Mack CF Tower Ladders

[FDNYBuff97]

I know this sound like a weird question but ... did these trucks have any covers for the back of the cab because one of the firemen is totally exposed ... what if it was like pooring rain and they got a call would they just sit in the rain ?
L 120

 

[Bulldog]

Now all they didn't have a cover, they just sat in the rain or snow.

 

[FDNYBuff97]

Oh ok thanks 

 

[guitarman314]

When I was growing up firemen rode on back steps of pumpers and hung on to the sides of or tiller-steered ladder trucks during blizzards and members during the "War Years" were just as tough.

 

[raybrag]

I don't mean to be a smart a$$, Buff . . . but what do you think the members did when ALL apparatus had open cabs and they rode the back step of pumpers & side running boards of ladders?

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Just to change the course of this discussion. Cars with manual transmissions, planes with two wings and/or propellers, phones with a dial on the front. When my son came home from Iraq between deployments (volunteered for a second, 10 days leave) we went to a place in suburban Chicago that was old school 50-60 motiff. He had pixs of albums on his walls, I had to explain what a 33 rpm was. The advancement of technology is geat, especially when it affects "First ones in, Last ones out" I an sure that sitting in an open cab, either engine or ladder was not great, especially when the garbage trucks, edison trucks had closed cabs.

 

[memory master]

My dad was on the job from 1937-1958 and he had some fond memories of driving the rig in rain, sleet and snow. The old timers will tell you that some of the rigs had a windshield wiper on both sides of the glass. The guys on the back step would sort of crouch down facing the hose bed for a slight break and guys on the sides of the tiller rigs would turn their faces to the rear to keep the stuff from coming directly into their faces. My old man would flip in is grave if he saw todays rigs with air conditoned and heated cabs. But regardless of how tough it was, those guys were tougher back in those days.

 

[guitarman314]

I agree Memory Master, just think what it must've been like to be inside a burning building without an SCBA, that alone says it all.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

I am sure everyone is glad to see everyone inside in a safe environment. I realize that in the day everyone held onto straps on the rear and rails on the side. How many FF's died after slipping, losing their balance, or were thrown from a rig?? To me it just sounds stupid and careless when those who put their butts on the line are in greater danger responding/returning to a call while your local garbage man was warm and dry. The damn technology was there, use it! There is no heroism in governmental stupidity.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Guitarman 314, I guess that is why they called these guys "Leather Lungs"

 

[mack]

I had recently made an entry about my dad's first response hanging on the runningboard of a Staten Island ladder company in the late 1950s responding on 5 and 6 mile runs and getting hit by every branch and vine growing alongide of the narrow SI streets back then.  Members were exposed to more than the elements.  There were also many members who fell off rigs or were seriously injured during accidents.  No seat belts, either, back then for members who had seats.  In the early "War Years" of the 60s, there wasn't much protection for the bricks and bottles thrown at responding units.

Members responding on the back step 1970  - E 17 - Broome St quarters (picture from their web site):

 

[68jk09]

mack ...good shot of ENG*17......6 FFs on board in 1970 as opposed to 4 in 2011......also the usual (at that time) diesel exhaust blowing over the back step.

 

[Haggerty]

Why 4 on the back step? If 6 were on a rig wouldnt 4 ride in the cab and 2 on the step? It looks like a 4 man cab.

 

[68jk09]

The backstep was the prefered riding position for the Nozzle team......no masks just ready to stretch.

 

[Haggerty]

Ok thanks, makes sense, all the hose and everything is right there and ready to go.

 

[Bulldog]

Ashley when they had six firefighters they're actually seven on the truck, the six firefighters plus the officer.  Thus it least 3 needed to be on the back step.

 

[guitarman314]

Ok thanks, makes sense, all the hose and everything is right there and ready to go.

ERGONOMICS!

 

[johnd248]

The rig, as shown, has four men on the back step, one standing on the chauffeur's side( near the mother-in-law seat), with the chauffeur and officer inside the cab; there are actually seven on the rig: 6 plus the officer.  You could get five on the rear step but it was kind of tight.  The guy on the side usually helped the chauffeur hook up to the hydrant and therefore rode the side.

 

[68jk09]

The FF on the side ....after hooking up would if it was a tough job ......don a mask & if need be relieve the FF on the nozzle....(if he let him). 

 

[AuxWarYearsCapt]

Back in the war years the guys were very happy because there were options.........In the summer it was great to ride the back step when it was a hot night all of those open hydrants felt very refreshing when u went thru them and it was very hot inside the cab with the engine in the middle..........on those cold nights 4 guys would squeeze into the cab near the engine to keep warm and the 5th man would ride between the officer and the chauffer. The only major issue in the summer was when things were thrown at the rig while responding we all rode inside the cab
and when u are doing 30 plus runs in 95 degree weather you can lose alot of weight.......lol