CFDMarshal said:
Most Reverend CFD, I would NOT lie to a "man of the cloth". My stories are all TRUE to my word. The only thing I know about Frank's stories, "fdce54", is that he couldn't stop laughing when he told me of your train ride back to the hotel. So with that said Rev., I would like to tell of our visit to Squad 288/Haz Mat 1 on Friday morning, October 11th.
Once again, this was arranged for us by retired Chief Jack Kleehaas. He had advised me that we would be all set and that I would probably receive a call from a Lt Pickford of Squad 288 to confirm this and advise me of the plans. Lt Pickford did call me prior to our Get Together and he said "everything would be all set for our arrival". I was advised that there was a Memorial to the 9/11 members of Squad 288 and Haz Mat 1. Squad 288/Haz Mat 1 had lost the largest amount of members of any firehouse. As I remember, they lost 19 firefighters from that house, on that tragic day.
As we arrived at the firehouse, several firefighters were there to greet us and Lt Pickford brought us inside where a large memorial is set up on the main floor of the firehouse. He explained to us what it was like that day. A department that was torn apart. Not only so many experienced firefighters and officers lost, but equipment too. Everything from fire apparatus to halligan bars. He told of companies that had two halligans, to keep one and give the other to another company who didn't have any. He told of how firefighters were working 72 hours straight, 3 days, with no break. Fire department business still had to go on, plus units assigned to the World Trade Center Pile, Plus go to funerals. Guys would go home for one day, say good bye to their families and be gone for another three days.
From my own personnel experience, I could relate to this. I remember being held over at the firehouse I worked in Connecticut for three days during the Blizzard of '78. I remember how happy I was to finally get home. But I was off duty for the next three days and didn't have any kids at home to worry about. I just can't imagine what it was like for these guys, besides the fact they lost so many friends. I have tried to understand how it must be to have had such a loss on 9/11. But after hearing the stories that Lt Pickford told us, "I realize it was much WORSE than what I had thought".
I was advised by Chief Kleehaas to visit the Memorial outside the firehouse. This memorial is to the right of the firehouse set slightly back. An entire area owned and maintained by the bank behind the firehouse. It is actually divided into two sections. One area for those 19 firefighters from Squad 288/Haz Mat 1 and a separate area for the neighborhood residents that were also lost that day. The area is well cared for where there are benches to sit on while at the memorial. Interesting also is that one of our members from the group pointed out, in clear view is the new Freedom Tower. The same kind of view that I'm sure the members saw as they left that firehouse responding to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.
As we went back to the firehouse, apparently training was going on with some of the members on the second floor of that firehouse. We noticed from a second floor window a member was using his safety harness and rope to escape as the drill involved searching a room for an occupant. That member came out that window in full gear including breathing off of his mask and his face piece covered for zero visibility. A safety line had also been attached to this firefighter before he made that escape. As we later learned, this was the latest member to join Squad 288. He had been told to enter a room looking for a trapped occupant. As part of the drill, Lt Pickford tells him while he is searching, the fire is now spreading into that room. What would he do ? The firefighter answers saying that he would use his personnel safety harness and escape through the window. Lt Pickford then apparently tells him to "do it", but he adds reality to it, saying the fire is quickly spreading and there's no time, it must be done now, quickly. From the outside, a few of us watch this member make his escape. That member safely escapes, however, one of the lessons learned was that this member failed to close the door to that room before he left. That could maybe buy some time for any occupant in that room.
These are the kinds of things that are important to learn. It was the kind of thing that I would watch and try to bring back to the firehouse for our guys.
Later on we were invited up stairs where we had an excellent meal prepared by the members of Squad 288/Haz Mat 1. The meal was great and at the table we talked among the members. In fact, one member had spent a few years in Virginia during his military time and was pretty happy to talk to our guys with us from Virginia.
I'd also like to mention that we were also invited to stay for lunch when we visited Engine 285/Ladder 136 and Battalion 46.
I'd like to thank Chief Kleehaas for setting this up for us. Also the members of Squad 288 and Haz Mat 1 for their hostility and special thanks to Lt Pickford for spending time with us explaining his story of 9/11 and the details of that drill at the firehouse. There is one more thing that I forgot to mention that Lt Pickford explained to us. He readily admitted how he always wanted to work under the command of Chief Kleehaas. He told us of how he would very often buy a cheese cake for him in hopes of working with him when he was Captain of Ladder Co 126. But he said, "it just never worked out".
To the members of Squad 288 and Haz Mat 1, we THANK YOU very much for opening your doors to us.
STILL more to come. Our visit to Engine 316 and Rescue 4, and the next day to the Fire Museum in Manhattan.
