A very notable week this week for me in my Nycfire.net lifespan
8yrs ago this week was this first time I met up with group members.
"JohnD248" took me to visit his old house where he served as an Aux E248 in Flatbush and a tour of Brooklyn and of course later that day I got to meet up with our senior man Willy D "nfd2004"
The following day (after a slight scare with a communications issue) Willy D took me up to DaBronx to show me the sights and sounds with stop offs in Rescue 3 (thanks to Bob Athanas for the tour and Chief JK for setting up) and a tour on DaBronx Co and meeting The Beefman
It's was also the first time I buffed a fire in NYC a 2nd Alarm in Chinatown where I got to meet group friend Ret Rescue BC Don Hayde for the first time who has just come out of a 2nd floor window down a fire escape
Great memories
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to our Irish Laddie Friend, Declan B., aka "Irish".
Wow, 8 years already Dec (Irish) since Johnny D., (johnd248) and I first got together when you flew over here to the Big Apple, aka NYC. Where you wanted to see what so many people considered the Greatest Fire Dept in the Country, maybe the World.
Yes, we stopped over at Rescue 3 where we got a tour of Rescue 3 given by the Senior Man, Bobby Athanas, thanks to Retired Chief Jack Kleehaas (68jk09). I was fortunate that just prior to that, our own Most Valuable Player of Nycfire.net, Mike Dick., (mikeindabronx) and myself had stopped by Rescue 3 and Mike introduced me to now Retired FDNY Member, Bobby Athanas.
We then made our way up to the Bronx Communications Office where together we both got to meet Bobby Engel, aka The Beefman, FDNY Dispatcher "Tree Tree Oh".
Over the years, Declan has spent a couple of days in NYC, joining several members of this site. Usually visiting several firehouses of the FDNY set up for us by Chief Kleehaas along with an Annual Reunion of the active and retired members of Eng 216/Lad 108/Batt 35. After that he also visited many friends and firefighters outside of the NYC area.
There we have also met Retired Chief of Dept., Chief Hayden, who I believe once worked at the old Seigel St firehouse.
Many of us have also become good friends with now Retired Battalion Chief Steve Ternlund, the key organizer of this event. A Great Gathering of both Active and Retired Firefighters from those companies. Thank you Chief Kleehaas and Chief Ternlund for welcoming us every year to this event.
We have also met Retired Deputy Fire Commissioner Bob Turner, a well respected member of the dept thanks to Chief Kleehaas.
Of course, we have also been very fortunate to have this site owner and administrator, Retired FDNY Captain John Bendick (jbendick), his son site owner Tommy Bendick (tbendick), and Nycfire administrator Mike M., (truck 4) set up events of interest for us. Along with Retired Chief Dispatcher Kenny Fisher (Atlas) who gave us a tour of some Staten Island companies and the Rockaways in Queens shortly after Storm Sandy and the fires that spread so fast during that storm.
We can NOT go on without another Special Thank to Joe Materia (mack) who helped organize some events, including a trip to the FDNY Museum, where we were given a tour by another friend and retired FDNY Member Lt Gary Howard who we learned had worked with Retired Chief Jack Kleehaas and Retired Capt John Bendick in some of FDNYs Busiest Companies, during those very busy years.
We must also give a Big Thanks to our own Nycfire member Dan Potter, (JohnnyGage), who has written some Great Stories under the title of Glory Days in the History section. Dan set up a Great tour for the members to visit his former firehouse Engine 88/Ladder 38. A beautiful firehouse with lots of history. (photos are posted previously here in News of Members). Dan also set up a visit for us to meet Deputy Chief Jay Jonas at Engine 48/Ladder 56/Division 7. Of course Chief Jonas the author of "Divison 7 Newsletter" posted by Mike Dick (mikeindabronx). We were also introduced to Retired B/C Ed Kearon who was B/C in the busy Batt 18 and later Battalion 2. Together we all enjoyed a great dinner in a GREAT, Little Italian Restaurant on Author Ave in the Belmont section of the Bronx.
So many GREAT GUYS have welcomed us "foreigners" into the world of the FDNY on a personnel level. Every one here I mention has been great to all of us. Of course there's so many others too, who we have met along the way in our visits to these firehouse and places of interest. I've also had the privilege to sit down and talk with FDNY Retired Chief Bob Manson, (*******) who was the Captain of Engine 82 when the book, "Report from Engine 82" came out, as he told me a few stories.
Well getting back to Our Irish friend Declan, Dec has taken part in some of the Tunnel to Towers events held in NYC. But without a doubt in our minds, his most famous event that WE WILL NEVER FORGET is the time that Mr Irish himself fell asleep as a very pretty young lady tried several times to engage him in conversation. Meanwhile every one of us more senior, single members just wished that she came over in our direction. But that didn't happen and NOTHING Ever Happened with this young lady and the Irish Laddie Himself.
But Declan knows that we ALL GREATLY Appreciate his company whenever he comes to the NYC area.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Dec, aka "Irish".