My younger Buff years
- Thread starter nfd2004
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Later on TL 14 and TL 163 got replacements. They got Huge 100 Ft. American LaFrance Ladder Towers. I think we might have discussed these Ladder Trucks earlier on this site, or on another thread. All I can say is the one that we saw work in the Bronx and Harlem, "14 Truck" sure caught it's share of work in those days.
I may be wrong, but I think the Sutphens were the first Tower Ladders that were 100 footers. All the other Tower Ladders up to that time were 75 Ft. Later came the two ALF 100 Ft Tower Ladders and then came the first 100 Ft Mack Tower Ladders. I think they were TL 12, and TL 172.
And "Bxboro" you are right about the activity in 92/44, and 75/33 picking up in the 1980s. As the years progressed and the War Years started to slow down, that became the busy place to buff in the Bronx.
To my friend "Bxboro". It sure is good to get in touch with you. I think you used to look up to me as the "Buffing Expert". Well, I really got to tell you. I found out on this site that there ARE "EXPERTS", and sadly I'm not one of them. Some of these guys grew up with the War Years. They lived there and were a part of it, Every Day. But anyway, to my long time friend "Bxboro', "Welcome to the Party."
I may be wrong, but I think the Sutphens were the first Tower Ladders that were 100 footers. All the other Tower Ladders up to that time were 75 Ft. Later came the two ALF 100 Ft Tower Ladders and then came the first 100 Ft Mack Tower Ladders. I think they were TL 12, and TL 172.
And "Bxboro" you are right about the activity in 92/44, and 75/33 picking up in the 1980s. As the years progressed and the War Years started to slow down, that became the busy place to buff in the Bronx.
To my friend "Bxboro". It sure is good to get in touch with you. I think you used to look up to me as the "Buffing Expert". Well, I really got to tell you. I found out on this site that there ARE "EXPERTS", and sadly I'm not one of them. Some of these guys grew up with the War Years. They lived there and were a part of it, Every Day. But anyway, to my long time friend "Bxboro', "Welcome to the Party."
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L14 got the first Sutphen in 1980 then L119 got the other Sutphen in 1981. In 1984 two ALF/LTI/Saulsbury 100 ft. towers were delivered and assigned to L14 and L163. I remember watching TL163 navigating that ALF tower with its frontal overhang under the Roosevelt Ave. El structure.vbcapt said:
:I think your are right....I believe when they went to the tandem rear axles (mid 80's ?) they became 95' replacing the single axle 75'. I remember seeing TL 9 operating in Washington Heights once. Must have been because it was one of the first at the time. Quite a haul.......
Busiest month I had in 82 engine during my years there was July of 1975. 82 had 210 structural fires with 205 hours of structural work for the month. Thank God for the towers, saw very few jobs up there where the 100" towers were needed, 75's did the job. Years later working as a deputy in the 3rd division in Manhattan there was an unwritten law that any job in St. Pat's immediately special call 3 100' towers to try and get the roof open. Wouldn't have worked, but you would not want to be the chief that let St. Patricks burn down without trying everything.
johnd248 said:
"Johnd," you and "Bxboro" are right. Those Mack TLs were 95ft. But I think the ALF Ladder Towers (14 & 163) were 100 footers. Like G-man said; navigating those ALF Towers under the "EL" Structures were no easy chores. Sometimes I have a tough time getting my subcompact car through there.
And Thanks Chief for your info on Engine 82 in July, 1975. "210 structural fires", with "205 hours of structural work for the month" is a record that I'm sure, "Will NEVER will be Broken". That's about 7 hours of "structural" firefighting "EVERY DAY of the MONTH". And that doesn't count the car fires, rubbish fires, or the MFAs. I think it's pretty safe to say, "not too many of us out there that can relate to that".
And Chief, you're right, "I wouldn't want to be the guy responsible for burning down St Pats in the Heart of Manhattan. Those priest get pretty upset. I found that out my last night on the job. It was Christmas Eve, 2003 during the Midnight Mass. A kid pulled two pull stations and we couldn't reset the alarm. This was right during the Sermon. Needless to say, the people and the priest were NOT at all too happy when we showed up and couldn't fix the problem. I hate to think what it would be like if we burned the roof off. (The Church I went to is also called St Patricks Cathedral, but NOT in The Heart of Manhattan).
"Bxboro", looks like we weren't the only ones to hang out under the Cross Bronx Expressway across from 46/27. "Mikeindabronx" also hung out there during the 70s and 80s. "Mikeindabronx" has shared with us some of his Great photos of the Bronx and Harlem during those Busy Years. That 46/27 was a good location. In the beginning for me, the hang out was E58/L26 in Harlem. That goes way back maybe 1968-70. Then came probadly the most Famous Buff Hang Out of all. Angie's Market, across from Eng 82/Lad 31. They wrote a book about how busy E82 was and there was plenty of activity in that area within 2-3 miles to go from one job to the next. I'd say 1970-76. In the summer of 1976 and into 1977 Bushwick seemed to be the hot spot. I found a good spot at Broadway and Koskiosko (how do you spell it), at a McDonalds. You could hit Bed-Sty, Brownsville, and Bushwick pretty easy. Those years I spent time in Brooklyn and the Bronx. From about 1978/79 until just recently, it was at E46/L27, or the then "NEW" Micky D's on Webster Ave near Clairmont Ave. That was when 92/44, E42, and 75/33 really started to pick up.
Now a days you can probadly find "NFD2004" at the Micky D's on Fordham Rd and Southern Blvd, as the north Bronx Companies have picked up. Like E38/L51, or E62/L32. So if you happen to see an Old Fat Guy standing near a blue Nisson Sentra, probadly holding a portable scanner in that parking lot, stop by and say "hello". You might even get yourself a McDouble Cheeseburger out of it.
Now a days you can probadly find "NFD2004" at the Micky D's on Fordham Rd and Southern Blvd, as the north Bronx Companies have picked up. Like E38/L51, or E62/L32. So if you happen to see an Old Fat Guy standing near a blue Nisson Sentra, probadly holding a portable scanner in that parking lot, stop by and say "hello". You might even get yourself a McDouble Cheeseburger out of it.
tl-ff said:
"ti-ff", As an Old Timer, I'm not sure what you are referring to as Auxilliary Units. I do have a few friends that were "Auxilliary Firefighters". One was with Eng 83, and I know of another guy who might have been with Eng 91. They rode the rigs and generally assisted with hooking up etc. Maybe your referring to extra units in the firehouse. I'm Not sure but didn't your house (229/146) have a "Purple K Unit". I'm sorry, I can't help you more. I hope that maybe "G-man" or "Johnd248" might be able to help you.
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tl-ff said:
A *company* of Aux.?? Do you mean +/- 25 guys on the roster? WTF! As far as I know few houses had CD pumpers stored there, either as spares or for Auxiliary training purposes. As to the latter I remember E309 in Brooklyn and E159 in 'Static' Island. But a company of auxiliaries? If that was so, I'm d--n sorry I missed out on it!
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What was Hunts Point like back then? Did 94/48 catch a good amount of work? I have heard some stories of what that neighborhood was like until the late 80's early 90's.
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bklyndisp54 said:
When I was a kid, I remember a 1953 WLF CD pumper housed at E274.. I think it might have been CD 16.....maybe>
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This list is incomplete and may not be 100% accurate so any help with additional information would be appreciated
M
mmattyphoto
Guest
Dillondotcom, Hunts Point was a very busy area. E94 & L48 did allot of work, they had everything from P/D to factories. Plus it was loaded with hookers who chased the truck divers going to the Bronx Markets. Very rough area as some of the other Bronx guys can tell you. I'm sure someone else can elaborate even more so help me out MEN.
dillondotcom said:
"Mattyphoto" is EXACTLY RIGHT about 94/48. It was one really Nasty Place there on Senaca Ave/Hunts Point area. Quick story, one night my buddy and myself happened to ride by that firehouse. We went around the block and everything was vacant or burned out. There were numerous street lights that were shot out or not working. It was DARK, Dreary, and Depressing. My buddy commented to me, "Hey Willy, how would you like to work in that place". (referring to the firehouse 94/48). Actually, "I probadly would have loved it". But the truth is, "believe me, it was One Very Nasty Place". Also 94/48 caught a huge amount of work back in the days with 82/31, at that time the Arson Captital of the World. So "Dilliondotcom", if the old timers tell you how busy it was, "you gotta buy it". Those guys aren't full of B.S., they sure earned their pay. (I think in the Documentary "The Bronx is Burning", if you look closely, one of the jobs shows some guys from 94/48 on it).
And thanks "kfd274" and "G-man" for the info on the CD Rigs. I wasn't aware of that at all.
I never knew of any auxiliary companies. I served as an auxiliary from 1964 to 1973; there were many companies that had auxiliaries. Some rode with the apparatus and some rode to calls in the their personal vehicles. I always thought of it as a privilege; I slept over at the firehouse, ate meals with the members, rode on many calls (over 500 in one year), and helped with the "committee work" ( making beds, sweeping floors, etc).
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guitarman314 said:
That's an interesting list. None shown for E274. But there was a CD pumper there for many years. Parked on the right side of the house, and E 274 on the left with a hose wagon in back ( first a 1941 WLF, then a 1947 ALF pumper as a hose wagon)
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Like I said, maybe C.D. 16 shown with E272 was moved to E274.kfd274 said: