take a blow, a sense of relief comes over us, except for Stuffy, he is not too happy that I got the ?pipe?...well, maybe tomorrow, but not today!

Typical DC fire.

Engine 21, "Alley Rats" operating in the alley as usual.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Next DCFD Truck work! KMG-365

nfd2004 · Oct 21, 2019

Thank you Johnny for these DCFD stories.

As we had discussed, I too took the DCFD written exam back in 1974/75 (?). I was allowed to take that written test at the main post office in Bridgeport, Ct.

I did pretty good on that test and I think what helped me the most was the last question. I was advised that I would be required to write a two page essay on a subject that "they" picked. I was doing my best to try and keep up with current events, etc. They could ask me "anything".

The first part of the test was the basic multiple choice on math, mechanical aptitude, reading comprehension. When it came time to do that essay question, I feared that the most not knowing what to expect.

The topic of that essay question was; "Why do I want to be a Firefighter" ? WOW, I had no problem telling them about that. I probably could have wrote ten pages on that if they asked.

After getting my written test results, I went down to DC to check out the place. I stopped at the busiest firehouses. In fact I think Engine 21 was one of my stops. I talked to the guys about the job and they told me that as the junior guy, I would be assigned to an ambulance, which the fire dept operated those days. They also told me that they were working a 48 (?) hour work schedule.

Then I went to the DCFD Fire Academy where I talked one on one with the Batt Chief in charge. He told me, it looks like you will be getting called for further testing. Then he took out their Probie Manuel, threw it down on the table and told me "if you get this job, you better know this cover to cover", just as Johnny Gage had told us earlier here, along with the streets, certain buildings, etc throughout the city. He put a scare into me, that's for sure.

At the time, 1974/75, the FDNY War Years were in full swing. I was going to NYC sometimes, two days a week and I was hooked.

I addition to that, I had taken the test for the fire dept in Norwich, Ct. Things were moving along pretty well there and they had a work schedule that I was more familiar with. It was abut 120 miles to NYC so I could still do my fire buffing thing.

As it turned out, Norwich, Ct offered me the job in May, 1975 so I took it and stayed. I think DCFD had sent me a letter asking if I was still interested in going further with the job and I told them, "I am no longer interested".

Then I guess around 1995 or so, I am at the "Rock", aka FDNY Fire Academy, taking fire apparatus photos before I begin my buffing duties. Johnny Gage, aka FDNY Firefighter Dan Potter, is the chaffer of Ladder 5, a brand new, tractor trailer tiller. I had to get a picture of that rig so I ask the chafer if he and the tillerman would pull it in the perfect spot for that special photo op. Of course they do that for me. As far as I'm concerned, "they made my day".

I talked to Dan for a little while. Then maybe 20 or so years later, that picture shows up on a fire dept web site. A friend of Dan, who I also knew at the time was a Fire Captain in Eastchester, NY., showed Dan the picture and he said he knew me. Small World, Dan and I get in contact after all those years. But I didn't know that Dan had been a DC Firefighter and worked with the NYC EMS in the hard 75th Pct area of Brooklyn.

Thanks Johnny for all these first hand stories that you write. With over 80,000 views in a short time, "I guess I'm not the only one that enjoys reading them.

Uncle Wilfred

raybrag · Oct 21, 2019

nfd2004 said:
Thanks Johnny for all these first hand stories that you write. With over 80,000 views in a short time, "I guess I'm not the only one that enjoys reading them.

Uncle Wilfred

You most certainly are not, Willy.

JohnnyGage · Oct 27, 2019

DCFD; Part 5
Mike, Iran and Truck Ops.

Even though, I was hoping to be hired by the FDNY around 1980, a class action suit was filed by a women's organization back in NY protesting the FDNY Entrance Exam physical agility test, and all hiring came to a stand still after a few classes were processed. Thankfully, I took my Dad's advice of not putting ?all my eggs in one basket? and just rely on one fire department, but to have other options. With that sage advice I proceeded to take other Fire Department entry exams wherever I could, so with the FDNY on lockdown I was fortunate to have ?irons in the fire? and I was then called for the DCFD. The time with the DCFD afforded me the sensational opportunity and fortuity working three years with this historic fire department and alongside seasoned masters...that I might not have had the chance if I were called immediately by the FDNY.

After proby school, I asked Captain Mac if I could swap out my plastic MSA helmet for the leather New Yorker helmet, he was fine with it. That evening after my day tour, back home, I retrieved the black helmet from a box and went to work on converting the black color to yellow. I lightly sanded the black to take off the gloss, sprayed on a primer base, allowed to dry, then applied a couple of coats of high-gloss yellow Rust-Oleum spray...I had a blank black FDNY style frontpiece with no insert, I immediately ordered ?21? insert and received it shortly, a black background with a white ?21?, I liked the way the lid looked complete with frontpiece.

A few weeks later after putting my helmet into service I received a phone call from one of my friends back in Valley Stream FD; Mike Moran, the friend who ?bought and presented? my gift helmet was killed with another Firefighter Named John Tate at a Synagogue fire on November 22, 1979. Mike and John were advancing a hoseline into the Synagogue when the roof collapsed on them. John died immediately, Mike died on December 7th from injuries and burns. Mike was twenty three, he was a year older than me at the time and also on the FDNY eligible hiring list.

(This year will be over the fortieth anniversary. God Bless Mike and John, continued prayers for eternal rest).

************

It is early November, 1979 and Americans are tuning into a new nightly news show hosted by Ted Koppel called ?Nightline?. Fellow Americans watch earnestly to updated reports of the ?Hostage Crisis? in Iran where fifty-two American diplomats and citizens are being held captive. This impasse would amount to 444 agonizing days.

Because a stalemate of negotiations between Iran and the United States, that December, President Jimmy Carter announced the US would be breaking diplomatic relations with Iran and that all diplomats and officials ?vacate? the ?Iran? embassy located on Embassy Row at 3003 Massachusetts Ave NW.

In response to an obvious threat, the final day Iran was to occupy the embassy a Box Alarm assignment was transmitted for the embassy as a precautionary measure with the anticipation that Iran may blow up the joint when the last expulsed diplomat left. Since the DCFD is not always permitted on certain Embassy grounds, such as Iran?s, Engine 21 was assigned a section of a perimeter surrounding the embassy where we laid a supply line from a nearby hydrant. I was ?running the line? that tour and assumed the position of standing on top of the rig manning the deck gun. Other engine companies assigned to the box were doing the same. But, the diplomats left peacefully, and we returned back to quarters where I resumed my studies and making sure there was fresh coffee in the kitchen like a good proby.

************

Engine 21?s quarters designed in 1908 was specifically to accommodate a ?longer? ladder truck and built a little deeper than other fire houses at the time, for many years Truck 9 was assigned and responded from the Lanier Place firehouse. Engine 21 and Truck 9 became one of the most desired firehouses to work in. Only a few years before I arrived Truck 9 was relocated into a new and modern firehouse with Engine 9 on ?U? Street. Thus Engine 21 became a single house with Ambulance 2. However in 1981 we got word that Truck 14 would be relocated to our firehouse while their quarters was being renovated.

The DCFD has seventeen truck companies, T 14 is perhaps one of the least active companies in DC, it would have to rank in the bottom five of truck companies for fire activity, but the guys are all professional and competent. It will be interesting to work in a double house with the added personalities. Their response area is west from our firehouse and covers mostly high end homes owned by congress and senate people, so fire activity is just not there.

The Captain of the truck company takes to me, Captain Joe, he?s a little overbearing and has odd mannerisms, he?s polite, gruff, straight forward and doesn?t have much patience, he certainly does not put up with bullshit...he looks like a typical German WWII officer personified in war movies with the blond comb over hair and distinguished facial features, only he?s Irish... but we become friends quickly, especially when he is not hyped up!...He is a father with about nine children, drives into work with a large station wagon with that fake wood siding. During our ?down time? he enjoys oil painting on a canvas held up by an easel. I sit in the truck office near him as he describes the methodology of painting a scene from a photograph or postcard. I enjoy watching him painstakingly detail every nuance. He?s good and I appreciate him sharing his knowledge. Captain Joe also makes a wicked ?Crab Cake?, one of my all-time favorite firehouse meals. When he has the desire to treat all of us, he rolls up his sleeves in the kitchen and makes these tantalizing, tasty light, fluffy and golden crab cakes the size of hockey pucks, two per man... and he accompanies the crab cakes with a nice chilled three bean salad, a gourmet treat that is unbelievably scrumptious!

The "Barman" ride behind officer on trailer, the "Hook" firefighter rides near Tillerman. SCBA's are mounted on side of rig.

The seventeen trucks in DCFD have an array of apparatus manufacturers. All truck companies are tiller rigs, with the exception of Truck 10... Truck 10 is a straight chassis Sutphen 100 foot tower ladder and stationed in the SW section of DC. It may be ?special called? to any alarm city-wide. The remaining trucks are a diverse manufactured type of tiller. Most tillers are early 60?s Pirsch type rigs in service around the times of the 68 riots, they have the tiller steering wheel removal, flip over seat and windshield feature. There are a few mid 60?s Seagrave tillers and a handful of late model American LaFrance tillers like FDNY deployed. Two individual newer trucks are in service, a late 1970 model Sutphen cab forward tiller assigned to upper NW Washington as L 11 and a late model Pirsch cab forward served in the NE section of DC is L 17. Quite an eclectic collection.

Truck 10 only Tower Ladder in DCFD

Good ol' dragster American LaFrance

Sutphen Tiller served NE part of DC

Last "Pirsch" Tiller purchased by DCFD.

The operating technicians of the ladder companies are called ?Truck Driver (TD)? and ?Tillerman (T)?. All ?technician? positions (WD, P, TD, T) require you to pass an exam given by the company officer to attain that position. There is a slight bump in salary for those who become a ?technician?. The TD and T responsibility was to ventilate the roof or outside vent. During my tenure, DCFD did not have a vent-enter-search (VES) protocol, therefore the T often just vented from the outside .

Tillerman performing outside ventilation

Positions on the truck...Of course the boss rode shotgun, the truck boss responsibility was to be ?fluid? and not necessarily proceed to the fire location, but to ?rove? about and make sure all positions were covered. There were three other riding positions on the Truck. The first was called ?The Barman?. On the older Pirsch rigs he rode on the side of the trailer just behind the officer. This was the choice position for the truck. As the Barman you were responsible to gain entry to the occupancy, with the Engine officer. Your ?tool? was the halligan bar and flat head ax. The DCFD did not employ the ?can? concept... If a Sergeant was working and not assigned to cover an officer vacancy somewhere, he usually assumed the ?Barman? position.

The second was the ?Hook? firefighter who rode on the same side of the trailer behind the Barman, closer to the T. The third position was the ?Axe? firefighter. He rode on the opposite side of the trailer behind the Truck Driver. The ?Hook? and ?Axe? firefighters were primarily tasked with throwing up portable ladders and then carry, place and activate the exhaust fan to ventilate. Subsequently, the two positions morphed into more of a utility source for miscellaneous tools, salvage covers and chores that the truck officer requested.

At a fire scene, search was conducted by the Rescue Squad assigned on the box, the ?Squad? as they were referred to would split into two teams; one team would search the fire floor, and the second team the floor above.

*********

I would have two ?Close Calls? that involved the ?Truck? and my very close buddy Phil from Proby school and Long Island almost ended his career while assigned to a truck company. That?s next.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed! KMG-365

lfdlt31 · Oct 27, 2019

Hey JohnnyGage thanks again for the awesome ongoing stories from your career, it sure has been fun to read and imagine them from back in the day. I am curious when DCFD went away from the two-piece Engine concept...or are they still running that way today?

fdhistorian · Oct 28, 2019

CanadianFireman said:
Hey JohnnyGage thanks again for the awesome ongoing stories from your career, it sure has been fun to read and imagine them from back in the day. I am curious when DCFD went away from the two-piece Engine concept...or are they still running that way today?

The pumpers of the wagon/pumper engine companies (34 at their peak number in 1987) attritioned out by their apparatus not being replaced. The last one ended January 31, 1992.

Six 'water supply' engines were created (one in each battalion) about 10 years later to address water supply issues re-discovered during major fires.

JOR176 · Oct 29, 2019

JG, I went to school with a guy who went to DC and worked for the DCFD his name was John Caffrey, would be about my age 77 now ??

JohnnyGage · Oct 29, 2019

Sorry J-176, doesn't ring a bell.

JOR176 · Oct 30, 2019

JohnnyGage said:
Sorry J-176, doesn't ring a bell.

Thanks.

68jk09 · Oct 31, 2019

Dan get this & start saving for our next nycfire.net Dinner........ https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-19...170333?hash=item3d95f9a29d:g:DRgAAOSww0ZdsRQO

JohnnyGage · Nov 1, 2019

^^^^^^^^^Don't laugh JK, but I have one of these since I was a kid, still on my shelf with the coffe mug....

(This was on ebay, too)
I got this mug as a gift when I was a teenager and I became a junior fireman 1970ish, it is a heavy duty type gloss ceramic. I used it everyday for my morning coffee for many, many years and it still looks new.. It has been with me through all my travels. I retired it about twenty years ago and it now proudly sits in my hutch with my small collection of memoribilia and two lids.

nfd2004 · Nov 1, 2019

JohnnyGage said:
(This was on ebay, too)
I got this mug as a gift when I was a teenager and I became a junior fireman 1970ish, it is a heavy duty type gloss ceramic. I used it everyday for my morning coffee for many, many years and it still looks new.. It has been with me through all my travels. I retired it about twenty years ago and it now proudly sits in my hutch with my small collection of memoribilia and two lids.

Johnny, I had one of those cups too. Now, I just wish I still had it

JohnnyGage · Nov 1, 2019

nfd2004 said:
JohnnyGage said:

(This was on ebay, too)
I got this mug as a gift when I was a teenager and I became a junior fireman 1970ish, it is a heavy duty type gloss ceramic. I used it everyday for my morning coffee for many, many years and it still looks new.. It has been with me through all my travels. I retired it about twenty years ago and it now proudly sits in my hutch with my small collection of memoribilia and two lids.

Click to expand...

Johnny, I had one of those cups too. Now, I just wish I still had it

Tis the season, Santa's listening...

JohnnyGage · Nov 3, 2019

DCFD Part 6
Brother Philly and a few Close Calls

Moving from Brooklyn to Long Island as so many military veterans families did in the late 50?s there was no shortage of us kids growing up together in the neighborhood. New ranch homes for first time home buyers were popping up all over Long Island creating new communities and roads, I recall the Long Island Expressway being constructed when it cut through my neck of the woods. My dad bought a three bedroom ranch in a growing development called Brentwood, about a forty minute ride east of NYC. He had the choice of buying any number of homes in the area, the area grew almost overnight with more and more new home buyers entering the neighborhood and more homes under construction. Boy and Girl Scout troops were formed and filled, then formed again, little leagues were created, school districts expanded and broke into smaller divisions to accommodate the urban sprawl, shopping centers sprang up with strip malls. And new friendships formed with all the outdoor activity, most were simple childhood and school friendships, and some of those friendships would last a lifetime. I was fortunate, My ?Brother from another Mother? is Philly, to this day we consider and call each other, ?Brothers?.

Philly and I met when we were eight years old playing together on the same Little League Baseball Team called ?The Robins?. My Dad was the manager of our team, we wore yellow baseball tee shirts and hats with gloves to big for our hands. Philly was a die hard Yankee fan and I was a Mets fan, little did we know a fun rivalry would grow into a lifelong friendship. Philly was in a grade higher than me, although we did not go to the same school since he lived about a mile away from me in the same community but in another part of the school district...a smidgen too far for an eight year old to bike ride. However, we remained friends through little league, during the summer riding our bikes and hopping into backyard pools together, always comparing the Yanks vs the Mets and forever playing streetball and trading baseball cards. Later, Philly was involved with the Boy Scouts and I joined a ?Junior Fire Department Explorer Post? that was being organized at our towns volunteer fire department. After not seeing Philly for a few years, I was happy to find out that he too would be joining the Explorer Post and we would be hanging out together again going to meetings, activities, drills and camping as ?Junior Fire Department Explorers?.

When we became eighteen, we both joined our community Volunteer Fire Department together while working in a private ambulance business driving seniors to medical appointments. It was during our time together at the volunteer fire department we decided to focus and put all our energy into becoming career firefighters, somewhere...anywhere... Along with two other volunteer firefighters from our company who were friends of ours, Mike and Big Mac, the four of us decided to share information, pool our resources and start taking fire department entrance exams together. In 1977 we discovered the DCFD would be holding an entrance exam and carpooled to DC to take the exam. Fortunately we all did well on the DCFD exam, Mike and Big Mac were the first to be called for the DCFD Training Academy, and almost a year later Philly and I would be hired together for the same proby class in August 1979.

Of course we could not believe our good fortune, Philly and I were ecstatic to have been hired by the Washington DC Fire Department at the same time! The proby class size was twenty-four candidates, it was comforting to know Philly and I would share the training experience together and car pool for the duration of the training school. During our proby training we both rented apartments in the same apartment complex outside DC near Laurel, Maryland.

On October 19, 1979 Philly and I graduated the DCFD Training School. Philly was assigned to Truck 13 located in NE section of DC. It is quartered with E 10, the firehouse is very active, in fact, one of the busiest in the DCFD. And, of course I was assigned to E 21.

Graduation Day, Oct 19, 1979. "Me" top row left, Brother Philly, bottom row right.

Me and Philly visiting the old Volunteer Fire Department this year. First time back in almost 40 years!

And we both shared a couple of close calls that could have ended our happy careers quickly.

During a recent chat with Philly, he shared this story with me again.

DECEMBER 22, 1979: Two months on the job, Philly is riding the side of T 13, a late 60?s Seagrave tiller...his position is ?Hook? and so his riding position would be on the officers side of the tractor trailer, back toward the tillerman where the ?Hook? firefighters SCBA is mounted and covered in a protective covering from the weather on the trailer. It is a typical blustery, freezing December night, three days before Christmas. The truck is riding short and another firefighter is detailed in to fill the vacant spot. In the meantime, the firefighter running the ?Bar? or ?Barman? position is a senior firefighter Donald ?Donnie? French. Since it is the choice position of the truck, usually the Sergeant or senior man that assumes the position. But tonight, Donnie asks Philly, ?why don?t we switch and you run the ?bar? tonight?...as a proby, you very rarely get this opportunity to work in this position as you are often required to work by yourself alongside the engine company. Philly is delighted to swap positions and now moves up to the ?Bar? riding position, still on the officer side but just behind the turntable and Donnie moves back closer to the tillerman.

During the course of the night tour, T 13 has been responding to many alarms in the area due to cold conditions and various emergencies attributed to the freezing weather. A familiar Box Alarm assignment has been transmitted again for T 13, the TD and Officer know the address well, there has been a recent spat of violence at the address with repeated attempts to set the structure on fire, this time a molotov cocktail has been thrown into the two story apartment house... the dispatcher advises all units responding over the radio that ?children are reported trapped?. The TD is pushing the old Seagrave, every corner is another stop sign, the TD painstakingly keeps grinding through the gears getting the rig up to speed...Philly is hanging onto the side with his SCBA on his back, his collar pulled tight he tucks his chin against his chest, protecting his face from the pelting onslaught of the freezing air.

Seagrave tiller similar to T 13

T 13 is barreling against the wind toward the location and trapped children, only a couple of more blocks to go... the truck crests a hill on Blaine Avenue and is now heading downward toward a four way stop sign on the cross street, Division Street ...Posthaste racing down Division Street toward the officer side of T 13 is E 19 responding towards the same fire and the same four way stop sign??LOOK OUT!? screams Donnie French from the back of the trailer as T 13 busts through the four way stop sign and notices E 19 also entering the intersection. E 19 tries slamming on the brakes, tires squealing... a ?T-bone? collision is imminent?

Alerted from Donnie?s yell, Philly sees out of the corner of his eye the screeching Ford Wagon which is about to collide and hit him, he attempts to climb onto the turntable as E 19 smashes broadside into the middle of the trailer just behind him, ?Hook? Firefighter Donnie French tries to climb up and over the ladder from his position to avoid the impact, but he does not clear the front of the Ford cab as it strikes the trailer severing his leg above the knee. Philly is tossed upside down from the blow and now hangs upside down, suspended on the SCBA bracket mounted alongside the rig. Members rush to his aid, he is lifted off and laid on the ground and awaits EMS, while other members go to the aid of Donnie.

Philly was very lucky, he was placed on Medical Leave for a few weeks for back strain. Firefighter Donald French lost his leg and had to retire. Philly went on to have a very successful career with the DCFD.

************

As mentioned before, Engine 21?s quarters was designed to accommodate the newer and larger ladder trucks that were being designed during that era. Recently we have acquired an old Pirsch tiller spare that is parked in the second bay behind Ambulance 2. The protective wood coverings added after the 1968 riots over the cab have been removed and now the old rig is resting quietly.

Today is the start of ?spring cleaning? for the firehouse and in preparation for ?Annual Inspection?. After the New Year, the DCFD policy is for company officers to rotate to another platoon. Captain Mac has now been assigned to the third platoon and my new boss is Lt. Hammond. Although I did not get a chance to work with Lt.Hammond while he was assigned to the third platoon, as a young firefighter I was impressed with his youthful style and Robert Redford good looks, I admired his ambitious drive and hoped someday to work with him. Now I will get my chance and looking forward to this opportunity. When Lt. Hammond first came to our platoon, he had a line up in front of quarters...he told us one of his main objectives is a quick and swift turnout, ?I want to see hustle when the tone goes off?...I liked the style, I liked his drive and aggressiveness. I thought we usually turned out very quick on all alarms, but he demanded that extra push, fine by me!

Lt. Hammond

This spring morning, Lieutenant Hammond, he has made his famous ?hunter style? pancakes for us and now it is time to roll up our sleeves and get to spring cleaning work. The first order of business is to move the rigs out of the station. WD Mickey and P Driver Neugie move their rigs onto the ramp of the firehouse. Now the old Pirsch needs to be moved, Lt. Hammond asks if I ever ?tillered?. I have not is my reply??Well, ok, anyway...hop up there and do your best, keep the wheel straight and just don?t hit anything?. He shows me the chrome push button buzzer located on the left side of the windshield. I?m instructed, press ?once? if you start to swerve toward the side of the garage before you "hit it", he says with a smile. I know he has full confidence in me and I know this will be a piece of cake...The uncovered tiller assembly is the old type, the chair and windshield are released and flipped over the ladder, the steering wheel pulls out and placed into a metal bracket on the side of the trailer so that the ladder is clear to raise.

Lt. Hammond fires up the ol? girl, black smoke belches from the exhaust as he lets the rig idle for a bit. Both of the firehouse green colored wooden overhead bay doors are open, they are old and heavy...the bay door where the Pirsch tiller sits is broken and in the fixed ?up? position. In DC firehouses with tiller rigs, the overhead doors must be either completely opened, or closed...they cannot be in a half or any other partially opened position. Since the bay door is broken, and that is where Ambulance 2 responds from the bay door is left in the open position during the warm spring like weather awaiting repairs.

Pirsch Spare Tiller

Lt. Hammond presses from the cab the ?go? button with two quick ?beep, beeps? , I return the same ?beep beep?, he then releases the hand held brake, the rig has a throaty roar when he lets off the clutch and we start to pull forward from the rear of the firehouse...the cab clears and all is well...however, as we get closer,I began to notice an ?L? shaped bracket hanging from the middle of the broken door, suspended, it is the ?door lifting? bracket that attaches to the door frame and chain that lifts the door, only now it is not attached to the chain and is suspended in mid air. The rig starts to move a little quicker, I am concerned as I notice the bracket is hanging low and dead center of the door and tiller windshield... the rig approaches the bracket, with my left hand I attempt to push the bracket up and out of the way to clear the windshield but the metal bracket is fixed and does not move...the rig continues to move forward...I press hard on the chrome button to stop the rig ?BEEEEEEP!?...By the time Lt. Hammond reacts, the ?L? shaped bracket is crushing and driving the windshield onto me, splintering glass as the windshield gets hung up on the bracket. I duck and crouch into the tiller seat as the windshield and bracket shatters and showers me in glass coming closer towards my face and head, still with my thumb solidly pressing the stop button the large bay door comes crashing down on top of the aerial as the rig comes to a jolting halt.

Lt. Hammond runs to my aid, I am sloped backwards as far as I can go in the seat partially covered by the destroyed windshield assembly. The other members hearing the commotion and loud crash come to help. Other than a laceration to my left hand, I was fine and transported to the local Hospital. I received twelve stitches in my left hand behind the thumb. Lt. Hammond, of course upset and apologetic then told me later he was thinking about having a little fun with me in the rear, he was going to ?blow? out of quarters... give me a ride! But decided not too at the last second. Whew! Who knew this job could be dangerous!

************
I am now in my third year OTJ and taking my turn at details, today I have been detailed to T 2 located on M Street with E 1, not too far from Georgetown, DC?s oldest and charming historic neighborhood for tourists. My riding position on the late 1970 model American LaFrance tiller is the ?Hook? behind the ?Barman? on the officer side of the rig. During the afternoon T 2 is toned out for a Box Alarm reporting an unknown condition on an upper floor at a residential hi-rise in the SW section of DC. We will be second due to Tower Ladder T 10. By city code, structures in Washington cannot be over thirteen stories, doing so this keeps the Capitol and Washington Monument towering over the skyline from afar.

T 10 arrives first due and the members have already proceeded into the building when we arrive and park behind T 10, there is no alley for us to report into and nothing is showing. I grab my hook, and I follow the officer, he enters an elevator with the other firefighters from the engine companies, it is full and he tells me to wait for the next elevator. There is an unknown condition on the seventh floor of this nine story residential hi-rise.

The ?Hook? position firefighters primary task is basically a portable ?ladder thrower? with the ?Axe? firefighter, they throw portable ladders, then place a vent fan in a window from the outside, seldom does the ?Hook? or ?Axe? firefighters position require an SCBA...so, typical of the other ?truckies?, I follow their lead and I am not wearing a SCBA either on this alarm. The second elevator comes down to the lobby (In 1980, DC did not have a similar Local Law 5 that NYC had recently incorporated which regulates fire service elevators, fire wardens, etc...furthermore, during that time the DCFD did not have a ?Hi-Rise? Procedure).

I catch the next elevator with two firefighters who have entered the lobby from Rescue 1, they are the only two firefighters wearing an SCBA. The three of us board the elevator, one of the firefighters punches the seventh floor elevator button, where the emergency condition is reported...the elevator stops at the seventh floor...in the meantime, the unknown condition is now apparent, an apartment fully involved with fire that has vented into the hallway with black swirling dense smoke, heat and fire...the black oily smoke is thick and compacted down to the floor. The elevator door opens to a solid wall of black smoke, the two Rescue firefighters immediately don their facepiece and ask if I will be ok, thankfully, the smoke does not enter the elevator as the elevator shaft must have a positive air flow and keeps the smoke from entering...I am beyond grateful, the smoke stands still in front of the opened elevator door like a black curtain, and does not enter. The Rescuemen disappear into the dense smoke as I immediately slam my thumb into the elevator button for the lobby below to get my SCBA...It seems like an eternity before the door finally closes.

I returned to the rig to grab my SCBA and glance towards T 10... it has the bucket up and I now notice the heavy fire venting from the terrace of the apartment on the seventh floor. That was a close call and a lesson learned the hard way about ?hi-rise? residences, that I never forgot.

Upon arrival, "nothing showing"...fire now erupts from 7th floor apartment.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! KMG-365

JohnnyGage · Nov 10, 2019

DCFD Part 7
Ch Ch Ch Changes?

There have been changes at E 21. We recently received a new Hahn Engine that will replace the Ford Wagon, we will keep the second piece, the 68 Ford as our pumper. The DCFD went on a spending spree to update much of their fire apparatus and Hahn Fire Apparatus was the choice. The rigs now had automatic transmission and were fast, there would be no more riding in a makeshift box behind the cab. Lieutenant Hammond has been promoted to Captain, Mickey and Neugie have since retired and Lieutenant Tommy Dolner is my new boss replacing Lt. Hammond...The old Pirsch spare has been removed from quarters and soon T 14 will be joining E 21 as their quarters will start a renovation project that is going to take at least a year and so the Lanier Place firehouse will be a double house once again. On the National front, President Jimmy Carter has been defeated by Ronald Reagan and the hostages that were being held by Iran have now been brought back home. Some things haven?t changed, Smiley and the old lady in the frock dress still come through the firehouse everyday like clockwork on a mission to get their soda from the soda machine in the rear quarters.

*********************

T 14 has now been relocated to our quarters and the firehouse is alive with the extra personnel and getting a little cramped, but in a good way, no one minds the company. T 14 has the same old model Pirsch spare that was just removed, since T 14 is one of the least active of Truck companies, they will be one of the last to get an upgraded rig, not a new rig, but one of the later model American LaFrance dragster type that FDNY uses from another company. The quiet of a single engine house has now transformed into a continuous beehive of activity. Even though the firehouse was designed to accommodate the longer ladder trucks, the living conditions are tight. The kitchen was extremely small, almost the same size of a ranch style house, the sitting room with television on the first floor could have been a small living room in the same ranch house. The sitting room had a four by eight dining room table with six chairs to eat, and a single couch up against the wall. The closeness was way too confining for two companies plus the ambulance crew to sit and comfortably eat. We acquired another large table about the same size and placed it on the apparatus floor between the rigs and a short distance away from the pool table that was usually covered with boxes, coats and other daily paraphernalia. Sitting on the apparatus floor was more comfortable, it seemed to have more leg room with better ventilation. The basement of the old firehouse was damp, dark and cavernous with low ceilings... unusable except for a pinball machine that was placed at the base of the stairs.

On the second floor was a full bunk room with old styled beds on original old wooden floors, a small two stall bathroom next to a small room of lockers. Two Company offices filled up the second floor. It appears the firehouse was designed more for the comfort of the horses than the manpower. During the evening, many of the guys hung out in front of quarters since there was no policy about sitting in chairs in front of quarters, in fact many DC firehouses had wooden benches in front of the firehouse. On any comfortable evening you could find a handful of guys just sitting in a half circle in front of the firehouse chatting between alarms or sitting by the front housewatch desk.

T 14, notice the SCBA mounted on frames outside the cab

Tonight I have been detailed across the floor to T 14. Now that they have been relocated to E 21 local boxes have been modified to include them and their fire activity has increased. T 14 has mostly senior men, they are stationed on Connecticut Avenue with E 28 and Fifth Battalion Chief. It is hard to keep younger firefighters on the roster due to the sluggish activity of the company while the senior men who have worked in other busier companies appear to enjoy the slower pace.

Since I am detailed I?m expecting to be assigned to an outside position on the truck, either the ?Hook? or ?Axe?. However, the senior man would prefer tonight to be assigned the ?Hook or Axe? position and offers me the chance to ?run the Bar?, the forcible entry position. I?m delighted and excited to do so!

I?m in the process of conducting my apparatus check ?walk around? inspecting the truck and going through all the compartments and notice a two and a half gallon dusty air pressure water extinguisher sitting in a compartment. I decide to take it out, dust it off, test it, top it off with water then fill with air. Through the task I?m having a flashback to my buff days with Uncle Jack and learning about the ?can man?. I decide to take the can and place it in a position near to me on the side of the trailer.

Both companies have now finished dinner, dinner is served about six o?clock. One of the ?soul? Brothers assigned to 21 is JB. He is a black firefighter and a good friend. And I refer to him as ?my soul brother?, JB has a motorcycle as well as I did and we used to ride together during our time off. JB is a good chef, he makes from scratch a delicious southern fried chicken meal complete with collard greens, mashed potatoes, gravy and cornbread... After dinner, the policy in every DC firehouse is that everyone, except the cook, and including the officer(s), rolls the dice that are kept on the blackboard shelf. Names are placed on the blackboard and as you roll the dice your number is recorded, whoever has ?high and low? will do the pots, pans, dishes, cups and silverware since the firehouse does not have a dishwasher. Sometimes, among the ?high and low? winners they will do a ?roll off? and the loser gets to do the whole detail himself.

It?s about eight o?clock, some guys are sitting outside, I?m sitting by the front desk with a few other firefighters...all of a sudden we hear a little commotion coming from the private house that abuts against the firehouse desk wall. Running down alongside the concrete apron of the firehouse and dividing the firehouse from the neighbors house is a small brick wall that runs down to the sidewalk. Certain bricks that have been stylishly removed to allow light to show through them. But instead of light, we notice black smoke that starts seeping through the brick and instantaneously a loud yell from the resident ?FIRE, FIRE!?.

The firefighter on the desk turns out the companies by banging the gong a rapid succession about a half dozen times while announcing a fire next door. In the meantime I run to the Bar position, in a flash my gear is on, instead of waiting for the rig to pull out of quarters, I grab the ?bar? and the can while running next door, the first to arrive. In the basement floor is a narrow small den that has been converted into a library, maybe twelve by eight feet, the books on the shelves are rolling in orange flame and the smoke vents over my head. Squeezing the handle of the can the water knocks the fire down as JB and crew from E 21 comes in with the line. There is a look of awe emanating from them and my T 14 colleagues...The DCFD does not employ the ?can? concept. Later, the conversation turns to the ?can?... the common thought was that many could not believe the amount of fire that ?little thing cut put out?.

After the fire the Fifth Battalion Chief takes the opportunity to stop by quarters and chat with the officers while members continue to clean the gear, top off the booster and I refill the can. The fire was contained in the library, the one hundred fifty foot inch and a half was used to wash down the hot spots has been drained and repacked, a fresh hot pot of coffee is on the way down and both companies are back in service.

Within minutes; ?BOOOP, BOOOP? BOX ALARM ENGINE 21, 9, 11, 28 TRUCK 14, 9 RESCUE 2 BATTALION 5?.?

The fire is reported about six doors down from the firehouse on the opposite side of the street and diagonally across the street from the earlier fire. This time I jump on the truck as it makes the left out of quarters behind the wagon and pumper and proceeds halfway up the street to the front of the reported address. With the Battalion Chief at quarters, he jumped into his car (in DCFD parlance the chiefs car is referred to as ?Chiefs Buggy?) and was first on the scene as we followed. The house is an old three story row frame that is set back from the street, as the truck comes to a halt I?m off with the bar and can, hopped up the three steps from the sidewalk to the brick walkway where another set of six steps will take me into the front door of the building.... There is a noticeable light haze of smoke that is lazily drifting out of the front door.

By the second set of steps stands the Battalion Chief... he notices me carrying the can and stops me in my tracks, ?Whoa, where're going with that?? he did not wait for my reply and orders... ?you can leave that right outside here?. I complied and continued to the front door ahead of the line that was being stretched behind me. Inside the first floor living room the fireplace has a hot roaring fire, about ten inches of the leading edge of the oak floor in front of the fireplace has begun to smolder and shows the beginning stage of pyrolysis...a perfect can job!...Meantime, E 21 stretched the line into the living room and took care of the issue cracking the line just enough to douse the singed floor. Oh well, like they say in the fire service... ?A hundred years of tradition unimpeded by progress!?

Tight quarters, but it's ok, we sit on apparatus floor. E 21 and T 14

*************

With my probation year behind me, I joined the department ?duckpin? bowling league that meets every Wednesday afternoon. Duckpin is different from regular bowling, the ball is about 5 inches in diameter, just a little larger than a softball, the pins are smaller and lighter which makes it difficult to achieve a strike, so the bowler has three attempts per frame. It is a good chance to meet many other DC firefighters that I might not have met from different shifts and firehouses. In addition, I also became a ?Charter Member? of the Washington DC Emerald Society, marching in various local parades down Constitution Avenue that had deep exciting crowds viewing along the sidewalk. During my time on the DCFD there were about twelve hundred DC firefighters and in a short time I got to meet many through extra curricular activity.

One of the firefighters that I met during the bowling league was assigned across the city to another ladder company, tonight he happens to be detailed to T 14 for the night tour. His name is Freddie, he is stocky, brash and bold kind of guy...Freddie has a hobby, likes to break cojones, and today it?s my turn. He and another firefighter from T 14 are shooting pool in the back of the firehouse and Freddie repeatedly keeps calling me; ?Yonkers?, I looked at him quizzically, I think I?m getting the joke, is it because I?m from New York? Should I tell him that Yonkers is not part of the city? No big deal, he?s a good guy and I just play along, he gets a charge every time he calls me Yonkers... ?Hey Yonkers, say ?warter? for me...?Hey Yonkers, get me a glass of warter, will ya Yonkers?. OK, I get it, with my Brooklyn brogue he is having a fun time while the other truck guy smiles along. Again, ?Hey, Yonkers, say New Yawk? he asserts with his best exaggerated NY accent. This goes on for a brief time and I humor him. Freddie likes to chew tobacco as do many of the other firefighters. In fact, there are many ?Redman? chewing tobacco pouches laying around the firehouse and in the cabs of the rigs, many times during committee work during the day tour I often came across a disgusting dried spit can with tobacco that was forgotten and I had to toss it out. (I have to admit, I did place a pinch in between my cheek and gums ...found it utterly repulsive!) Tonight Freddie is putting on a little show for the T 14 guy and having a little fun with the boy from New York City??Hey Yonkers?? and I am about to turn the table on the good ol? boy...

In the kitchen is a little reserve for ?clean? spit cans that have not been used yet, they are the small Del Monte corn or green beans vegetable cans that have the paper label removed, rinsed out and kept in a corner for the tobacco chewers...Freddie is using one of those cans tonight and I come up with this idea.... In the kitchen, I get the same type can he is spitting into and pour a drop of black coffee into it, when Freddie and the other firefighter is not paying attention, I swap the spit can Freddie has placed on top of the small workbench that is by the pool table with my smidgen amount of coffee. I keep a close eye on it? Just then, as Freddie starts to approach his way to the spit can, I intercede and grab ?his? spit can...with the other firefighter looking on I take the spit can, (that has coffee in it) swirl so Freddie can see the dark brown liquid, and down it like a shot of whiskey...Freddie and the other firefighter eyes bug out!, there is a brief WTF moment...nonchalantly I toss the empty can into the nearby garbage can, glance at Freddie whose smirk is now gone, looks bewildered and dumbstruck, and say??Nobody ever heard of Yonkers...it?s New YAWK, New YAWK, so big they named it twice... Country Boy!?

Next: Rescue Squad 4 and Epilogue

Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading! KMG-365

Today, the Brick wall (behind soda machine) where smoke came through remains the same as 40 years ago)

FDNYSTATENISLAND · Nov 11, 2019

Found this pic on Instagram today. Caption said it is DCFD back in the day. Johnny, are you familiar with this fire? If you zoom into the left side there are street signs. Also cool to note: looks like they attached a handline to the deckgun? Figured this would be the spot to post this picture lol. Keep up the great stories, us younger guys love it!

JohnnyGage · Nov 12, 2019

Thanks FDNYSI !.....Yes, I remember the Pumper Driver at E 21 "Neugie" telling me during my probation that hooking up to the deck gun would afford you another discharge, the rigs only had 750 gpm pumps and three discharges... If I remember him telling me correctly, using the 4th discharge like this was common during the 68 riots where additional lines were stretched from rigs as needed and remained a tactic DCFD employed when necessary up until we got the new Hahn pumpers. Thanks for sharing the great photo and kind words, I appreciate it!
Best, JG

raybrag · Nov 12, 2019

FDNY is not the only department that innovates.

lucky · Nov 12, 2019

The late 40s Ward LaFrance pumpers only had two discharges although they were 750 GPM. The deck pipe discharge was used out of necessity.

68jk09 · Nov 12, 2019

I remember at Multiples way back seeing Pumpers with a Line off the Deckpipe as an additional discharge (of course way before the convoluted "no more than 2 Lines off a Pumper").....at MUD i used to set up a scenario where if a Pumper in proximity to a bldg that collapsed alongside & against one side of the Pumper opposite the Pump Panel negating using the discharge on that side & possibly the rear & or front discharge but this Pumper was in a key position to supply needed Handlines....my question to the Junior Men was what could be done ? ...very few thought of coming off the the piped in Stang as a discharge..... an oddball scenario but it could be a Lifesaver in certain instances...... as far as the "no more than 2 Lines" thing yes this is what is taught in more recent years but my point is "are the 2 original Lines actually flowing water & knocking down Fire or are they in a standby mode during overhaul ?" .....if the 3rd Line is immediately necessary it should take precedence.