raybrag said:
And the roofs kept the flying bottles, bricks and other debris from hitting the chauffer, officer and anybody else riding in the cab.
Yes Ray, the 1960s saw some very violent times in the streets of our major cities. Rocks, bottles and even flaming bottles filled with gasoline to burn the responding members were thrown at them.
In fact as I remember, the FDNY, as well as places like Washington, D.C., and Detroit, were the first to put plywood roofs on the open cabs of their rigs.
When fire apparatus was manufactured with those new style roofs of metal, most were NOT enclosed with doors for the entire crew as we know it today. In fact, as I remember, I think the FDNY was actually one of the first to have those six man cabs fully enclosed. Making them four door cabs with all members riding inside.