My younger Buff years

efd274 · Jul 12, 2009

nfd2004 - I second what you said - the "bar" was at its highest back then! These guys always did the right thing - it was second nature to them - part of the Greatest Generation as Tom Brakaw wrote

nfd2004 · Jul 13, 2009

Today, "July 13, 2009" we look back to "July 13, 1977" exactly 32 years ago. It began as a very hot humid day, similar to what it had been like for the previous ten days. New Yorkers did basically what they would normally do, but had no idea of what they would be in for within a few short hours. When the sun set that evening and the clock hit about 9:30 PM, all electricity for the City of New York was lost. Lights out, elevators stuck, subways stopped. No one expected what would happen over the next 25 hours. It would go down in the history books as the busiest time for the FDNY.
Could that happen again ? Let"s certainly hope not. But if the lights ever did go out again, I wonder what would happen today ? Would it be a repeat of the Blackout of November, 1965 where everybody pretty much behaved themselves and for some, there was a Baby Boom nine months later, or would it be similar to what went on back then those 32 years ago in 1977 ? What do you think ? ? ?

firebuffkevin · Jul 13, 2009

nfd2004 said:
Today, "July 13, 2009" we look back to "July 13, 1977" exactly 32 years ago. It began as a very hot humid day, similar to what it had been like for the previous ten days. New Yorkers did basically what they would normally do, but had no idea of what they would be in for within a few short hours. When the sun set that evening and the clock hit about 9:30 PM, all electricity for the City of New York was lost. Lights out, elevators stuck, subways stopped. No one expected what would happen over the next 25 hours. It would go down in the history books as the busiest time for the FDNY.
could that happen again ? Let"s certainly hope not. But if the lights ever did go out again, I wonder what would happen today ? Would it be a repeat of the Blackout of November, 1965 where everybody pretty much behaved themselves and for some, there was a Baby Boom nine months later, or would it be similar to what went on back then those 32 years ago in 1977 ? What do you think ? ? ?

I'm an optimist and look for the good in people. I think more like 1965.

guitarman314 · Jul 13, 2009

There was an August blackout a couple of years ago that wasn't so bad and a few years before that there was another on in late December related to a Con Ed gas plant fire in Port Morris, Bronx.

efd274 · Jul 13, 2009

I'm pragmatic - be ready for all circumstances and deal with it accordingly!

nfd2004 · Jul 13, 2009

Guitarman314, I remember that Blackout in August a few years ago very well. I was buffing the Bronx that day. It was about 4:30 - 5:00 PM when I noticed that the traffic lights weren"t working. My gas tank was pretty empty, but so was my belly. I was on Boston Rd near Baychester and Gun Hill Rd areas. I had planned on hitting a fast food place for a quick bite. Then I noticed a lot of the businesses closing up and pulling down their roll down steel fronts. I remember hearing something over Manhatten radio about no traffic lights were working in the area there too. The dispatcher then stated something about a power failure throughout the City. But now I couldn"t get gas either. I ended up leaving the Bronx and made it to my mother-in-laws house some 50 miles away. And when I got there, they had power so I filled up the tank and headed home.
For me it was a lesson learned. Now, everytime I get to a half tank of gas, I fill it up. especially if I"m buffing in NYC.
I remember reading latter how the FDNY was able to put in service the second piece of the SOC Ladder Cos with a three man crew. And they were able to take care of the many people in stuck elevators or trapped in trains etc. I believe it was the first time these units had be manned separately. I"m sure they did the same with other second pieces. One thing that was in the FDNYs favor was that it happened around the time the on coming night shift was reporting for work.
I never really did get to finish my buff day. Yes, it was fairly quiet, especially compared to the Blackout of 1977. Of course the activity did pick up but not so much because of looting or arson. The extra fires they had were more caused from burning candles etc. Accidental type stuff.
I didn"t know it that day, but I had a elderly friend (He"s got me beat by 20 years, and thats old), who took the train down to buff the Midtown Manhatten area because he doesn"t drive. When the power went off, no trains or subways could leave Manhatten. So a lot of people slept either on a park bench or on a piece of cardboard. He told me: "that night there was no rich or poor". "Everybody slept out on a bench or on a piece cardboard whether you were a millionaire Wall St CEO, or the homeless guy without two Nickel's in his pocket". Everybody was "EQUAL" that night ! ! !
And who can forget that massive Con Ed Gas Explosion in Port Morris, Bronx a few years earlier. Thats where the huge Fireball made the FDNY trucks look like they were toys. I believe one of our members "fdce54" was there at the time. Just a few weeks ago, I was in contact with him and we talked about it.
Thanks G-man for reminding us of that. I for one remember them well.

guitarman314 · Jul 13, 2009

I remember the Con Ed fire was a 5th Alarmer around 1 PM on Friday December 29, 1989. The box was 2118 at Locust & 134th and I was driving to work at the Westbury Music Fair and I was southbound on the Bx. River Pkwy. near the Cross Bronx when I saw the flames in the distance. I was going to take the Cross Bx. east towards the Throgs Neck or Whitestone but those flames changed my plans. I took the Sheridan down to the Bruckner, got off at the 138th St. exit and got to see it just as the 2nd alarm was struck. The sound coming from that broken gas main was like that of being directly behind a jet engine on the deck of an aircraft carrier. To this day, that is the most flame I've ever seen.

nfd2004 · Jul 13, 2009

Over the years, I have done my share of buffing. There are other tough cities out there that certainly do their share of work, even to this day. The Detroit's, the Newarks, The D.Cs., Boston, Jersey City, Yonkers, Philly, Cleveland, Hartford, Bridgeport, and one of my favorites, Providence, R.I. I could go on and on. Theres a lot more too. They all had their own War Year Era"s. They also had their own Greatest Generation of Firefighters. In my own selfish way, I"m proud to say that my father and brother were a part of that.
But throughout it all, the one dept that always had that exceptional Big or Tough job was the FDNY. Just by its sheer size, and the conditions that exist there, the FDNY will always be at the top. As an example, in my own State of Connecticut, we have two area codes for the entire state. New York City, by itself has four. New York City has about three times the entire population of Connecticut. No wonder its such a busy dept. with its spectacular fires.
One such fire occurred several years ago in the Boro of Brooklyn. (No, The Bronx isn"t the only place in NYC that catches fires). That fire was in a large hotel. I think it was vacant, but not sure. I believe it was like 18 stories, fully involved. I remember one of the streets as Pineapple St. I"m sure "johnnyd248" or "G-man314" can help me out on this. I also believe there may have been a CD recording of the radio traffic that was offered for sale. It was a Huge job with several companies assigned for brand patrol, as I think it was a very windy night. I forget the name of the hotel and if it was vacant or not, but it sure was a Big job.
P.S. - "Let"s hear it for the Brothers out there in Brooklyn". "You got a few Tough outfits out there too."

MichaelS · Jul 13, 2009

http://www.fdnewyork.com/stgeorge.asp

nfd2004 · Jul 13, 2009

St. George Hotel. That"s the one I was referring to. Thank you MichaelS. And that FDNEWYORK.com has a great story on it.
Another thing I would like to point out, if I may. A friend has put several rig shot photos that I took over the years on a site called www.emtbravo.com. There are also a few in the beginning by another buff. If you want to check them out, I think they are under "Protection from the Past". Go to "FDNY Old Apparatus". They are posted by "r1smokeater".

vbcapt · Jul 13, 2009

Bill: the St. George Hotel was the one that went to 16 or so alarms that had to be given 3 separate boxes?

nfd2004 · Jul 14, 2009

Deano, (vbcapt),yes, I do somewhat remember three seperate boxes being sent out for this job. I think one was just for brand patrol. A serious exposure problem as I remember. And it wasn"t a 18 story building fully involved, but "ONLY" a 10 story with fire in several exposures. Yes, that was a Big One. Thanks Deano.

johnd248 · Jul 14, 2009

I mentioned in a different thread about having to use Engine 244's Ward LaFrance relic because they needed our Mack with an enclosed cab. One evening Engine 248 was responding south on Nostrand Avenue around Clarendon Road with five of us on the back step. A car ran a red light and hit us just as the chauffeur was trying to evade the car. The result was the car hit us on the left front bumper, glanced off the rig, flew through the intersection, and crashed inside a storefront on Nostrand Avenue. The impact of the crash was pretty severe; we did a small spin and everybody held on to the rig and each other. Six people in the car were injured. There were no injuries and little damage to the old Ward LaFrance. We all wondered if the same would have been true if we had our regular Mack.

guitarman314 · Jul 14, 2009

I don't know about the Mack C's but the CF's were pretty good collisionwise. I remember E73 getting hit by a gypsy cab at Prospect and 155 causing the rig to mount the sidewalk and take down a 20 ft. wide brick wall at a day care center. That rig still looked driveable. Another tough truck was L17's old 1953 ALF which had an accident at Willis & 141st where a gypsy cab (what else? ??? :

) struck it on the front right corner and the bell rung from the impact and it sounded like a tuning fork. No damage, not even the eagle was disturbed while the Lincoln Town Car was removed in two pieces

firebuffkevin · Jul 14, 2009

nfd2004 said:
St. George Hotel. That"s the one I was referring to. Thank you MichaelS. And that FDNEWYORK.com has a great story on it.
Another thing I would like to point out, if I may. A friend has put several rig shot photos that I took over the years on a site called www.emtbravo.com. There are also a few in the beginning by another buff. If you want to check them out, I think they are under "Protection from the Past". Go to "FDNY Old Apparatus". They are posted by "r1smokeater".

Remember it well. We had our Junior prom there in 1960.

efd274 · Jul 14, 2009

Do you remember who you took to the prom? I had the misfortune of going into the St. George hotel one evening in the early 80's as a client wanted to reminisce - I guarantee you they no longer had proms there

firebuffkevin · Jul 14, 2009

efd274 said:
Do you remember who you took to the prom? I had the misfortune of going into the St. George hotel one evening in the early 80's as a client wanted to reminisce - I guarantee you they no longer had proms there

Yes, I remember who I took to the prom!

efd274 · Jul 14, 2009

Just a little mental acuity check!!

firebuffkevin · Jul 14, 2009

MichaelS said:
http://www.fdnewyork.com/stgeorge.asp

This site has the story and the rundown. There were units from every borough, including SI and Da Bronx. They used most of the units in Division 11, several from D8 and D15. Many companies came from Manhattan. Interesting to see the response in 1995. Would look very different today.

firebuffkevin · Jul 14, 2009

Just found another story and some great pictures:

http://stevespak.com/66-18-461.html