Oh Those Busy Fourth of Julys

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doneleven

Joined
Jul 25, 2010
Messages
125
Off the top of my head, I’d say I worked 25 July 4 night tours. Always made myself available for a mx that night...always among the busiest of the year. Many, many memories..great times. I do have a question for Chief K. I believe it was my last 4th in 11 Truck...so probably 98. Things had slowed down considerably during the Giuliani years..and this night reflected that. Quiet. We always parked the rig at the top of Avenue C just north of 14th st. Facing south into our response area, we’d have a fabulous view of the Macy’s fireworks...street packed with onlookers. This particular night...just as we got comfortable, we were relocated to Brooklyn...119 if I remember correctly. Nothing going on there...more of a massing of manpower as they awaited the onslaught. ( that in itself reflected the times. Back in the day they would NEVER move 11 Truck). Anyway, we stopped at 2nd st and picked up our half of the meal. While heading over the Williamsburg Bridge, coincidently using the north side roadway due to construction, the fireworks began. I stopped the rig mid span...and we watched the entire production. Obviously, traffic was stopped behind us...and a subway train also stopped to watch. Literally the best view imaginable as we were suspended over the river. Everyone out of their cars cheering the festivities. Just as the finale ended, a grizzled motorcycle cop came flying up to us... opposite the blocked traffic. He was livid...hadn’t seen a car come off the Brooklyn side of the bridge for 20 minutes...lol. Asked me who the boss was...I pointed to the guy next to me...and the cop ripped him. Told us the get the eff off his bridge NOW! We did, proceeded to our uneventful relocation. Quiet. So here’s my question for the Chief. After leaving 119, we were redirected to Ladder 140...again as part of a manpower team. Probably near midnight. There were other units there...all under the command of (I believe). Chief Kleehaus. But the timeframe doesn’t work since when, a few months later, I went out to South Jamaica, then Capt Kleehaus was still assigned to Ladder 126. So Chief, do you recall that night? Could you have been ABC? Or has my older brain mis-remembered the event completely? And if I am remembering things correctly, we fully expected a call from downtown since the motorcycle officer had threatened to “go official”. Guess that call never came. Anyway, great memories of great times. Stay safe.
 
68jk09

68jk09

Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
16,225
Don in reply to your question that you asked in reply # 67 above in this thread..... i do remember a July 4th (possibly 1998 before 133 )... i was the CPT of 126 then but i had been scheduled to be the CPT of a second ENG on OT at 275 using the Reserve Pumper*505 ....i was psyched to go back to Merrick Blvd for the night especially on a July 4th night ....at that time howierd safir the FC had cut DVs to 1 in QNS but on 4th of July it was traditional to have a Command Post with extra Units at 270/DV*13 on 121 St & Atlantic Ave ....."THEY" at the last minute decided that they did not want to put a DC back on 121 St where they had closed DV*13 because they thought the community would jump on it & document that the Job acknowledged that they needed it ....at the last minute on the afternoon of 7-4 i got a call at home that i was to ABC in an extra BN at 275 & another Officer would be in the extra ENG ....i said but i am going to be on OT let the other Officer work ABC & i will be in the extra ENG (not about the minuscule extra few $ ... i just wanted to be the ENG Officer with the guys i had sort of twisted the DVs arm to get those particular FFs working in the Unit that night ).....they said no because we can only get a LT so he can't ABC....i said OK still figuring i would at least be on Merrick Blvd with the guys....i show up early & get a warm greeting from my former Great FFs ....they had planned the meal ETC, ETC for the evening .... at 1800 a spare Suburban pulls up with a BC in it....he says "i am ADC ing in DV*whatever" here tonight ) .... (not really a damper just a little cramp) .....the evening progresses very slowly compared to previous years & around 2300 we the extra BN get sent to a standby post at 128/259/BN*45 on Greenpoint Ave .....i think this is where you wound up Don as i remember standing outside with Gonzo (listening to fireworks in the distance) discussing how July 4th used to be.
 
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*******

Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
185
With the current lack of leadership in the State, City, Fire and Police Departments. With the disrespect for and lack of fear of the police and with the mob control of the same streets, 2020 will be the most hostile and dangerous 4th of July in the city's history.
 
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uts3000

Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
2
I remember my first 4th of July as a boss in 96 Engine. About 0300 hrs we get a box for a rubbish fire on Westchester and Ward Aves. under the elevated 6 train. There’s a huge bonfire going that’s fuel by the drug dealers in the neighbor throwing fireworks into it. They were kind of like the Macy’s of the South Bronx. I knew there was no way I was going to pull up and douse the fire, there would have been a riot. I asked for a 10-7 from the dispatcher and when he said there was none I gave a 10-92. I miss working on the 4th. (hell, I miss working period).
 
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*******

Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
185
One summer night 1975 I believe there were 3 or 4 4th alarm simultaneous fires in 82's response area. Fires were set by the then Black Panthers as a "statement" according to the newspapers the next day. When 82 (1st due) responded into the first fire they had fire showing from over a hundred windows in a 6 story vacant extending into the exposures. My fear is that now with this political climate a similar incident(s) the first due units would be met by a mob at the corner of the block and telling the members that "you can't come in here." It seems that even the police now are prevented from unhindered response/safety with many dangerous calls.
 
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nfd2004

Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
5,754
nfd2004 said:
Being the Fourth of July, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about the busy Fourth of July"s in the 1980s and 1990s. It was the closest to what could be compared to the busy War Years. I remember making it a yearly trip. During the day, the City Parks would be "packed" with people. Around 6 PM all the reserve rigs (500 series) would be coming into service. They would be assigned to report to various staging area firehouses. One such firehouse was the quarters of Eng 276/Lad 156, because they had a large parking lot next to the firehouse. I believe there were also reserve Battalions brought in. Maybe Batt 71, 72 etc.
As it got dark around 9 PM the Action started. And it was non stop for most of the rest of the night. With all the fireworks, rockets going off, it was like being in a War Zone. Riding down the street, all the windows in the car had to be up to prevent a stray rocket from coming into the car. The streets were just taken over by the people. I remember being in Brooklyn, and not seeing any police around. My buddy and I had talked about that. "Where were the cops". We soon found out as we passed one of the police precincts. All the cops had basically surrounded the precinct guarding the station house.
One year in the Bronx, we had taken in a good all hands. As the fire was brought under control, we were heading back to the car when another job came in less than two blocks away. It was on the Grand Concourse, not far so we just ran to it. We were there just as the rigs were pulling up. Fire was blowing out the front of a Taxpayer. It went to a Second Alarm. Caught another Taxpayer job on Jerome Ave near the Cross Bronx Expressway just a few years ago. Got off the Cross Bronx and Eng 75 and Lad 33 had just pulled up. Heavy fire blowing out the front with a possible squatter inside. That went to a Fourth Alarm and nobody was found inside.
You were sure to catch some work on the Fourth of Julys in the 80s and 90s. It was like the busy War Years all over again for one day.
Click to expand...

Today, July 4th, 2021, as we celebrate the 245th Birthday of American, I can recall loading up the car, filling it with picnic lunches and coolers, and a few of us heading out for the busy Fourth of July holiday. But unlike most people, we weren't headed out to our favorite park, or campground, or beach, or one of the big Fourth of July parades, or a city sponsored fire works display.

No, it was usually to one of two places. Either to the ghettos of NYC or the ghettos of Providence, RI. We would usually arrive in the afternoon and hang out at a local Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, or Burger King.

In the Bronx it was a MacDonalds on Webster Ave near 170th St. In Brooklyn it was a McDonalds on Broadway at Kosciuszko St.

In Providence, RI it was a Burger King at Broadway and Pearl St, or the Dunkin Donuts near by.

As we would arrive, the streets of these cities would begin with activity. Fireworks and skyrockets would be going off on both sides of the street, the street music would be blasting, with plenty of alcoholic drinking going on. No doubt then, with some illegal pot smoking going on too. (now legal in some states).

As the sun began to set the street activity would seem to pick up. The pace of the GREAT DISPATCHERS back then, using NO Computer Aided Dispatching, somehow kept track as the FDNY and Providence Fire Dept activity suddenly picked up to an alarming rate.
I know we have a few of them with us on this site and without a doubt; "YOU GUYS WERE THE BEST". You were the link in the chain behind the scene that kept both the City of New York, as well as Providence from burning down.

Of course in the FDNY several reserve fire apparatus with the Engines in the 500 number series and the Ladders in the 700 series would be manned and operate from selected firehouses throughout the city. As I remember it was based on a written plan to deal with during times of unrest or civil disturbances. Also as I remember "mack" of this site - father had a lot to do with setting that up. He was a Battalion Chief at the time.

For Providence, they would also man reserve pieces. Reserve Engines 16, 17, and 18 would go into service. Also reserve Engine 19 teamed up with reserve Ladder 9 as Task Force 1, and reserve Engine 20 teamed up with reserve Ladder 10 as Task Force 2. In addition, mutual aid would be sent into Providence from the surrounding cities - BUT - at times they would be called back home to fight fires in their own towns. Places like Cranston, Pawtucket, Johnston, North Providence, and East Providence.

For any buff that wanted to get an idea of what it was like on a daily bases during the FDNY War Years, the amount of fire activity for the Fourth of July night in the 1980s and 1990s was a very good example of just how busy it got for the members of the FDNY or the Providence Fire Dept. Certainly a Salute goes out to those Top Shelf Dispatchers who kept track of a city that was burning up.

My Fourth of July buff nights would usually be done on a rotating basis; FDNY one year and Providence the next. Usually leaving to come home about 3 am after chasing fires from one to another. Some years I would be off work. But other years, no matter what it took, I would get off from work. Even if it was a mutual with another guy and my promise to work for him on a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

My last Fourth of July buff night was in New York City. It was July 4th, 2001. It was just about two months later, on September 11, 2001 when our entire world changed and America was attacked. For the next year, there was NO CHASING any fire trucks. It was to attend funerals and pay respect those FDNY members and Police Officers, who we lost because of the Worst Attack on our own American soil.

On this 245th Birthday of America, July 4, 2021 we all have a lot to be THANKFUL for.

Have a SAFE and HAPPY FOURTH of JULY
 
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nfd2004

Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Messages
5,754
Total count for Fire Activity July 4th, 2021 - 6 x 9 tour, from Retired FDNY Dispatcher Herbie Eysser.

There were 7 All Hands Fires

Brooklyn - 3
Bronx - 1
Manhattan - 1
Queens - 1
Staten Island - 1

Total - 7

There were No Greater or Multiple Alarms throughout the city

Credit goes to Herb Essyer for providing us with these numbers.
 
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