News of Members
- Thread starter nfd2004
- Start date
Recently site member "Atlas", aka Kenny F., drove from NYC to Lincoln, Neb in just under 23 hours. Pretty amazing to do at his age.
The day he left he was 70 years old. When he came back to Brooklyn, he had turned 71 years old. So we wish our good friend "Atlas" a very Happy Belated 71st birthday. Interesting, the only tolls he hit during his trip was in the NYC area. (the VZ Bridge and I believe the Gowanus Bridge).
But there is more. His son is a member of the NYPD and was recently promoted to Detective being involved in a special NYPD citywide unit. Something I'm sure he is very proud of.
Folks there's even more to tell and we saved the Best for Last.
"Atlas" just became a GREAT Grandfather for the FIFTH Time. How great is that. Congratulations goes out to Great Grandpa "Atlas". This brings the count to SIX Grandchildren and Five Great Grandchildren.
As I understand it, today he is also very heavily involved with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Congratulations Kenny, aka "Atlas".
Kenny has been very good to many of us here over the years. I guess I have known him for about 6-7 years now.
What I would also like to say is something else about him. What I recently learned is just how strong this man is. He has suffered TWO very tragic losses. With those events I learned the amount of inner strength this man actually has. I see that as nothing short of Unbelievable.
The day he left he was 70 years old. When he came back to Brooklyn, he had turned 71 years old. So we wish our good friend "Atlas" a very Happy Belated 71st birthday. Interesting, the only tolls he hit during his trip was in the NYC area. (the VZ Bridge and I believe the Gowanus Bridge).
But there is more. His son is a member of the NYPD and was recently promoted to Detective being involved in a special NYPD citywide unit. Something I'm sure he is very proud of.
Folks there's even more to tell and we saved the Best for Last.
"Atlas" just became a GREAT Grandfather for the FIFTH Time. How great is that. Congratulations goes out to Great Grandpa "Atlas". This brings the count to SIX Grandchildren and Five Great Grandchildren.
As I understand it, today he is also very heavily involved with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Congratulations Kenny, aka "Atlas".
Kenny has been very good to many of us here over the years. I guess I have known him for about 6-7 years now.
What I would also like to say is something else about him. What I recently learned is just how strong this man is. He has suffered TWO very tragic losses. With those events I learned the amount of inner strength this man actually has. I see that as nothing short of Unbelievable.
Yesterday, July 21st, a few guys got together for a friendly "fire dept chit chat" as we sometimes do. As we usually do we met at our favorite Command Post in the Bayside Queens area. What started out as just two or three guys ended up being a great time with probably about a dozen guys. It consisted of Active as well as Retired members of the FDNY, buffs and a few volunteer firefighters, including a few members of this site.
This event grew through the efforts of Retired Chief Jake K, aka "68jk09". Himself, one of the MOST respected members of the FDNY. We base that on what every member who has ever worked with him has told us. We were once told by an FDNY Deputy Fire Commissioner who was invited to join us; "When Chief JK invites you to a party - you go". That was from the Deputy Fire Commissioner himself. That is exactly how he put it.
Among the invited guest this time, included firefighters and officers:
Retired members of Engine Cos 82, 96, and Rescue 2
Active members from Engines 46, 60, Ladders 113 and 117.
Friends of this site included:
Mike D, aka "mikeindabronx". A lifetime Bronx resident, as many of us know here as "Our Most Valuable Player". As well as having one of the Greatest Web sites of photos from the FDNY fire activity of the busy 70s/80s.
Frank D, aka "fdce54". Also a Bronx resident for many years. Today a Retired Con Ed Supervisor who as a younger guy worked in some of the toughest areas of the Bronx. Later to become a boss covering the entire Westchester County area. One of my favorite stories I try to tell a thousand times over is when he came out of a ghetto building on Hunts Point Ave he had been working in. He was approached by three undercover police officers. They said; "You went in there by yourself" ? Of course the answer was "Yes". The rest of the story I believe is mentioned somewhere else in this thread about Member "fdce54". About one group being called "The Finest, one called "The Bravest" and the third group, including Frank, "The F##### Craziest".
Emmett M, aka "fdny1075k" was also there. He is the junior member of the group. Recently graduating from Iona College with honors, he was offered a very well paying job where a company actually came to him because of his proven record. He is well respected among many of us as a "Credit to his generation". His goal is to someday become a career firefighter. I myself, can certainly relate to that. The only difference being I never graduated from college with honors. But I was somehow able to struggle and make it through high school. I guess at the time, that was good enough.
One of the Members of this site that also stopped by was FDNY Retired Chief Bob M, aka *******, Many of us here have read some of his stories and we know that he was once the Captain of Engine Co 82 when a famous best seller book came out called: "Report from Engine Co 82" by Dennis Smith.
Chief Bob M was once a Four Star Chief. It just doesn't get too much higher than that within the FDNY. He started out as a FDNY Probie in Ladder Co 19 in the Bronx. I believe he said it was in 1962. In those days there was NO PROBIE SCHOOL. Hard to believe today but true. He reported his first day to the firehouse with no fire department training at all. He told me a story of a firefighter named Tracy, I think. That was the guy that then Probationary Firefighter Bob M wanted to be like. The guy he had heard so many great stories about. I hope if Chief M. gets a chance, he will tell us that story. I don't think I ever read it here.
Chief M later became the Lt on Engine Co 50. After that he became the Captain of Engine Co 82, when it held the title as; "the busiest engine company in the world". Of course later he moved up the ladder as well. He said that the busiest time for Engine Co 82 was the month of July, 1975 when Eng 82 responded to a total of 210 all hands or greater fires that month. An average of seven each and every day. A staggering number by any standards.
I also learned that Chief Bob M now has a son on the FDNY assigned to a very busy Manhattan company. He also has a son, I believe he said is now retired from the NYPD who was the Commanding Officer of a New York City Police Pct. He also has one daughter, who has a very well respected job as well. Along with that he is grandfather to five grandchildren.
It was GREAT to see Chief M join us. It was the first time I had ever met him.
There are major cities in the U.S. that could only wish to take that firefighting experience of all those members who joined us, put it all together and share it with the members of their entire departments. There really is NO price that could ever be put on a gathering like that.
As the sun went down, it was getting past this ole' mans bed time. Here in Connecticut, it's not really like that of NYC. As I rode in with my adopted son, Frank D, aka "fdce54", who was still B/S'n, I said; "Come on son, it's time for you to bring me home now". With that, we said good bye, and left the party.
Then I read of a Fifth Alarm in Queens not far from where we had just left. Well, we missed that all because it was past my bedtime. Then I also read that my good friend and Brother Firefighter Joe C, aka "jciscone" on here, from the East Haven, Ct FD is buffing on the scene. Missed him too.
I do have some good news though. As posted here on July 4th, by "johnd248", I was contacted yesterday by the Fire Chief of that department involved in the newspaper article. That chief told me that perhaps things are finally working out. I guess there has been some positive discussions going on and according to him "it looks good". It's all about doing what is right for the people who depend on their firefighters to be there.
This event grew through the efforts of Retired Chief Jake K, aka "68jk09". Himself, one of the MOST respected members of the FDNY. We base that on what every member who has ever worked with him has told us. We were once told by an FDNY Deputy Fire Commissioner who was invited to join us; "When Chief JK invites you to a party - you go". That was from the Deputy Fire Commissioner himself. That is exactly how he put it.
Among the invited guest this time, included firefighters and officers:
Retired members of Engine Cos 82, 96, and Rescue 2
Active members from Engines 46, 60, Ladders 113 and 117.
Friends of this site included:
Mike D, aka "mikeindabronx". A lifetime Bronx resident, as many of us know here as "Our Most Valuable Player". As well as having one of the Greatest Web sites of photos from the FDNY fire activity of the busy 70s/80s.
Frank D, aka "fdce54". Also a Bronx resident for many years. Today a Retired Con Ed Supervisor who as a younger guy worked in some of the toughest areas of the Bronx. Later to become a boss covering the entire Westchester County area. One of my favorite stories I try to tell a thousand times over is when he came out of a ghetto building on Hunts Point Ave he had been working in. He was approached by three undercover police officers. They said; "You went in there by yourself" ? Of course the answer was "Yes". The rest of the story I believe is mentioned somewhere else in this thread about Member "fdce54". About one group being called "The Finest, one called "The Bravest" and the third group, including Frank, "The F##### Craziest".
Emmett M, aka "fdny1075k" was also there. He is the junior member of the group. Recently graduating from Iona College with honors, he was offered a very well paying job where a company actually came to him because of his proven record. He is well respected among many of us as a "Credit to his generation". His goal is to someday become a career firefighter. I myself, can certainly relate to that. The only difference being I never graduated from college with honors. But I was somehow able to struggle and make it through high school. I guess at the time, that was good enough.
One of the Members of this site that also stopped by was FDNY Retired Chief Bob M, aka *******, Many of us here have read some of his stories and we know that he was once the Captain of Engine Co 82 when a famous best seller book came out called: "Report from Engine Co 82" by Dennis Smith.
Chief Bob M was once a Four Star Chief. It just doesn't get too much higher than that within the FDNY. He started out as a FDNY Probie in Ladder Co 19 in the Bronx. I believe he said it was in 1962. In those days there was NO PROBIE SCHOOL. Hard to believe today but true. He reported his first day to the firehouse with no fire department training at all. He told me a story of a firefighter named Tracy, I think. That was the guy that then Probationary Firefighter Bob M wanted to be like. The guy he had heard so many great stories about. I hope if Chief M. gets a chance, he will tell us that story. I don't think I ever read it here.
Chief M later became the Lt on Engine Co 50. After that he became the Captain of Engine Co 82, when it held the title as; "the busiest engine company in the world". Of course later he moved up the ladder as well. He said that the busiest time for Engine Co 82 was the month of July, 1975 when Eng 82 responded to a total of 210 all hands or greater fires that month. An average of seven each and every day. A staggering number by any standards.
I also learned that Chief Bob M now has a son on the FDNY assigned to a very busy Manhattan company. He also has a son, I believe he said is now retired from the NYPD who was the Commanding Officer of a New York City Police Pct. He also has one daughter, who has a very well respected job as well. Along with that he is grandfather to five grandchildren.
It was GREAT to see Chief M join us. It was the first time I had ever met him.
There are major cities in the U.S. that could only wish to take that firefighting experience of all those members who joined us, put it all together and share it with the members of their entire departments. There really is NO price that could ever be put on a gathering like that.
As the sun went down, it was getting past this ole' mans bed time. Here in Connecticut, it's not really like that of NYC. As I rode in with my adopted son, Frank D, aka "fdce54", who was still B/S'n, I said; "Come on son, it's time for you to bring me home now". With that, we said good bye, and left the party.
Then I read of a Fifth Alarm in Queens not far from where we had just left. Well, we missed that all because it was past my bedtime. Then I also read that my good friend and Brother Firefighter Joe C, aka "jciscone" on here, from the East Haven, Ct FD is buffing on the scene. Missed him too.
I do have some good news though. As posted here on July 4th, by "johnd248", I was contacted yesterday by the Fire Chief of that department involved in the newspaper article. That chief told me that perhaps things are finally working out. I guess there has been some positive discussions going on and according to him "it looks good". It's all about doing what is right for the people who depend on their firefighters to be there.
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2010
- Messages
- 1,246
I missed the memo! I would have made a trip for that!
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2009
- Messages
- 28,265
Thanks Chief
Members and friends of NYCFire.net, without a doubt, he continues to be "Our Most Valuable Player". Today his number of post on this site has surpassed 17,000.
Officially joining this site in August, 2009, there is rarely a day that goes by when Mike D., aka here as "mikeindabronx", does NOT post something of value or interesting to the membership of this web site. He is both a very good friend to many, many members of the FDNY, both active and retired, as well as a GREAT friend to many of us that read or follow his stories.
He spent his younger years as a firefighter in the U.S. Air Force. Later he worked as a stock broker, who was an FDNY buff and fan of the FDNY. He had special permission to ride in a Harlem Ladder Co during the very active fire years of the 1980s. There he put his excellent fire photography skills to work producing a book called "New York's Bravest", and later designing a web site filled with color photos. Capturing and preserving the history that only those PRICELESS photos can tell.
Mike has been a lifelong resident in the same area of the Bronx for..... "well, lets just say a whole lot of years". Decades, actually more like it. As a young man, he married his wife Marie who was also from New York City and they have celebrated many years of marriage together.
Those of us who know Mike personally consider him a good friend. If you happen to ask him about those busy years, he always has a few stories to tell you.
As many of us know, the history of the FDNY during the busy 1980s is preserved very well in his web site. www.fdnysbravest.com
Thanks Mike for all you do for us.
Officially joining this site in August, 2009, there is rarely a day that goes by when Mike D., aka here as "mikeindabronx", does NOT post something of value or interesting to the membership of this web site. He is both a very good friend to many, many members of the FDNY, both active and retired, as well as a GREAT friend to many of us that read or follow his stories.
He spent his younger years as a firefighter in the U.S. Air Force. Later he worked as a stock broker, who was an FDNY buff and fan of the FDNY. He had special permission to ride in a Harlem Ladder Co during the very active fire years of the 1980s. There he put his excellent fire photography skills to work producing a book called "New York's Bravest", and later designing a web site filled with color photos. Capturing and preserving the history that only those PRICELESS photos can tell.
Mike has been a lifelong resident in the same area of the Bronx for..... "well, lets just say a whole lot of years". Decades, actually more like it. As a young man, he married his wife Marie who was also from New York City and they have celebrated many years of marriage together.
Those of us who know Mike personally consider him a good friend. If you happen to ask him about those busy years, he always has a few stories to tell you.
As many of us know, the history of the FDNY during the busy 1980s is preserved very well in his web site. www.fdnysbravest.com
Thanks Mike for all you do for us.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2008
- Messages
- 8,496
nfd2004 said:
Today, August 9th, is a very Special Day for ALL of us on here. That is because it is the Birthday of this site owner, "Tbendick", aka Lt Tommy Bendick of the FDNY. For each and every one of us, without Lt Bendick, none of this would be possible. All those great long term friendships might not have happened. For most of us we wouldn't really have a good idea of what's the latest news and events involving the Greatest Fire Dept in the World. We might not be able to hear the FDNY as it happens from our homes far away. Some of us would not have had the chance to tell our stories as it relates to the FDNY.
A husband, and a father to both a son (Greyson), and a daughter (Bella), we all are indebted to you for what you have done for us. You brought together both retired and active members of the FDNY. You brought together guys who have a special interest in the FDNY from across the country. In fact across the world. You have also offered many of us your personnel assistance when we asked.
Tom, I think it is safe to say; "We all Wish you a very Happy Birthday". Thank you for all you do for every one of us.
So we'd like to leave you with this little Birthday Song. Have a Great Day and THANKS AGAIN.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUfxIx_19xg
A husband, and a father to both a son (Greyson), and a daughter (Bella), we all are indebted to you for what you have done for us. You brought together both retired and active members of the FDNY. You brought together guys who have a special interest in the FDNY from across the country. In fact across the world. You have also offered many of us your personnel assistance when we asked.
Tom, I think it is safe to say; "We all Wish you a very Happy Birthday". Thank you for all you do for every one of us.
So we'd like to leave you with this little Birthday Song. Have a Great Day and THANKS AGAIN.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUfxIx_19xg
Dear Lt. Tom, I bother you persistently whenever there are Comm'.s Issues. You are completely graceful, responsive and friendly You have told me more then Once, that you would rather Know if there are Issues, than not know. Still, knowing how busy you are w/ Work, Family, and we knuckleheads here on the Site, I don't like to 'bother' you.
You Sir, are a complete Officer & Gentleman, and I, and the others here, are Honored by your acquaintance. As a Long-Time Buff, and Friend of the World's Greatest Fire Dept., I cannot Thank You enough for all you do here, and your Distinguished Service to the City of New York. Thanks Tom, for everything. Happy, Happy Birthday and Many More for You & Family.
[Thanks Willy - for the Post.]
You Sir, are a complete Officer & Gentleman, and I, and the others here, are Honored by your acquaintance. As a Long-Time Buff, and Friend of the World's Greatest Fire Dept., I cannot Thank You enough for all you do here, and your Distinguished Service to the City of New York. Thanks Tom, for everything. Happy, Happy Birthday and Many More for You & Family.
[Thanks Willy - for the Post.]
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2009
- Messages
- 28,265
Happy Birthday Tom