Thank you Dan, aka Mr Gage, YES, We ALL Miss You.
Your own personnel stories here in "Glory Days" in the History Section, has been OUTSTANDING. For the newer members here, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED reading. It tells of your first days of being an Boy Scout and riding with your uncle at the very busy Engine 82/Ladder 31.
Also during that time, becoming a member of a volunteer fire company in Long Island. Then also working in the very busy, then called "NYC-EMS", before the merger into the FDNY.
As you talked about those days back in the NYC-EMS, you often referred to them as "The Gory Days". And after reading some of your stories, "we can understand why". During that time, you worked with and shared stories with another great guy here, Garrett Lundgren, aka "69METS", who also later became a member of the FDNY working some of NYCs Busiest Fire Companies.
Let me also add that BOTH Dan and Garrett have been guest speakers in the very famous and popular Pod Cast known as "Gettin Salty".
As we also learned in Glory Days, after NYC-EMS, Dan became a firefighter in the very busy Washington, DC and spent Three Years there before becoming a member of the FDNY.
As a firefighter in Washington, D.C., Dan made a very heroic rescue of a civilian. Although he RIGHTFULLY Deserved Recognition from the DCFD for that Rescue, he NEVER GOT IT.
But Dan's wish was to be a member of the FDNY. After successfully passing all of the test he got on the job, where he worked the very busy Ladder 112, Ladder 10 (?) and Engine 88/Ladder 38, where Dan tells us about his captain, the late FDNY Captain, nicknamed "Tough Tony".
Later he worked Ladder 5 and ended his firefighting career at Ladder 31, where he was first introduced to the FDNY by his uncle.
It was during Dan's Ladder 5 Days that I got to meet Dan at the "Rock". He was the Ladder 5 chauffeur of the rig.
I asked Dan to park it just right for that Ladder 5 - fire apparatus photo collector's shot which he did and I have been forever THANKFUL to him for doing that.
Several years go by (maybe 20 plus) and Dan and I reunite.
During 911 when the World Trade Towers were attacked, Dan's wife was working on the upper floors of one of those towers. When the Towers came down, both thought that they would never see each other again.
But "By the Grace of God", they BOTH survived and reunited together safely at a NYC Firehouse, I believe it was Eng33/Lad 9 (?).
Later Dan's wife also wrote a book tiled "By the Grace of God", which I've read and it tells of their amazing story of survival.
For a few of us here, Dan has invited us to join him in the Bronx for a little get together.
We've also shared some great stories and chow among us, including many members from this site at one of my favorite eating establishments just outside NYC.
The Good Lord Willing, "we can all do it again" once you (Dan) are finished with your book, "THEY SAVED NEW YORK".
We ALL LOOK FORWARD to reading it as well.
Just give us the word when it's ready for purchase.
Dan, we ALL THANK YOU and certainly RESPECT YOU for What YOU have done.
