'War Years' interchange

[guitarman314]

Looking through my Collyer's Mansion (lol) I found an old chart with an interchange of companies schedule dated Sept. of 1972. The "BUSY" company is on the left and the reliever on the right. Note: there was a stipulation that: "When an interchange takes place and the unit in Column II (right) does not have a covered apparatus the units shall exchange apparatus at the time of interchange. Likewise, if space limitations do not allow a tractor trailer aerial to be stored, the apparatus will be exchanged. When such an interchange must take place during a period of civil unrest, the Deputy Chief of the Column I (left) unit will designate a safe convenient rendezvous point. For example: Apparatus was exchanged when L52 went to cover L38 because L52 ran with a 1955FWD 75 ft. wood aerial with a 1969 Mack tractor that sat only 2 members, also L173 covering L103-2 had a simular situation because they had a 55FWD 75 ft. wood aerial with a 2 seat cab. 

 

[guitarman314]

Note how today's "busy" units were not so busy that they would interchange with the "busier"  units of 1972. For example Bronx Engines 38, 43, 62, 68, 75, 79 & 90; Ladders 37, 39, 46 and 49; also Brooklyn E255 which is almost at the top today was interchanging with E283.

 

[fdce54]

Are you sure that it is not older than 1972? Highbridge was pretty shot in 1972. 68 & 49 had to be pretty busy then.

 

[guitarman314]

It's also mentioned in the Sept. 1972 Fire Bell Club Newsletter.

 

[fdce54]

I'm not arguing with you but just wondering how accurate that was in 1972 as by that time Highbridge was pretty bad. Interesting that engine 71 is not on that interchange sheet when everyone around them was.

 

[guitarman314]

I'm not arguing with you but just wondering how accurate that was in 1972 as by that time Highbridge was pretty bad. Interesting that engine 71 is not on that interchange sheet when everyone around them was.

That schedule left out a few "busy" units like E71, and Harlem Ladders 28 and 30. I lived in the Battalion 14 area at that time until 1976 when I moved into the 19th and that's around the time that E48, 75 and 79 went over the top.

 

[nfd2004]

  Without trying to split hairs, I would have to say that in 1972, Highbridge Section of The Bronx really wasn"t that busy, although I"m sure things were starting to pick up for them. As I stated in My Younger Buff Years Stories, I remember sitting across from Eng 75/Lad 33 Qtrs for about four hours and they never went out. I would safely say, that was about 1970 or 72 time frame.
  I think Ladder 59 didn"t get moved over with Eng 43 until the mid to late 70s. But, by THEN things were really starting to happen in Highbridge. When the Interchange was in operation, I "NEVER" chased any jobs in E38, 43,62,68, 75,79 or 90. But that was in the War Years. It certainly is different now.
  Certainly I"m no expert on the subject and I"m just going by memory.
  Thanks Gman for that interesting Interchange report.

 

[guitarman314]

  Yes, the West Bronx got hot later with L59 moving in with E43 in April of 1978 and L56 moving from E42 to E48 in August of 1981.

 

[fdce54]

I know those areas well Gman. Lived on 155 & Elton, 169 & Clay and then University s/o Fordham. Worked in an A&P at 156 & Concourse Village West in my high school years. Ate in Yolanda's on 149 St many a time. University Ave was gorgeous in 1970 but was pretty well downhill in 1975.

 

[efd274]

Great job G'man!!  Keep working through the Collyer's Mansion and post more "nuggets" as you find them.

 

[STAjo]

I grew-up [or, at least grew older...] in Flatlands Bklyn. I remember seeing 120 Truck @
Flatlands av & Flatbush av one night. I didn't know enuff about The Department at the time to know about 'Interchange', but i did know they were not from The Neighborhood. They were stopped at a lunchonette & getting the Early Edition of tomorrows Daily News & Cig.s & 'Stuff'...
I was talking to the Chauffeur & he explained 'Interchange' to me.

I asked him if ever got 'lost' working in a different neighborhood from East NY. He said, No, ya' just go down Flatbush Ave.... Everything runs into Flatbush Ave sooner or later...[True enuff !]
Later on, when i waz 'Hawking' the Early Daily News in da' bars on Flatbush, i would always go to
309 & 159 to give them some Evening Papers, but dey' always stuffed a few Singles into my hand
FDNY, a Class Act.

 

[mack]

Another note - while companies on Gman's list were doing 5000-8000 runs, this was a time when many companies were doing well over 4000 runs a year - and never even appeared on the annual runs and workers list of the top 25 engines or trucks. 

In the late 60's, squads were doing 8000-plus runs, several engines, trucks and battalions had 2nd sections.  The 1970s saw Adaptive Response, TCUs, new units (division/battalions/engines/trucks), Interchange, DRBs, to try to deal with tremendous workload.

 

[1261Truckie]

When the interchange program first started 132 interchanged with 113. That arrangement lasted less than a year as 113 was starting to pick up. Crown Heights was beginning to get busy, so 156 became 132's interchange company. Funny how 113 became one of the busiest trucks on the job and the 38 Battalion a consistently hard working area.

 

[69 METS]

When the interchange program first started 132 interchanged with 113. That arrangement lasted less than a year as 113 was starting to pick up. Crown Heights was beginning to get busy, so 156 became 132's interchange company. Funny how 113 became one of the busiest trucks on the job and the 38 Battalion a consistently hard working area.

I rode with the 38th Battalion from 1968 - 1978. I was so fortunate to see a tremendous amount of fire duty as well as to witness the amazing work done by the F.D.N.Y. Brothers who worked during the war years.

 

[*******]

I may be repeating this but since the thread is Interchange.  Interchange started after Commissioner/COD O'Hagan went to 82/31's qtrs. for dinner one night, I believe the late 60's. O'Hagan when he was a BC in the 9th Batt. became friendly with Bob Farrell and FF in 4 truck. Farrell was awarded the Bennett medal for a rescue he made in a 5th alarm subway fire. Farrell was now a Lt. in 31, later the Captain when I was there 73-76. A busy night O'Hagan never got to eat with the guys, they were in and out, finally caught a job around 2200. O'Hagan left. The next day he said that there should be some relief for these companies with such busy tours, interchange was born. When I was a Lt. in 50 engine we interchanged with 43 engine, 70-73. I don't remember the runs needed for interchange, something like 15 before 2400 or 20 for the tour??? 43 was starting to get busy then and we would do 10-12 runs on the 6x9 when we went there, not to much work though. A few times 43 would be "knocked out" at jobs down in 50 and we would have to go back to 50 during the tour. Interchange was a pain in the ass for both companies. We didn't want to go and they understandably would rather stay in their own house. Many of the guys in the slower companies had done a number of years in busy lower Bx companies and welcomed the relief. Also with the work moving up very few NBx companies had slower days for much longer. Then in the coming years interchange was used to keep the numbers down to avoid Union(s) demanding second sections. In 82 we had "mandatory" interchange every 2nd night with either 295 or 297 engine. Their community boards demanded that their houses never be empty going to the Bx so we had to leave our boro around 1830 and head to Qns. So, the busy house was without a company sometimes for as long as 2 hours.  In the morning we had to wait for them to return to Qns, then head home. If they had a job and were relieved late they may not have gotten back to Qns sometimes until 1000 or later. Interchange was just part of the war years, and not a great part.