Search results

There is a video in the "Fox Video" series, that may still be available online of a fire on the West Side of Manhattan spectacularly showing both the Super Pumper Tender and the Satellites operating at a warehouse fire. Also, there are videos of the "Bushwick is Burning Fire" in 1977 of the...

Once again, I know that time can be short when people are trapped or fire is rapidly spreading but it is UNSAFE Not to have all Tower Ladder tormentors fully extended and locked in place. Tower Ladders have turned over or fell over due to not taking the time to fully extend all the Tormentor and...

I spent 20 years of my 30 years in FDNY Tower Ladders. The placement of TL-121 is outstanding and show great foresight in thinking about what area the TL Bucked may need to reach. Generally, if it all possible BACK a Midmount or Rear Mounted Tower Ladder into the fire building/s, this increases...

Just thinking perhaps would have been better to hit the fire venting out of the windows with the Tower Ladder instead of hitting it from the street with a handline. If the Tower Ladder stream is used at a steep angle from below the fire, at first it stops auto exposure. If needed, the stream...

Sad Loss again. We firefighters/fire officers must always ensure that all firefighters operate with at least another firefighter when firefighting in an Areas Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health, if at all possible. Operating in such a way that should he/she become trapped or incapacitated...

"Greater Love Hath No man than he lays down his life for his friends" Rest in Peace Brother. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.

Great stuff Johnny. Those years in Rescue Squad 51 taught you a great deal. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired

It goes without saying that using hose ramps for trains is impossible as a railfan and a firefighter, the weight of a train is too much for any hose ramp. If you must place a hoseline across the only way to do it is to dig out the track ballast, between rail ties, enough to pass the hoseline/s...

At the time mentioned above I buffed at Engine 255/Ladder 157. At that time, I was a teenager and most likely rode my bike to their quarters on Rogers Ave. At that time there existed a group called the "255 Club" that used a building in the rear of a location just a few doors down from the...

Remember once a building has been burning for more the :20 minutes= Time to generally expend one SCBA Bottle (Normally), the chances of collapse of the fire building go up dramatically. After :20 minutes a Reevaluation, Reassessment, Redeployment, Repositioning, OR Retreat is necessary to ensure...

I do not know about this year, but in past years Bio-Pod was used to simulate a biological attack on NYC and to give Flu shots to member desiring them. Sorta like giving real Flu shots but administering them as a test of the ability to protect NYC from a Biohazard type attack. Captain Bob Rainey...

Queens Boro. Commander =Car 9. 9-9 is the old Borough Preliminary under the old Bells or Telegraph system for Queens. Squad 8 in Staten Island = Sq-8. 8-8 is the old Borough Preliminary under the old Bells or Telegraph System for Richmond LATER Staten Island. "There is a method to the...

I covered as the Captain of Tower Ladder 7 in 1991 for about 6 months. The rig then was the above mentioned 1984 Mack. I all I spent over 20 years working in FDNY Tower Ladders and I assure the members of TL-7 were top shelf. At that time TL-7 was in the process of being trained as a Rescue...

It is not a matter of the Tillerman getting confused. What happens is if the tiller wheel is not centered and the Ladder Co. Chauffer= "Guy in the front" accelerates too rapidly the tillerman does not have enough time to position the tiller so it does not strike something = Parked Car, or...

The main reason FDNY has reservations about Tiller aerial ladders is because to many accidents have happen with tillers. As a former L.C.C. =Ladder Co. Chauffeur and tillerman. coordination between the LCC and tillerman is vital. If the LCC accelerates before the Tillerman has time compensate a...

Looks like an old Squad Company Metro Van "Bread Wagon" to the left of the photo. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired

This has been a bad few months for me I lost a lot of friends bother brother firefighters and non-firefighters. Now I hear about Ed Yany my friend with whom I worked in Ladder 11 during the "War Years" on Manhattan Lower East Side. I worked in Lader 11 from March 1976 to March 1977. Ed was a...

Gerry Killenberger was one of my best friends. We were friends for over 30 years, and he was truly like the big brother I never had. We went on vacations together and we were both in the FDNY and both volunteer firefighters, Gerry in Goshen N.Y. and myself in the adjoining town of Chester N.Y...