Christmas at the Firehouse

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Christmas at the firehouse is a very special time. It's great to be with the guys, but it's tough to be away from the kids and the family too. The fires and emergencies still come in and of course they take no holiday. Some firehouses are decorated and usually the Christmas Eve dinners are the best.

Sometimes if there's a hospital in the response area, the guys will get presents for all the sick kids in the hospital on Christmas Eve. Then a couple of off duty guys come in to take a spare rig up to the hospital with one of the guys dressed up as Santa Clause.

But prior to that, one guy usually calls the hospital to find out the kids ages, and how many boys and how many girls are there. A prior deal is set up with a local toy store to put aside those gifts and store employees volunteer to wrap them up. Then the guys get on the spare rig and they go to pick the toys up for delivery.

To deliverer those gifts to those sick kids is a special gift in itself. To see that smile on a young kid who has been so sick and hear them say: "Thanks Santa Clause", is a Christmas Gift in itself. It puts smiles on the families and nurses faces too.

But after years of use, that Santa Clause outfit was in need of replacement. So the guys buy a new Santa Clause outfit to be worn. But the year they buy it there is a new Firefighter/Santa Clause because the other guy who usually played Santa retires and moves away.

This new Firefighter/Santa Clause has all of the qualifications. He's got rosy checks, he can smile and he's even got the physical profile with a nice round belly.

I think it was Christmas Eve, 2002. Everything is all set. All the toys are ordered and wrapped. The rig is all cleaned up and two off duty guys are dressed and ready to go. A few cups of hot coffee while Santa gets dressed. Santa walks into the kitchen and everybody is ready to go.

BUT Santa says; "there's a little bit of a problem". Santa starts to tell the guys; "You know that brand new Santa Clause suit you guys got me, well I bent over to tie my shoes and "RIP" - right down the center of the crotch".

Yes, a brand new pair of Santa Clause 2 X Large Draws, split right up the middle. Of course EVERYBODY loved the Christmas Eve show. But as they say; "The Show Must Go On". So it did. Of course everybody was asking "why is Santa Clause walking so funny" ? But even with those ripped pants everything went great. Of course to this day, "the guys never forgot it".

Actually there's just a little more to the story. Guess who that Santa Clause was:

It was "NFD2004", aka Willy D.

 
 
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Excellent story Willy. It shows the warmth, caring and generosity of Firefighters as well as a side of humor that was so much a part of fire house life. Thanks for sharing this with us.
 

mack

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When we moved to Staten Island, my father transferred from Brooklyn to Engine 164/Ladder 84.  I remember just before Christmas, my father took me to the firehouse one morning to "help out".  We got to the firehouse and the kitchen looked like the North Pole - toys everywhere.  Everyone was wrapping presents and I was told that firemen help Santa wrapping presents for kids.  I was in.  I figured it would help me with Santa too.  We loaded the presents and drove to Mt Loretto orphanage - the girl's side across Hylan Blvd - St Elizabeth's.  A Christmas tree was set up, cookies and presents piled around the tree - lots of them.  The girls came in, many girls - smiles, hugs, tears everywhere.  Then Santa arrived in a chief's car - the 23rd Battalion, along with Engine 151 and Ladder 76. I was told this was just as important as going to fires - helping Santa get to kids without moms and dads. 

Several years later, my father responded to Mt Loretto from Brooklyn when the Church burned down in a multiple alarm fire in the 1970s. 

   

St Elizabeth's would also burn down in another multiple years later.   

   
 
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memory master said:
Excellent story Willy. It shows the warmth, caring and generosity of Firefighters as well as a side of humor that was so much a part of fire house life. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Well said.
 

mack

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EMS Station 26 - S. Bronx:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_3DsY1gvsk
 

mack

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FDNY and Santa spread Holiday Cheer to the children at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTaz2ogeBM4
 
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In the video of Reply 5, EMS Station 26 was once the quarters of Engine 85 and Ladder 59.

In the video around the 50 second mark is EMT Yadira Arroyo, she was a FDNY/EMS LODD in March, 2017.

The individuals in these jobs risk their lives to save lives. They miss their families on holidays too. They are HERO's and I am very thankful that these highly trained and skilled workers are out there on Christmas and every other day and night of the year for all of us.

God Bless them and watch over them for the work they do.
 
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Several WNYF's thru the earlier years had an end of the year cover picture showing a Member being Santa or a Unit delivering gifts....i remember a particular issue (maybe early '50s ?) that on the old "Photo Reporter" page or the "Around The Job With A Camera" page there was a small picture of R*4 in their cellar making wooden toys "from scratch" for kids (not their own)....the fellows pictured are not with us anymore.....many FHs today still charge as the price of admission to their Annual Christmas Party a new & unwrapped toy.....287/136/46 bring theirs to Elmhurst Hosp. & the Nurse's sort them out. 
 
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https://www.ebay.com/itm/North-Pole-Fire-Dept-est-1957-Alaska-4-25-x-3-5-size-fire-patch/202103760120?hash=item2f0e52a4f8:g:OlwAAOSwUYNZ~f07
 
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Another "Christmas at the Firehouse" story.

One Christmas Eve several years ago the guys working took the rig to deliver a Christmas gift (Toy Fire Truck) to a young child named Nick Kutzel in their response area. That was a special Christmas Eve that those who took part in it, probably haven't forgotten.

Little Nick, as he was referred to, was very sick at the time. Yet he still had a big smile on his face when he saw that big fire truck pull up in front of his house with that present for him.

A few months later the guys gave him a Big Birthday Party at the firehouse. He got a big birthday cake and a real fire helmet too for his birthday present.

Sadly, the next day after his birthday party, the guys at the firehouse learned that their young friend Little Nick had passed away.

Little Nick invited the guys into his very short life and no doubt, Little Nick taught a group of firefighters what bravery is all about.

That Christmas Eve at the firehouse was one that none of those guys working that night have ever forgotten.

Note: If you want to read the entire story of Little Nick it has already been posted on this site a few years ago.

 
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mack

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WHNY 1969:

   


   

          (note - Ladder 146 driver in above picture was Charles Hunt - LT Hunt, Engine 166, was LODD in 1977, drowned at a SI fire.  RIP)

WNYF firehouse lights:

   
 

mack

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Engine 320 Ladder 167 Bayside, Queens - Christmas 2017:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_RggXsMvY
 

mack

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Engine 65 Times Square

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufpcknPU1E8
 

mack

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Engine 23

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlwVPxUjtNo
 
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