My younger Buff years
- Thread starter nfd2004
- Start date
To my friend there "69METS", I don't know what kind of dirt my brother Georgie can find on me BUT, I do know that besides Buffing the FDNY WAR YEARS with me, he was the kind of guy that everybody couldn't wait to get to the firehouse and see what his next plans were. Plenty of laughs.
And to my good friend "fdce54", I thought we would forget about that night mare of finding our way around Queens. I guess you learn something everyday. You have to put in the right address when using those new high tech GPS things. Otherwise you could be 30 blocks from where you wanted to be trying to find your way out. As far as I was concerned, I could have been in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean trying to find my way back.
And to that friend of mine who calls himself "JohnnyD248". "Well, I guess he's right about that Big Stomach".
Sorry for getting off track here. Just had to clear a few things up.
Actually, you couldn't ask for three better people than the three I've just mentioned.
And to my good friend "fdce54", I thought we would forget about that night mare of finding our way around Queens. I guess you learn something everyday. You have to put in the right address when using those new high tech GPS things. Otherwise you could be 30 blocks from where you wanted to be trying to find your way out. As far as I was concerned, I could have been in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean trying to find my way back.
And to that friend of mine who calls himself "JohnnyD248". "Well, I guess he's right about that Big Stomach".
Sorry for getting off track here. Just had to clear a few things up.
Actually, you couldn't ask for three better people than the three I've just mentioned.
fdce54 said:
Back in the 'War Years' Bill didn't need a good sense of direction. He just needed to know how to pick the 'Best' looking plume of smoke and subsequently how to follow it ... kinda like following a rainbow to a pot of gold, the difference being Bill's pot of gold was 3 or 4 floors of fire ... Hahaha.
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some information on nfd 2004
when he would visit me when i was working and we had a run, his eyes would get
like big silver dollars. he loved smelling our turnout coats. hes what you call a dedicated
stemwacker. one time he asked me, how do you line up the guys for roll call? it seems
that no one would pay attention to him. on top of that he was a officer. they could
never get a turnout coat to fit him. the only fire he put out was maybe a chicken coup.
his stories never end.
when he would visit me when i was working and we had a run, his eyes would get
like big silver dollars. he loved smelling our turnout coats. hes what you call a dedicated
stemwacker. one time he asked me, how do you line up the guys for roll call? it seems
that no one would pay attention to him. on top of that he was a officer. they could
never get a turnout coat to fit him. the only fire he put out was maybe a chicken coup.
his stories never end.
"mikeindabronx" has Added Page #14 to his web site of Bronx/Harlem Photos . Once again, The GREATEST PHOTOS from the Busiest time in the History of the Busiest Fire Dept in the World.
And remember, when these photos were taken back in the 1980s, there were No Digital Cameras to just aim and shoot. Each photo had to be focused, the proper speed film had to be used, and the proper distance setting. Sometimes the right flash had to be used. It certainly took quite a skill to be able to get photos like the ones we see from Mike today. I know myself, often during the Heat of Battle on a cold dark mid winter night, the flim was brittle to change loading it into the camera.
But anyway, thanks to Mike, go to his web site and check out his latest on Page 14.
www.fdnysbravest.com (Thanks Mike)
And remember, when these photos were taken back in the 1980s, there were No Digital Cameras to just aim and shoot. Each photo had to be focused, the proper speed film had to be used, and the proper distance setting. Sometimes the right flash had to be used. It certainly took quite a skill to be able to get photos like the ones we see from Mike today. I know myself, often during the Heat of Battle on a cold dark mid winter night, the flim was brittle to change loading it into the camera.
But anyway, thanks to Mike, go to his web site and check out his latest on Page 14.
www.fdnysbravest.com (Thanks Mike)
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Always GREAT shots, Mike!!
.......Chief JK- NICE lid!
.......Chief JK- NICE lid!
nfd2004 said:
Mike "mikeindabronx" is the first one to admit that he doesn't deserve all the credit for his Great Web Site. His wife Marie, has done ALL the "behind the scene work" on setting up and organizing www.fdnysbravest.com . I think she's done a Great job.
And back in Our Younger Buff Years of the Bronx and Harlem, although I didn't know Mike at the time, we both would take our wives buffing to a few of those many jobs. As they would sit in those Locked cars, neighborhood people would yell to them, "What News Channel you from"? Not only did our wives get to see the Best Fire Dept in the World in Action. BUT, we got to see if these ladies were only after our money or would they stick by us for better or for worse. Well, any woman who would go into these neighborhoods on a cold winters night to chase a fire was certainly worth hanging onto.
For my wife and I it is coming up on our 35th wedding anniversary. And for Mike its even more than that. I guess we kind of owe It all to the FDNY and the fires of Harlem and The Bronx. And we ALL sure loved those Nathans Coney Island Hot Dogs.
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nfd2004 said:
Congratulations gentlemen on the wedding anniversaries. Bill, may all those "fancy restaurants" you took Helen to, are the secret of your success!!!!
.In any case, congratulations and goof health.
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September 30th will be 33 years for me and JoAnn. I can remember my anniversary because on the way to the Pocano's I was listening to the play-off game between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Bucky f*+#ing Dent hit that three run homer, Yaz popped-out for the last out. On our way to Boston we caught a fifth in Southie! What a way to start a marriage!!
The other day I recieved a phone call from "mack" on this site. His father was a part of that "Greatest Generations of Firefighters" that I often refer to in this thread. He worked many FDNY Companies and rose to the rank of Battalion Chief.
At the time, a young "mack" was lucky enough to be able to ride the many companies where his father was working. He told me stories of how he was once riding in Williamsburg, I think Engine 216 and they caught "Three" Working fires all back to back. One right after another. Yes, that was the way it was. For those who weren't around to see it, hard to believe, BUT True.
Or when those busy companies would go out for their first run of the night, and Never get back to the Firehouse for the entire tour. There were no FAST Cos, or Rac Units. In fact at times, the dispatchers considered themselves lucky if they were able to get enough companies just to fight a fire. And certainly there was no relief companies.
I think when "mack" called me, we talked for about an hour. The stories that he has is way beyond what I could tell. He grew up with it. I was only a weekly observer. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that the dispatchers that took those many calls with no cads etc, and firefighters that fought those Hourly fires, will go in the History Books as "The Greatest". That's just the way it is and we will probadly never see anything like that again.
At the time, a young "mack" was lucky enough to be able to ride the many companies where his father was working. He told me stories of how he was once riding in Williamsburg, I think Engine 216 and they caught "Three" Working fires all back to back. One right after another. Yes, that was the way it was. For those who weren't around to see it, hard to believe, BUT True.
Or when those busy companies would go out for their first run of the night, and Never get back to the Firehouse for the entire tour. There were no FAST Cos, or Rac Units. In fact at times, the dispatchers considered themselves lucky if they were able to get enough companies just to fight a fire. And certainly there was no relief companies.
I think when "mack" called me, we talked for about an hour. The stories that he has is way beyond what I could tell. He grew up with it. I was only a weekly observer. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that the dispatchers that took those many calls with no cads etc, and firefighters that fought those Hourly fires, will go in the History Books as "The Greatest". That's just the way it is and we will probadly never see anything like that again.
Bill
I'm sure this has been posted somewhere before but for those that may have missed it there is some great FDNY war years audio posted here by this forum's member R1SmokeEater ; http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fdny+war+years+audio&aq=2&oq=fdny+war+
I'm sure this has been posted somewhere before but for those that may have missed it there is some great FDNY war years audio posted here by this forum's member R1SmokeEater ; http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fdny+war+years+audio&aq=2&oq=fdny+war+
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Willie,
I'm sure you're right....those days are gone and will never be duplicated, In some places 3, 4 or 5 jobs a night were commonplace as were 30 to 40 runs a night. You'd be available on the air and catch one run after another and many times hear a dispatcher ask "any available ladder company in the ....division" Whether it was the 6th, 15th or 17th, many times the silence told the tale.
Here's to the greatest generation of firefighters, the war years warriors
Jim
I'm sure you're right....those days are gone and will never be duplicated, In some places 3, 4 or 5 jobs a night were commonplace as were 30 to 40 runs a night. You'd be available on the air and catch one run after another and many times hear a dispatcher ask "any available ladder company in the ....division" Whether it was the 6th, 15th or 17th, many times the silence told the tale.
Here's to the greatest generation of firefighters, the war years warriors
Jim
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Willie,
The amazing thing is that they were ordinary guys who did extraordinary things. Like a Timex watch, they took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.
They became masters of the job, but sadly many paid a price: disabling injuries and early passing.
But while the feathers were hitting the fan, there was nothing like it. The lessons I learned during those years, made me a better firefighter throughout my career.
Jim
The amazing thing is that they were ordinary guys who did extraordinary things. Like a Timex watch, they took a lickin' and kept on tickin'.
They became masters of the job, but sadly many paid a price: disabling injuries and early passing.
But while the feathers were hitting the fan, there was nothing like it. The lessons I learned during those years, made me a better firefighter throughout my career.
Jim
I was looking at G-Man's assignment card for box 3015 from the war years. I see R-3 was on the 2nd alarm. I know this was discussed before but I can't remember. When did the rescues start responding borough wide on the 10-75? Were they on all 10-75's in the war years or did this practice start when activity slowed down?
