VINTAGE FDNY WAR YEAR LIDS

[68jk09]

^^^^The LAD*78 Front is a maroon color ......there was a certain period way back when Cairns used this color in place of a bright red....i have one the same color from an old LAD*108 Front ( not mine but given to me years ago).

 

[JohnnyGage]

I think the "W" front piece may or might have designated a Marine Division Wiper. Just a thought :-\

Thanks Charlie, thats what I was thinking too, but would the Pilot have a P insert ?...(does the pilot have a helmet?)...I guess the firefighters assigned would have the numeral.  Then maybe the W could be upside down and should have been an M... ??? I'm so confused!

 

[memory master]

Thanks Dan. Now I'm totally confused and know how Bay felt when the phone kept ringing.

 

[JohnnyGage]

^^^^^^^^^Here is the frontpiece, listed as JK states for $199. Also mentions "rare"...of course it rare, it's a fake one of a kind!

 

[JohnnyGage]

Some interesting odd lids:




This lid for a Philadelphia "Driver".

 

[JohnnyGage]

Not ALL Chief helmets had to be white...

 

[JohnnyGage]

This frontpiece "speaks" to me...I'm kind of fond about it...


"It's a Wonderful life"

 

[JohnnyGage]

Here is the leather "War Baby" version fire helmet:






Here is the metal "War Baby" version:








Here is the plastic version:










Here is the mold for the plastic "War Baby":

 

[JohnnyGage]

This lid is from the "Central Islip State Hospital" on Long Island, NY. At one time there were three  NY State Psychiatric Hospitals on Long Island that house mentally special needs patients. The complexes were like a small city, some had train stations and powerhouses on the grounds, all had a fire department and firehouse. The State Hospitals were in Kings Park and Brentwood ( Known as Pilgrim State Hospital). Pilgrim was the largest Psychiatric Hospital in the Nation, followed by CISH. All hospitals were closed down and left abandoned for many years.

The hospital fire department did inspections and handled small fires, anything else the local community volunteer fire department responded in on mutual aid.

This is a rare lid!




CISH FD: During their hey-day



Abandoned in 1996, then knocked down:




KINGS PARK STATE HOSPITAL FIREHOUSE, ABANDONED:




BRENTWOOD PILGRIM STATE HOSPITAL POWERHOUSE AND FIREHOUSE, ABANDONED (the firehouse is at the right, a single garage door).





IMAGES OF ABANDONED PILGRIM STATE HOSPITAL:

 

[memory master]

"Johnny", Pat Imperato and I put applications in at Kings Park at one time.

 

[JohnnyGage]

Just to be clear, was that an application to work...or reside! LOL...

You know Charlie, I was wondering about that, would you have been a state employee? was there a test or just an application?  Was it for "firefighter" or Safety Officer?

 

[memory master]

Yes, I suppose I could have resided there, anyway Dan, if I remember correctly as this was about 42 years ago, it was for Fire Fighter. The application was about 15 pages long and the questions were out of this world and had nothing to do with fire fighting. We were told by a Captain that firefighters were also responsible for the on site ambulance and any transports from the State Hospital to a local ER. I guess that would have been Smithtown Hospital. I think the schedule was 48 on and 96 off or something like that. We never heard back and we heard later it was a "who you know" situation.

 

[JohnnyGage]

Here are a few vintage FDNY frontpieces:







ENGINE 11 DISBANDED 1957;





COVERING CAPTAIN INSERT



CHECK OUT THE INSIGNIA, FIRST TIME I EVER SAW TWO CROSSED TRUMPETS FOR CAPTAIN

 

[Lebby]

We're the black and red combination patches actually black and red when produced or just black and then the bottom painted red?

 

[nfd2004]

We're the black and red combination patches actually black and red when produced or just black and then the bottom painted red?

Phil, "Lebby", I believe those red/black inserts were produced that way for "Combo Companies" (Engine and Truck running together as One with One Officer - Captain).

"Combo 121", "Combo 131", etc

 

[Lebby]

Thank you. I knew they were produced for the combination companies but I wasn't sure if they were made in house or commercially.

 

[Comiskey]

Johnny Gage....what year are those 3 shield you posted above? Such as the fire factory one?

Thanks
Jeff

 

[JohnnyGage]

Hi Jeff, not sure when the FDNY switched to inserts. There was a discussion about that in one of the threads...perhaps JK or one of the other historians can post the answer for you.

 

[memory master]

Hi Jeff, not sure when the FDNY switched to inserts. There was a discussion about that in one of the threads...perhaps JK or one of the other historians can post the answer for you.

1959 or 1960 was the switch to inserts I believe.

 

[68jk09]

Hi Jeff, not sure when the FDNY switched to inserts. There was a discussion about that in one of the threads...perhaps JK or one of the other historians can post the answer for you.

1959 or 1960 was the switch to inserts I believe.

It may have started in 1959 ? but the complete changeover definitely was in 1960......then awhile later the "new" LT & CPT insert Fronts reverted back to straight Fronts......i feel the whole FF insert type Front is a crock & was a money making thing.... they never should have changed.