Recent content by Captain784

Chester NY 2nd Alarm Condo Fire in Whispering Hills Complex, late afternoon. Three Dwelling unites destroyed 3 others heavily damaged. Well, done Initial aggressive interior attack by Chester Firefighters attempted but was unsuccessful. Heavy fire vented through, causing siding of adjoining...

Sorry for the mistake you are right the Collapse that almost trapped my friend Rich Saccamano was the one, in the 1960s. But the concept is the same, girders heated by fire expand and lengthen. One source say that a 100 ft girder heated to 1000o F can lengthen 9 & half inches. Another source...

This is what real hero's look like, they are Not in movies. Rest in peace Colonel Puckett. May he Join Our honored dead resting all over the great nation and on many nations world wide. Bob Rainey

I totally agree automatic mutual aid for a REPORTED structural fire is a good idea. I have been both a FDNY Captain and was a Volunteer Captain and firefighter, for well over 50 years. I am now a volunteer FD Safety Officer. I have seen all too often that fire departments play catch up when a...

My friend the late B.C., Richie Saccamano the former Chief in charge of the FDNY Probationary School barely escaped this collapse of the front parapet of this building, when he was a fireman. It appeared that the steel girder spanning the front of the building was pushed out of position, when...

JFK Crash Truck and at the time Crash Truck from Floyd Bennett Filed responded to an 8th Alarm Tank Farm Fire in Mill basin Brooklyn. At the time the Brooklyn Navy Yard was still open and I remember grey U.S. Navy Flatbed trucks responding from the Navy Yard with can of Protein Foam. I buffed...

Let talk about an important subject the special tactics that are need in church fires. I wrote article in WNYF on church fires and have studied church fire ever since. Do some research on church fires it is something all firefighters need to know about. ALSO: A brother firefighter fell through...

Every American should once in a lifetime go to Pearl Harbor and stand on platform that is resting on the USS Arizona. Truly Never Forget Pearl Harbor it is fitting that as we loss the last of the heroes of that day that and the sacrifice of all who served their country with honor. Rest in peace...

Once again, a Church fire, if your department is not practicing and training on church fires you need to do so. Sadly, it seems that churches are becoming targets and they have been for many years, a major fire problem. To my brother and sister firefighters, consider offering your knowledge for...

Some large Fire Departments use an Engine as a "R.I.C.E." Rapid Intervention Company Engine. I has been found that a handline is often used to protect the trapped member/s, and that can be supplied by a Dedicated R.I.C.E. Engine company. Captain Bob Rainey FDNU Engine 26 retired

I was a Buff before I went on the job. I was on my way home from Kennedy Airport, when over my Buff radio I heard the 10-75 and took in Box 802. When my friend and I arrived, the fire looked much like the photos above. Truly at the time, 1971 the FDNY had no Mayday signal, but it was clear...

Great ideas brothers. Another factor in increasing the 10-75 response is that as Deputy Chief Vincent Dunn once said to me when I was an acting Battalion Chief. Basically, Chief Dunn said, If the fire is NOT under control and you have NO UNITS standing next to you ready to go to work, you are...

I served with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. Operation "Sea Dragon" and "Game Warden" I served my second tour in Vietnam aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Ault DD 698. I had it good compared to the U.S. Army and Marines and the Navy River patrol squadrons. As also a FDNY Captain I have a...

Brother your points are valid. As I said I was NOT at this fire, and we know all too well the most important thing is you get water on the fire to protect life. I was only trying to give another way of looking at the situation in advanced fires. When people are trapped, as you indicated, that...