Apparatus Bells

sandero

sandero

Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
61
When did FDNY rigs last have bells?
When FDNY rigs did have bells, when were they used?
I seem to remember as a kid hearing E315's old WLF's pumper ringing its bell when returning to quarters from a run.
 
Probably goes back to the horse-drawn days of Willy D.  I remember E 248's Mack had a bell on top of the engine midship near the rear-facing seats.  It was attached to a rope that went all the way to the back step and was rung by whomever was on the right side of the back step;  it was only used when returning from a run.
 
Certainly the American Lafrance tractor-drawn aerials of 50s and 60s had bells on the front bumper and were operated by the officer.
 
The earlier wooden Aerials had the bell under the front part of the Aerial next to the forward position of the guys who rode the side ....usually this was the junior man/bop up forward  since it was the coldest spot (in the winter) ....he would break the wind & the others would be behind him....the bell was rung vigorosuly when responding along w/the siren & buckeye....up until the very  late '60s FDNY units would use all lights & warning devices if "returning to an unmanned qtrs" ....this was a holdover in the New York State Vehicle & Traffic Law which "Old School Officers"continued to adhere to even for some time after this was removed from the VTL ......after that Units that still had a bell would just ring/toll it intermitently on the return to qtrs....the NY Fire Patrol also followed the same regimen .... in the late '60s in a  Fire Patrol Wagon the 2 Senior Men would hang on the back step & the bop  would be all the way forward inside the canvass covered rig ringing the bell .....in both Job's there was a saying to the bops...."STFU & just ring the bell".     
 
i will always remember riding in that cherished position on the side and playing songs on da bell....stopped to scratch myself and Lt. 'Czubby' turned around and yells " whatsa matter kid?  tired "
 
L-103(ret) said:
i will always remember riding in that cherished position on the side and playing songs on da bell....stopped to scratch myself and Lt. 'Czubby' turned around and yells " whatsa matter kid?  tired "
Click to expand...

  "L - 103(ret)", hope you're healthy and enjoying that retirement. You sure earned it for those years (1965-1985).

  Today, in most cases the bells are just memories. And like "Johnd248" said, they would be rung going back to quarters.
 
When I was growing up (not that I ever did actually grow up) I used to visit my cousin at E-1/L-24.  The most important use of the apparatus bell was probably to announce that the meal was ready.  I found this out the hard way when I rang the bell on E-1 one day and had both companies plus the Ambulance plus the Searchlight plus the Chief and his Aide come down to the apparatus floor to find out where their lunch was. Not good.
 
Cicero Illinois has placed the bells on TL-1 a 2006 E-One 95' and Truck 2 a 2009 E-One 100' TDA. My home town, me and Mr Capone!
 
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