Portraits of the Bravest at the 10-76 in Manhattan on Dec 27, 2022. Box 0673.

Here's a picture of what a typical night in the Ghetto (can we say that anymore),and what Brownsville subjected the Firefighters to. That's a vacant on St. Johns and Buffalo about 3 AM. There was a major fire either in downtown Bklyn. or Manhattan and all the local engines were relocated. The first engine to arrive was 252 which is quite a ways from this location. As we were operating here,DSCN7634.JPG another fire in a vacant on Buffalo Ave. around the corner was started. This was around mid 74 when picture was taken. From L-R the late Pete Sandre, John Ioveno and me. A good thing that event didn't happen today, because nobody would understand what was really going on.
 
ta176 said:
Here's a picture of what a typical night in the Ghetto (can we say that anymore),and what Brownsville subjected the Firefighters to. That's a vacant on St. Johns and Buffalo about 3 AM. There was a major fire either in downtown Bklyn. or Manhattan and all the local engines were relocated. The first engine to arrive was 252 which is quite a ways from this location. As we were operating here,View attachment 28689 another fire in a vacant on Buffalo Ave. around the corner was started. This was around mid 74 when picture was taken. From L-R the late Pete Sandre, John Ioveno and me. A good thing that event didn't happen today, because nobody would understand what was really going on.
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Thanks for sharing this story.
 
^^^^^ Tony great 176 picture above in reply # 2 on Buffalo Ave.....as a Covering LT & later as a LT on OT from 332 I had the pleasure of working in 176 with all 3 of you driving 176 at different times.....always a Great tour & Fast Turnouts....... ...one morning I was getting relieved by Ronnie Carritue when he was a covering LT.....we were in the Office & a Run came in right after 0900 so it was Ronnies but I still had my gear in the Cab...I leaned in the Cab standing on the side step grabbing my stuff.....John I. was the Chauffeur & had already started the Rig so I said I'm not going Ronnie is then I noticed the Rig was already moving ....I put my Helmet on & threw my Boots out onto the floor & I had my Coat in my hand when I jumped off as the Rig got to the apparatus door.....Ronnie was now standing out on the apron wearing his gear & as the Rig hit the curb line Ronnie jumped into the open door & off they went.
 
What a lot of people didn't realize that we were 4 blocks from 120 & 4 blocks from 123 before their move to St. John's Pl.. A lot of our work was in the vacant tenements all over Brownsville. We realized that if we were now 1st due, we were on the fire floor not the floor above. So that was our reasoning for the quick turnouts. If East NY and Howard came in Box 1642, we would be on ENY and see 120 on Pitkin Ave. and be neck and neck at Hopkinson Ave and be ahead at Saratoga Ave. and now 1st in at Howard Ave.. It was so much better on the fire floor than the floor above, especially not using masks back then. As anybody that lived and worked during the war years in Brownsville will attest that it was as the movie said " the best years of our life".
 
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