I would also like to mention that this site member "mack", Joe Materia's father was a Battalion Chief at the time and he played a HUGE Part in writing that AUC. He was the leading role in writing that entire operation known as AUC 138.
Sometimes, "mack", Joe Materia and myself will talk about those extremely very busy FDNY War Years. Of course it's not only Joe, but pretty much any of us who were able to either be on the job then or be a buff.
Of course Joe's father was on the job then. He rose to the rank of Battalion Chief during the busiest time of fire activity ever. It was NOT at all uncommon to have numerous fires going on within the city at the same time. Also what we might consider today as a 2nd or 3rd alarm was maybe an all hands fire or as they called it a 10-30. Using only two and two while keeping the third due engine available for other fire duty.
As I understand it, Batt Chief Materia is operating at a good all hands fire. Of course there are other fires going on throughout the boro. There are few, if any, companies available in the entire city.
While Chief Materia and the companies are operating at that fire, right across the street another fire breaks out in another building. There are no companies available as he calls that second fire into the Brooklyn C.O.
So Chief Materia advises the C.O. that "he" will also handle the job across the street but he ask for One Engine and One Truck (1 + 1) to respond as soon as available.
As the original fire is being brought under control, some of the members who just operated go across the street to fight the second fire.
Then Chief Materia tells his aide to monitor the original fire and report to him regarding that job.
That's just one example of how things were in those busy FDNY War Years.
"mack" was on the scene as he had been riding with his father.
After Joe told me that story, I had mentioned to him that I would tell it on here. So Joe, "mack", if I got any part of the story wrong, please make any necessary corrections.
I might also add that two fires going on the same street, at the same time, was NOT really that uncommon. I saw a few myself. Plus seeing smoke rising in other neighborhoods from jobs throughout the city.
Using a scanner it was IMPOSSIBLE to follow the activity of the entire city. At times while buffing just the Bronx and Harlem, it wasn't possible to monitor both the Bronx and Manhattan at the same time. That's were two guys with two separate scanners came in handy. One for One Boro and the other for the Other Boro.