VINTAGE FDNY WAR YEAR LIDS

raybrag said:
I learn something new almost every day on this site.  I had never heard of a "bed key" before.  Thanks, Dan.  Learning about some of the FDNY's volunteer predecessors is fascinating.  It was not at all uncommon for rival companies to get into fights with one another over "whose fire" they were at . . . while no one tried to put the fire out. Can you imagine a commotion when E73 gets to one of E82's first due boxes ahead of 82 . . . and a fight breaks out over whose fire it is?  Of course it would be a pretty small brawl compared to those of the 1840's or 1850's . . . since we're in the days of the 4 man engine company.
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That's what the 'plug uglies' were for.

New Yorkers Have Been Illicitly Cracking Open Fire Hydrants For Centuries, by Dan Nosowitz / 30 Jul 2015, says in passing: Water mains, which were only accessible by the rich, ran in limited numbers underneath the city, made mostly of hollowed-out logs. If a fire department needed water, they?d drill a hole in the pipe, take what they needed, and then leave a cylindrical wooden ?fireplug? in the hole they?d just made. (Most cities, including New York, had competing fire departments in the 1700s. Whoever actually put out the fire would get paid, so the departments would have their biggest, toughest guys guard their plugs to stop other companies from tapping their holes. That?s where the term ?plug uglies? comes from.
 
^^^^^In reply of JK #146; The shooting helmet
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Now imagine all the other rescues JK could have made if he had a "Sprinkler Helmet!"
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^^^^^^Jk told me these helmet frontpieces are from a private collection from R2 Pete Lunds son of the companies from LA CASA GRANDE... Anyone know the names of who may have worn the particular frontpiece? I know Capt. McCafferty and Capt. Farrell L31. Capt. ALbergray of E 82....

Thanks JK for this wonderful addition to this thread, very cool...
Here they are....

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Combined Fire Companies 1975-1976:


   

   


    History:

          - Organized during 1970s NYC fiscal crisis to save officer salaries
          - Concept was announced to improve coordinated attack at incidents and fires under one officer and enable better development of FFs in both engine and truck functions.  It was primarily an attempt to save money.
          - CFC 121, 1974-1975, (Engine 70/Ladder 52 City Island, Bronx) and CFC 151, 1974-1977, (Engine 311/Ladder 158 Springfield Gardens, Queens) were also organized CFCs 
          - CFC numbering:  first digit "1" for CFC designation; 2nd digit for boro ("2" Bronx,"3 Queens", "5" SI); 3rd didit was for unit organized in boro
          - FDNY had planned up to 10 CFCs 
          - CFCs responded as one unit to all incidents with both apparatus under command of one officer - a captain
          - Five captains in CFC replaced two captains and 6 lieutenants assigned to engine and ladder companies (one administrative captain assigned to each CFC) 
          - CFCs were assigned a 1000 GPM pumper and a 75 ft tower ladder
          - CFC unit always responded with both apparatus required utilizing both sections for minor incidents
          - CFC concept problems included:  lack of control at fires and incidents; both sections responded to all incidents normally requiring one company; relocations and multiples were problems
          - Numerous engine, ladder and squad companies also disbanded in 1970s added to CFCs lack of assignment flexibility problem 
 
    CFCs Runs and Workers:

                              CFC 121          CFC 131              CFC 151

          1975              108                  733                    2151

          1976                                      853                    2255



Combined Fire Company 131  1974-1977  7219 Amboy Road Tottenville, Staten Island  8th Division, 23rd Battalion  "The Combo"


   

   

   

   



Combined Fire Company 151  1974-1977  145050 Springfield Blvd  Springfield Gardens, Queens


    Organized from Engine 311 and Ladder 158


   

   

   



Combined Fire Company 121  1974-1975  169 Schofield St  City Island, Bronx

    Organized from Engine 70 and Ladder 53

         

         

         
 
FDNY second section engine and ladder company fronts:

      - most War Years second section engines, ladders and battalions were organized 1968 or 1969 and then disbanded by 1974


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Joe "mack", what a great discovery about the combo companies, the concept and interesting front pieces. I think the concept was similar to LAFD with their "Light task force" where the response is a single engine and tractor trailer tiller apparatus under the command of one officer. Works there, not so good here...

Thanks for the second section frontpieces too. I notice that sometimes the smaller number is either on the top half of the insert and sometimes at the bottom of the insert...I guess that was just done at random.

Both concepts were very interesting back during the War Years! Thanks Joe for your contribution, love it!
 
CFC's. Runs and workloads are escalating, city is in financial crisis, and saving the salary of several company officers will make it all go away.And you dispatch both an engine and a ladder for a water leak, outside rubbish fire, etc. Yeah that all makes sense to me!
 
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