My younger Buff years

Captain784 said:
I worked from 1976, to my promotion to Lieutenant in 1984, in Manhattans 4th Battalion, on the Lower East Side, also known as. "Alphabet City"
The Avenues were Named, Ave. A/ Ave. B etc. My 1st unit in the 4th Battalion was Ladder 11, on E. 2nd St. near Ave. B. quartered with, then one of the Busiest Engine Companies in the FDNY Engine 28. In 1976 Ladder 11 had I believe 7,600 Runs and a lot of 10-75s = Working fires. And a lot of Multiple alarms. After a years' time in L-11 I was transferred to Tower Ladder 18 quartered on Pitt. St. along with Engine 17 and the 4th Battalion. In 1977 TL-18. In 1977 TL-18 did 6,700 Runs and was in the top 10 in the FDNY in Structural Workers. We had a joke in TL-18, we used the Tower Ladder bucket so much that we started wearing plastic Gold colored "Junior Pilot's Wings" someone had gotten from United Airline on their last trip to Disney World in Florida. You know firefighters anything for laugh. I then was promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned to covering spot in Battalion 26, in the still, very busy South Bronx. But that's a story for another time. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
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My first encounter with the FDNY War Years was with Engine 28 and Ladder 11 in 1967. My brother-in-law lived on the fourth floor of an OLT on East 1st Street a couple of doors off Houston Street. 28/11 seemed to be going past more often than the cross-town bus. One evening I walked over to visit (11's had a tiller then). While briefly there they had four runs; all within a block or two; all false. I seem to remember them returning to quarters ringing the rig bell. The probie's duty?
 
Years ago Units returning to Qtrs would Respond back lights & sirens.... this was still done when I got OTJ in 1968 & for several years after continued with most Old School Officers & Chauffers.....the wording in The
Regs was "returning to an unmanned FH"....later after The Job more or less ordered the practice stopped the Apparatus Bell would be tolled intermittently as a gentle reminder just to keep civilians from wandering in the path of the returning
Rig.....this of course stopped when bells were no longer around.
 
nfd2004 said:
I have heard from Lt Hamiltons daughter. She says his health has been a struggle, but he's sharp as a tack. He is now 86 years old and his two sons are 57 and 45. She reports her father never talked about the job because he didn't want the family to worry. She is really quite surprised to hear that her father made such an impact. It has been this web site and one other that allowed my brother and I to contact the family and friends of Lt Richard Hamilton, a Role Model we still look up to 40 or more years later.
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nfd2004 said:
Chenz62. Your father was a Hero and no doubt one of the Greatest Firefighters to ever live. He fought fires during the busiest of times for the FDNY. I am so sad to hear that he passed away at such an early age. He was part of the "Greatest Generation of Firefighters" to ever live. I might have met him when I rode with Rescue 2 around 1968. I reading the story in WNYF Magazine.

I believe that your father made that Great rescue of firefighters along with Lt Richard Hamilton then. Recently, I was able to get in touch with Lt Hamilton, who is now 86 years old. He lives in Califorina and wasn't in the best of health, but according to his daughter, "he's as sharp as a tack". Your father and him made that Great rescue together. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you. Also there area few other Great stories written about your father too that you might want to check out.

I will do my best to pass this onto Lt Hamilton and his daughter. I'll send you an E-mail with more info.
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Regarding the late Lt Richard Hamilton, for a period of time his daughter would let me know how he was doing health wise after she had learned of this thread.
She would tell me how despite his sickness, he still didn't loose his personality making the nurses laugh in the hospital.
As I remember, they were living in California at the time.
This reply is located on page 20, reply # 383 - November 13, 2009

The reply I quoted from "Chanz62" is located on page 25, reply # 492 - February 16, 2010

THANK YOU LT HAMILTON and Continued Rest in Peace
You served your purpose well
One of the Most Decorated Firefighters in the FDNY
 
68jk09 said:
Years ago Units returning to Qtrs would Respond back lights & sirens.... this was still done when I got OTJ in 1968 & for several years after continued with most Old School Officers & Chauffers.....the wording in The
Regs was "returning to an unmanned FH"....later after The Job more or less ordered the practice stopped the Apparatus Bell would be tolled intermittently as a gentle reminder just to keep civilians from wandering in the path of the returning
Rig.....this of course stopped when bells were no longer around.
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Thanks Chief. That procedure, of course, was necessary until the advent of rig radios. This was also the justification for second sections in the high value district. You weren't officially in service until the officer signaled 4-4-4 on the house Morse key and received 2-3 in return.

The Pittsburgh first-due engine company (14) at my college dorm in 1965 didn't have its' radio yet. All the officers carried dimes in their turn-out coats' pockets as a last resort.
 
In the FDNY Rig Radios came about in the 1950s & Units could be In Service via radio after Taking Up from a Box however part of the Responding back to Qtrs eliminated time wasted sitting in traffic & allowed for more time at Qtrs for food...drill...etc. ....of course even though lights & sirens were used the Rig's speed was much reduced from that of going to a Box.
 
Brothers & Sisters LEARN from every fire, always learn from others and Say Safe. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
 
This web site is fortunate enough to have many of the FDNY War Years Firefighters among us.
It was a very special breed of New York City Firefighters that responded to a record number of calls and fought a staggering number of fires.

Of course anybody who was a buff during that time, will never forget the amount of fires that occurred day after day and night after night.

So here is a song, with video that pays Tribute to those FDNY War Years and Glory Days Firefighters.

Okay Guys, if you were a part of it, "this one's for you".

www.youtube.com/watch?v=haDnCq9x5e4
 
2001 before 9/11 I buffed at Engine 293 in Queens. I was there every week in the summer. Got to ride to a bunch of runs. The most memorable was a brush fire in Forest Park. The men went deep into the woods, I stayed back with the chauffeur. They needed the deck gun, so the chauffeur had me go on top and work the deck gun while the guys radioed to him via the handy tally which way to move the gun. I got to help put out a fire that day and nothing else could have been more exciting. The chauffeur Jimmy passed a way not that long ago. Made one hell of a children sandwich. Rest in peace.
 
nfd2004 said:
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. A book titled; "Report from Eng 82" was about to 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.
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Since I first began of telling this story called "My Younger Buff Years", I have been honored to have met some of the best firefighters and officers the world has ever known.
I would also add to that - some of the greatest fire dispatchers and EMS members of the City of New York.

It was a very busy time called the FDNY War Years when fires were at the highest peak probably from the mid 1960s, into the 1970s, the 1980s and even into the 90s.
Arson was at it's highest peak, runs for car fires and rubbish fires were staggering, there was no computer aided dispatching, no FAST CO, with Tower Ladders being introduced in some of the city's busiest areas.

Yet during a time I can remember when 300 FDNY Firefighters were laid off and several fire companies closed.
Before that I don't believe any firefighters were ever laid off.
That added to the problems these busy firefighters faced on a daily basis.

As a firefighter from a small city in Connecticut I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to see for myself, ask questions and even ride with some of the busiest companies throughout the city.

These days there are several books written about these very busy years.

One of the first books written was titled: "Report from Engine Co 82" by the late Dennis Smith.
That book told the story of the busiest fire company in the entire world in an area of the South Bronx.
There was also a documentary made tiled "The Bronx is Burning" which focused on that busy fire company.

The captain of Engine Co 82 when that book was written has since retired as a high ranking chief in the FDNY.
His user name here is simply a series of " ******* ", Bob M.

A few years ago, because he read "My Younger Buff Years", I met Chief Bob M., in Bayside Queens where he spent about two hours telling me about the job.
It certainly was an honor for me to meet him.

As time went on, I got a very special gift from Chief Bob M " ******* " given to him when he was moving on to Battalion Chief.
He sent me a belt with a large buckle have two captains horns and the number 82 on it.
I have that gift in a glass case on display in my living room.

Chief Bob M., is one of the MANY GREAT PEOPLE I have met since writing this story starting back in April, 2009.
Of course many have joined in to tell their stories as a firefighter, dispatcher, or buff too.

I also wanted to bring this thread up as we have so many newer members and maybe some of them might be interested in reading the many stories and seeing what it was like back in those "FDNY WAR YEARS".
So if you haven't seen these stories, etc., then check it out.

There are many long time friendships that I have made because of the stories on this site related to this topic.
To me, They Are/Were The BEST In The BUSINESS and We Still Keep In Touch.
THANK YOU ALL.
 
nfd2004 said:
Since I first began of telling this story called "My Younger Buff Years", I have been honored to have met some of the best firefighters and officers the world has ever known.
I would also add to that - some of the greatest fire dispatchers and EMS members of the City of New York.

It was a very busy time called the FDNY War Years when fires were at the highest peak probably from the mid 1960s, into the 1970s, the 1980s and even into the 90s.
Arson was at it's highest peak, runs for car fires and rubbish fires were staggering, there was no computer aided dispatching, no FAST CO, with Tower Ladders being introduced in some of the city's busiest areas.

Yet during a time I can remember when 300 FDNY Firefighters were laid off and several fire companies closed.
Before that I don't believe any firefighters were ever laid off.
That added to the problems these busy firefighters faced on a daily basis.

As a firefighter from a small city in Connecticut I consider myself very fortunate that I was able to see for myself, ask questions and even ride with some of the busiest companies throughout the city.

These days there are several books written about these very busy years.

One of the first books written was titled: "Report from Engine Co 82" by the late Dennis Smith.
That book told the story of the busiest fire company in the entire world in an area of the South Bronx.
There was also a documentary made tiled "The Bronx is Burning" which focused on that busy fire company.

The captain of Engine Co 82 when that book was written has since retired as a high ranking chief in the FDNY.
His user name here is simply a series of " ******* ", Bob M.

A few years ago, because he read "My Younger Buff Years", I met Chief Bob M., in Bayside Queens where he spent about two hours telling me about the job.
It certainly was an honor for me to meet him.

As time went on, I got a very special gift from Chief Bob M " ******* " given to him when he was moving on to Battalion Chief.
He sent me a belt with a large buckle have two captains horns and the number 82 on it.
I have that gift in a glass case on display in my living room.

Chief Bob M., is one of the MANY GREAT PEOPLE I have met since writing this story starting back in April, 2009.
Of course many have joined in to tell their stories as a firefighter, dispatcher, or buff too.

I also wanted to bring this thread up as we have so many newer members and maybe some of them might be interested in reading the many stories and seeing what it was like back in those "FDNY WAR YEARS".
So if you haven't seen these stories, etc., then check it out.

There are many long time friendships that I have made because of the stories on this site related to this topic.
To me, They Are/Were The BEST In The BUSINESS and We Still Keep In Touch.
THANK YOU ALL.
Click to expand...
Amen, Willy
 
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