My younger Buff years

[nfd2004]

FDNY Retired Lt Ziegler tells another story. Click on the small "vimeo"  link below. www.vimeo.com/44967314

 

[diablo_fire]

I had a hand-held VHF hi-lo that held 4 crystals. I know, us geriatic ones will have to explain to the pups what crystals were. I had BFD 33.74 and 153.89 and metro 154.22, the fourth one was kept empty, carried other crystals in a 35MM film container. Then Bearcat came out with the 210, completely programmable base scanner, and eventually hand-held programmable ones. You didn't need GPS, you were always going to the same areas, if not another buff would get you in the general area. In Boston you just needed to know the status of 3 units, R-1, R-2, and Car 13, SSU. A Rescue and car 13 went to all 45-xxxx boxes, working fire, different meaning than FDNY all companies working. A working BFD fire is equal to a FDNY 10-75. Those were some good days!!

My first scanner was one that you adjusted dials on to program in a channel. Then I had a Radio Shack one that had the four crystals. Not like today where you can program mine from the computer.

 

[diablo_fire]

FDNY Firefighter Tom Ziegler, retired Ladder Co 17-2, Eng 94/Lad 48, tells a few stories. The language is a little rough in here. Nothing we haven't heard before but it does get pretty heavy. If there's kids around, I would not recommend playing these videos. (Sorry, for some reason, I lost the picture in the first video).

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV1E3kz-pSg

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMMhefCTIuM

Great stories and although they had some funny stuff it also makes you stop and think.

 

[diablo_fire]

As the FDNY night shift members were arriving to their firehouse on Wednesday July 13, 1977, like most other hot summer nights they knew that it wasn"t a matter of will they catch "A" job, it was; "How Many Jobs". But I"m sure they had no idea of what it would actually be like. As darkness approached, at 9:35 PM the Lights went out. The entire city had lost all electric power. This had happened 12 years earlier in November, 1965. Then the Baby Boom came along 9 months later. But this "Blackout" would be quite different from the November, 1965 one. When the Blackout of 1977 occurred, it was a hot summer night. Everybody was outside. Most stores had already closed except for a few drug stores and package stores. By 10:00 PM the first stores were being broken into and looted. As the night went on, more people joined in and more stores were looted. It was beyond what the NYPD could handle. Then some stores were set on fire. As time went on, more stores were set on fire. Brooklyn and The Bronx were getting hit the hardest. Broadway in Brooklyn, which divides Bed-Sty from Bushwick certainly saw the most fire. In a four block stretch, every single store was burned out. In a stretch of 30 Blocks, at least one store was completely burned out in every block. Also in Brooklyn, Utica Ave and Pitkin Ave streets saw a huge amount of fire activity. In The Bronx, it was Southern Blvd around 163rd St and above, and East Tremont from Webster Ave. to Boston Rd. Of course there were other areas hit too, throughout the city.
  By the time it was over on Friday morning July 15th, the FDNY had 3,900 alarms, and fought 1,037 fires. Of the 3900 alarms, 1,677 never got answered. There were 13 Multiple Alarm Fires, and 40 All Hands. Brooklyn had 119 stores burned out, and The Bronx had 78 in about a 36 hour period.
  Brooklyn had 303 fires, of which 7 were multiples, and 20 were all hands
  Bronx had 307 fires, of which 3 were multiples, and 14 were all hands
  Manhatten had 209 fires, of which 1 was a multiple , and 3 were all hands
  Queens had 134 fires, of which 2 were multiples, and 3 were all hands
  Staten Island had 45 fires
      (It should be noted that all of the above statics were taken from a book called "Blackout Looting" published in 1979)
  I remember riding down there Friday afternoon. The first place I headed for was Broadway in Brooklyn. Several areas were still blocked off from vehicle traffic. The overhead elevated subway line had been reopened after being shut down due to the fires. I could still see some places with a light smoke condition and an engine and ladder still on the scene. The steel scissor gates were ripped off the store fronts. The streets were full of debris. Charred pieces of wood, empty boxes of melted ice cream, meats, and magazines were flowing down the streets and blocking up the storm drains. Flooding became a problem. I then headed to the Bronx where it was the same story. I remember hearing companies asking for help. If an engine on the scene of a fire, asked just for a truck, the dispatcher would say "well if you really need one, we"ll try to get you one".  If a fire went to an all hands you can bet, they had a huge amount of fire. Jobs were getting knocked down using just one engine and one ladder. There was no time to hang around and overhaul. Any overhaul was done with a tower ladder using the stream from the bucket.
  I only saw the "After Effects", and heard somSoe of it on the scanner. I"m hoping that a few friends that actually lived there and remember it will join in. I"m sure you got a few stories about the historic 36 hours to tell. That sure would be great !!!
  And by the way, that Gus Johnson"s Fire Buff"s Handbook is great. If you can find one, in my opinion, its worth picking up.

Thank you for recommending the book I just ordered a copy from Amazon. I am including the link if anybody is interested

http://www.amazon.com/F-D-N-Y-Department/dp/0882792334

 

[diablo_fire]

As the FDNY night shift members were arriving to their firehouse on Wednesday July 13, 1977, like most other hot summer nights they knew that it wasn"t a matter of will they catch "A" job, it was; "How Many Jobs". But I"m sure they had no idea of what it would actually be like. As darkness approached, at 9:35 PM the Lights went out. The entire city had lost all electric power. This had happened 12 years earlier in November, 1965. Then the Baby Boom came along 9 months later. But this "Blackout" would be quite different from the November, 1965 one. When the Blackout of 1977 occurred, it was a hot summer night. Everybody was outside. Most stores had already closed except for a few drug stores and package stores. By 10:00 PM the first stores were being broken into and looted. As the night went on, more people joined in and more stores were looted. It was beyond what the NYPD could handle. Then some stores were set on fire. As time went on, more stores were set on fire. Brooklyn and The Bronx were getting hit the hardest. Broadway in Brooklyn, which divides Bed-Sty from Bushwick certainly saw the most fire. In a four block stretch, every single store was burned out. In a stretch of 30 Blocks, at least one store was completely burned out in every block. Also in Brooklyn, Utica Ave and Pitkin Ave streets saw a huge amount of fire activity. In The Bronx, it was Southern Blvd around 163rd St and above, and East Tremont from Webster Ave. to Boston Rd. Of course there were other areas hit too, throughout the city.
  By the time it was over on Friday morning July 15th, the FDNY had 3,900 alarms, and fought 1,037 fires. Of the 3900 alarms, 1,677 never got answered. There were 13 Multiple Alarm Fires, and 40 All Hands. Brooklyn had 119 stores burned out, and The Bronx had 78 in about a 36 hour period.
  Brooklyn had 303 fires, of which 7 were multiples, and 20 were all hands
  Bronx had 307 fires, of which 3 were multiples, and 14 were all hands
  Manhatten had 209 fires, of which 1 was a multiple , and 3 were all hands
  Queens had 134 fires, of which 2 were multiples, and 3 were all hands
  Staten Island had 45 fires
      (It should be noted that all of the above statics were taken from a book called "Blackout Looting" published in 1979)
  I remember riding down there Friday afternoon. The first place I headed for was Broadway in Brooklyn. Several areas were still blocked off from vehicle traffic. The overhead elevated subway line had been reopened after being shut down due to the fires. I could still see some places with a light smoke condition and an engine and ladder still on the scene. The steel scissor gates were ripped off the store fronts. The streets were full of debris. Charred pieces of wood, empty boxes of melted ice cream, meats, and magazines were flowing down the streets and blocking up the storm drains. Flooding became a problem. I then headed to the Bronx where it was the same story. I remember hearing companies asking for help. If an engine on the scene of a fire, asked just for a truck, the dispatcher would say "well if you really need one, we"ll try to get you one".  If a fire went to an all hands you can bet, they had a huge amount of fire. Jobs were getting knocked down using just one engine and one ladder. There was no time to hang around and overhaul. Any overhaul was done with a tower ladder using the stream from the bucket.
  I only saw the "After Effects", and heard somSoe of it on the scanner. I"m hoping that a few friends that actually lived there and remember it will join in. I"m sure you got a few stories about the historic 36 hours to tell. That sure would be great !!!
  And by the way, that Gus Johnson"s Fire Buff"s Handbook is great. If you can find one, in my opinion, its worth picking up.

Thank you for recommending the book I just ordered a copy from Amazon. I am including the link if anybody is interested

http://www.amazon.com/F-D-N-Y-Department/dp/0882792334

Hey Guys this is a great book I got it a couple of days ago and have been reading it as I can. I have a whole new understanding of what the old timers went through.

 

[nfd2004]

  It was my 21st Birthday and my buddy and I had been celebrating in Manhatten. Around 2-3 AM we made our way over to Eng 82/Lad 31s Qtrs. It was right around the time "Report from Eng 82" had come out. Of course we were a little "under the weather" but the apparatus doors were open and we walked in. We were surprised to see all the rigs in Qtrs because they were so busy at the time. We got invited in and next thing we know is we were sitting having a great 3 AM dinner meal of Pot Roast, Mashed Potatoes etc. Of course we didn"t know anybody there, but they treated us GREAT. As we got into the meal, the bells started to ring. House Watch yelled "Second Alarm ......". My buddy and I wanted to go. But the guys suggested we stay around. Anyway, Housewatch yelled "Engine on the Third, Truck on the Fourth". You guessed it. The fire went to a Fourth Alarm. I rode the Engine and my buddy rode the truck.
  Two intoxicated 21 year old males stumble into the firehouse and the guys ended up treating us like Kings. All they knew about us was that it was my birthday, we were from Connecticut, and wanted to become firemen. We ended up getting home in Bridgeport, Ct about noon time the next day. We were both exhausted, smelled of smoke, and had a Hang over. BUT what a Great 21st Birthday it was.
  Of course things like this could not be done today. But what a Great time to grow up and be a buff (War Years), or on the job.
  I have a few more stories I"d like to share about being a buff in the busy FDNY War Years. As time permits, if it"s okay, I"ll add them to this forum.

  In April, 2009 was the first post on "My Younger Buff Years" on this site. For me it was a new chapter of my younger buff years. As several others joined in, the stories all started to come out of the busiest time of fires for any department in the world. There has never been any other time like it.

  Since this first post of course, we've had a few "Get Together's", and a lot of us became very good friends. There's been stories told from guys that have been there. Videos, pictures and old run cards posted here. Terms like "Adaptive Response", "DRB", "Second Sections", all unheard of today was introduced to our younger members who weren't around to see what it was like. We read of the deaths of another War Years Firefighter too often now on another thread. They all lived these stories. As far as I'm concerned, I consider them to be "The Greatest Generation of Firefighters" the world has known.

  There were books written about it and documentaries talked about it. A young buff from New Jersey named Harvey Eisner was a part of it. He became a nationally recognized name within the fire service who recently passed away. People across the country and across the world read these stories because a young guy named Tommy Bendict decided to start this web site.

  A few weeks ago I learned of the death of my good friend Timmy Oldroyd. Timmy was the guy with me who walked into the quarters of Eng 82/ Lad 31 at 2-3 am on our 21st birthdays after a night of celebrating. Timmy was the guy that rode Ladder 31 that night to a Fourth Alarm.

  Timmy got on the Fairfield, Ct Fire Department and retired after 25 years. He then moved down to Florida. At that point I lost touch with him. As I understand it, he had moved back to Connecticut where he recently passed away. Timmy loved the FDNY and the Fire Department. I guess that's why we both hit it off so well.

  Timmy, may you Rest in Peace, as you now join Harvey for your next trip. 

 

[mack]

Bill - So sorry to hear.  RIP Timmy.

 

[svd385]

RIP Tim, you got to see to see the best of the best

 

[fltpara16]

RIP Tim

 

[fdce54]

RIP Timmy. Condolences to you Bill.

 

[CFDMarshal]

Tough losing Friends! RIP Timmy!

 

[1261Truckie]

My sympathy to you, Bill and Rest in Peace to Timmy

 

[nfd2004]

Thank you to all for your condolences. That night that I talked about with Timmy is one that I will never forget. He had mentioned to me that we go up to that firehouse, Engine 82, Ladder 31, and Battalion 27 - at the time, and maybe Squad Co 2 was there. I remember the apparatus bay doors were all wide open. Except for the night sky, it could have passed as 2-3 pm in the afternoon instead of 2-3 am in the middle of the night.

  It was Timmy's idea to go into the firehouse. I told Timmy, "we can't go in there now, it's too late". He said to me "No, everybody's in there" and we could hear guys talking. So in we go as we walk into this firehouse, and one of the guys yells, "Come on in". "Where you guys from" ? "Sit down, relax, you want a coffee or something" ? Well we took them up on the coffee and we start to tell the guys that we are volunteer firefighters from Connecticut and want to get on the job. One guy tells us, this is not really a safe place to be. Then he says; "we're getting ready to eat, you want to stay"? I'm thinking, "well of course we do". So we sit down with a group of firefighters that are probably the Best Firefighter in the World.

  So that is basically how Timmy and I ended up that night a long time ago. I often wonder now, if a few of those members who are on this site, worked the night that Timmy and I walked in. Maybe !!! Who knows !!!

 

 

[nfd2004]

This is just where I wanted to be when it was happening. And for those "War Years" FDNY Firefighters of the Bronx, who were there as I watched you work, we dedicate this one to you. You certainly are a very special breed of firefighters, that very few other firefighters will ever relate to.

  Some of those "FDNY War Years Firefighters" that I know of on this site are:
    "*******" - Bob M. - former Lt Engine 50, Capt Engine 82
    "JBendick" - John B. - former firefighter Squad 2, Engine 75, Lt Engine 68
    "68jk09" - Jack K. - former Lt Eng 41/Squad 41
    "69mets" - Garrett L. - former Ladder 33, Eng 41/Squad 41, Rescue 3

  So gentleman, thank you for serving the citizens of the Bronx during those so called "FDNY War Years". It certainly was a War Zone.

  I think this one was SPECIALLY made just for you.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf4M0sQnleU

 

[nfd2004]

Over the last 105 pages or so of "My Younger Buff Years" we have read stories from buffs, active and retired firefighters of just what it was like during the busy FDNY War Years. A part of the history of the FDNY that most likely will never be repeated again.

In my part, I tried to tell how much I learned just from watching these guys operate. But there was more. For me, these guys were Role Models. They represented the Best there is. They taught me a thing called Brotherhood. They taught me how despite all odds or difficulties, you must not give up. I learned how I should respect the senior man for the experience he had to offer and price he has paid to get there.

  I learned how I must respect the officers within the fire department for their knowledge and experience. I learned that individuals could get along and more importantly to know that they would risk their lives for each other. I learned everyone was a part of one big happy family. A life saving team where everybody has a part in it. Whatever they looked like or wherever they were from it was an important part they played.

  Over the last forty years or so that I watched and sometimes were a part of the FDNY as an invited guest, recently things have changed. Not because of what some firefighters have done. But because of what the news media and politics have done. The fire department is being blamed recently for numbers not matching what they should be. Some have been allowed into a very special group of heros that I always knew as the FDNY.

  Way back I once took the test for the FDNY. I was number 10,000 something on the list. I had a medical condition that I have since had corrected but no doubt would have hindered me in becoming a firefighter for the FDNY. There was a huge budget crisis that saw layoffs of current firefighters and closing of companies. With the deck stacked clearly against me, it didn't appear that I would ever become a firefighter in what I considered to be the Best Fire Department in the World. So I just had to move on.

  But lately it seems, at least to me as an FDNY buff and Retired Firefighter from a much smaller city, that those tough standards that have been held so high have now been lowered in an effort to increase the numbers of people who look different. I remember riding one night on a very busy ladder company in Brooklyn. There was one guy there who looked a little different from the rest of the firefighters in that firehouse. But he certainly worked as hard as everybody else and was certainly respected. I really don't think anybody there cared what he looked like. And he treated me great too just like the rest of the guys.

  I remember as a buff when the first females became firefighters for the FDNY. It was a shock to me because although females had been in the military and police departments, I just didn't think they could be firefighters. About a year goes by and there's a tough, nasty job in the Bronx. As the fire is going on, I didn't know it but there's a female firefighter from the first due engine company on the line in there. When the fire is knocked down, she comes out, beat up just like the rest of the guys. As she is repacking the hose on the rig, I really want to know, "what's it like to be fighting a fire with a female on the line with you". So I get one of the guys aside and I ask. He tells me, "she's great". Of course I didn't believe it so I said "Are you serious" ? He said "really she is". At that point I thought if females can do the job in the Bronx, they can do it anywhere.

  What I don't understand now though is, "why do some people say we need this much percentage of female firefighters". Or we need so many firefighters who look like this". Who really cares how many or what they look like. Firefighters sometimes get hurt and they sometimes get burned. We can't give a number or percentage on how many firefighters this will happen to or what they look like. When a firefighter goes in and drags a victim out, in the smoke and wearing a mask, I'm sure no one can really tell what they look like and they probably don't care either.

  As an outsider, thinking of what it has been like over the last forty plus years, I am watching a fire department of the highest standards be dragged down to adjust some numbers that in reality have nothing to do with fighting fires and saving lives. If all the numbers were a perfect match, would that benefit the people who depend on these firefighters any different. Those are the people that really matter. Not a handful of numbers or percentages.

 
 

 

[68jk09]

nfd2004 ....sad but true.

 

[1261Truckie]

The most recent issue of WNYF had an article on a church fire in Queens and the successful stop the troops made to save the building. The article pointed out that churches are usually total losses after a fire. The article got me thinking about a fire in what was my local church in Brooklyn, St. Teresa of Avila on Classon Ave & Sterling Pl.
There was a fire in St. Teresa's sometime in the mid 60's (I forget the year). Started in the confessionals in the rear and spread up into the choir loft. The first due units (280/132) were familiar with the church as many of the members attended mass there. Anyway, upon arrival at an obvious working fire, the lieutenant was met by a parish priest who yelled out for a second alarm (savvy priest). A VERY aggressive interior attack was made by both 280 & 132 (as well as 219, 105 and 235) to stop the fire. The first line knocked down fire in the choir loft and chased the fire up towards the attic/cockloft where it was stopped before taking off.
The rear was badly damaged. Two confessionals, the choir loft and other thihngs were lost, but the church was saved. Our pastor was heartbroken by the fire but sung the praises of the men. History repeats.

 

[raybrag]

Started in the confessionals in the rear

Somebody must have had a really hot story to confess to.  :

 

[1261Truckie]

As I remember the story, the fire was started by a disgruntled altarboy who didn't get a assignment he really wanted. So, in anger, he started the fire in a confessional after Saturday afternoon confessions were over.

 

[68jk09]

Churches are NOT always a total loss .....many have been saved by aggressive actions.