Retro Winter Operations

Capttomo

Capttomo

Joined
Sep 7, 2020
Messages
2,469
Before the days of bunker gear and enclosed cabs:

- going from warm bunk to apparatus floor and getting the first splash of cold air
- shivering most of the way to the box on really cold nights
- accessing the roof under heavy snow and icy conditions
- making the stretch through snow drifts or across icy sidewalks, courtyards and walkups
- coming back out to the street wet on really cold nights
- shoveling the front of the firehouse as the snow came down faster than you could clear it
- discovering the hydrant was frozen
- how cold hooks, cans, nozzles and ground ladders got if you didn’t put your gloves on
- the cold drafty backrooms and kitchens in many houses back then

Memories - stories ????
 
The problem we encountered every once in a while was the street would ice up in the middle of the night and control of the rig, no chains on, became optional. One false alarm run took us almost an hour to get back to Quarters due to the icing conditions on the roads and some of the hills in our response area. The other problem was the older rigs didn't have dual rear wheels. And the worst thing was, in the winter the diesel engines didn't throw off much heat, summer was a different story.
 
Sometimes Dispatchers would announce to put chains on, but with the slight icing I was talking about they wouldn't know what it was like by us. And when the apparatus door opened up and that blast of cold would hit you, it sent shivers down your spine. Sure don't miss that.
The problem was "Black Ice".
 
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See if this is reminiscent of days gone by......returning from a job with 6 lengths of frozen 2 1/2 bent over the rear step of the rig. Unbend as much as possible and stretch out on the apparatus floor of the house. Now read off the serial number on the coupling, if its deiced, so the Officer has a list. Drop 6 lengths from the tower, noting each serial number (have to make that journal entry) and replace on rig. Hoist up the six wet lengths into the tower and make a pot of jo. (Oh, by the way, there was no relocator in your single house to lend a hand.)
 
Engine company that gets relieved at an early morning multiple (on a bitterly cold winter night/morning), returns to their quarters, brews up several pots of coffee, finds an bakery getting ready to open, buys out their pastries and returns to the scene with goodies for the troops still operating.
 

1758395261965.jpeg​

Philadelphia fireman knows he has earned his pay after battling a 5-alarm warehouse fire at 3rd and Market Streets in 9-degree temperatures in 1980. Ice encrusted the firemen's helmet, clothing, and equipment.​


Sorry if the picture and text is so large,,I'm not very good with things like this.
 
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You have the tiller at Ladder 142 and a 2nd due box comes in at Broad Channel The unit's apparatus is a wooden aerial from the 1920's and you must sit up on a bench with no windshield for the 6-7 mile run down Crossbay Blvd. This could probably be repeated in many of the outlying ladder companies into the 1960s.
 
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