My younger Buff years

Here's another that probably pre-dates Harrons FIRE PAL and FIRE REPORTER, it is a tunable "POLIC-ALARM" and in the 1950s my local firehouse had one near the watch desk tuned to the FD frequency.  Great for us kids who would walk in after they had a run, and hear where they went and what was going on.

Judging by the dial it looks like they came in VHF low and high bands

policealarmradioasatE5.png
 
In the 1970s, the truckers' CB radio craze spread across the country.  Many people bought CB radioes to communicate on the highways, pass on information about gas availability during rationing and warn other drivers about traffic, accidents and speed traps. No cell phones back then.  Some FDNY firehouses had CB radioes and monitored them for traffic accidents/car fires.  For example, E166/L86 picked up a lot of SI Expressway verbal alarm runs that way.  It was a more accurate location than someone pulling a box miles away from the actual accident.
 
811 said:
Here's another that probably pre-dates Harrons FIRE PAL and FIRE REPORTER, it is a tunable "POLIC-ALARM" and in the 1950s my local firehouse had one near the watch desk tuned to the FD frequency.  Great for us kids who would walk in after they had a run, and hear where they went and what was going on.

Judging by the dial it looks like they came in VHF low and high bands

policealarmradioasatE5.png
Click to expand...

We had one of those in our kitchen when I was a kid. I wish I still had it for nostalgia purposes.
 
A few months ago I had asked about an old firehouse on Metropolitan Ave in Brooklyn not too far from the Queens border. I can't locate the info again. Could someone please remind me what companies were there and exactly where it was. I know its been closed since at least 1980.
 
kidfrmqns said:
A few months ago I had asked about an old firehouse on Metropolitan Ave in Brooklyn not too far from the Queens border. I can't locate the info again. Could someone please remind me what companies were there and exactly where it was. I know its been closed since at least 1980.
Click to expand...
Engine 206
 
206 Engine was on Metropolitan Ave., between Varick and Stewart Aves. It was a block or so east of the drawbridge and about a block from their new quarters. They were one of the last two piece engines, through the late seventies.
 
ENGINE 206 BROOKLYN ORGANIZED AS ENGINE 6 , BROOKLYN FIRE DEPT
ORG. 14 High St. FQ Vol. (Sep. 15, 1869)
NQTRS. 189 Pearl St. (Aug. 1, 1892)
CHANGE To Engine 6, FDNY (Jan. 28, 1898)
CHANGE To Engine 106 (Oct. 1, 1899)
CHANGE To Engine 206 (Jan. 1, 1913)
NQTRS. 1196 Metropolitan Ave. (Jan. 1, 1915)
NQTRS. 1201 Grand St. (Dec. 6, 1976)
 
Notice that before 1913 they were on Pearl St. in downtown Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Bridge which was then a densly populated area. They were located close to E205, E207 and E208. Ladder 103 was also in that neighborhood before moving out in 1932 to Sheffield Ave., East New York.
 
Was there ever a truck with either 237, 218, 230 or 217? Seems a rather large area with no truck company, especially as busy as this area was in the war years.
 
There was never a truck with those engines although there was one between them. The chief can elaborate more on this subject.
 
Upon checking, there were no trucks in quarters with any of these four engines, however, Eng 230 was in qtrs with L-102 for almost 4 years (1946 to 1950).
In Qtrs with Eng 237 was Sq 7; Eng 230 did share their qtrs with Squad 3; & Engine 217 had a second section during the war years. Remember all fire houses were not built to house both an engine & a truck at the same time.
 
  Ladder 108 was centrally located when they were at their old home, 112 Seigel St. (Seigel Eagles). It had them almost equally distant between Engines 216, 230 & 237. That symetrical balance was lost when they moved west with E216. ;) Another note: back then, they hardly ever relocated so they could be counted on being around or covered.
 
The only "assigned relocation" that we had on the "cards" was to relocate to LAD*102 on the Fifth for box 992... Vanderbilt Av & Park Place.......we did however from time to time .....have some "requests" honored from our good friends in the BKLYN C.O.
 
An interesting point on how times have changed. And I think "mikeindabronx" will find this espically interesting because he rode with Eng 69/Lad 28/ and Batt 16. Several of his photos are from these companies (www.fdnysbravest.com). Last year in the 16 battalion there were No Second Alarms for the entire year. During the War Years and the busy 80s, they were one of the busiest battalions for several years throughout the city. We compare that to the 15 Battalion in the North Bronx today. One of the Slowest Battalions during the War Years and into the 80s. Now "the 15" is one of the busiest.
 
Remember that the 15th Batt's response area was reduced years back when the 27th Batt moved to Eng 79. This also cut down on the 19th Batt too, but then Batt 16 has had no reduction in their response area.  Years back, companies in the 15th Batt were also a good source for helping to provide coverage & were used for relocations. The same hold tue for the 54th Batt units in Queens.  Things due change in time.
 
Some of my rig shots that "r1SmokeEater" was good enough to take the time to post on EMTBRAVO for me awhile back. Thanks Jamie. Hope this works out okay. Plus a few Extras that others took. "Do you Remember these" ???

 Sorry my friends, "if you remember these, you probadly aren't really as young as you may think you are" ! ! !

   http://www.emtbravo.net/index.php/topic/32645-fdny-old-apparatus/

 "mack", page 5 has a photo of TL 119 you had asked about on another thread. Regarding the writing on front of the rig.
 
Great pictures... and yes, I do remember some (quite a few) of those style rigs.  I am as old as I think I am, even remember riding some of those as an auxiliary.  I never did figure out just what the plywood or the chain link fencing on the tillers were suppose to stop now but back then I never gave it a thought. 
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top