My younger Buff years

[Bigandy]

It's great having you on this board NFD. Always something great to say! You are a spring of information and stories.

Thank You Everyone.

Andy

 

[mack]

When did the "War Years" start?  If you look at the runs reported for units, you can see the spiraling increase which developed during the 1960s. In the 1950s, a few busy companies made 2000 runs a year.  By 1970, there were over 46 companies, not including battalions, which responded to over 5000 runs.  You can see the shift from Harlem units to Brooklyn and the Bronx companies.  Units from all over the city increased their running significantly.  The runs below were just the top 3 or 4 units for each year.  This brief snapshot seems to indicate that a major jump was made between 1963 and 1965:


  1947 RUNS                     1952 RUNS                    1955 RUNS                  1956 RUNS                   1957 RUNS   
E58  1596    L26  1932      E58  2756  L26  2691      E58  2175  L26  2002      E58  2185  L26  2045      E58  2196  L26  2223   
E91  1544    L43  1500      E91  2654  L43  2337      E91  1802  L40  1623      E91  1872  L43  1591      E82  1942  L103 1814
E35  1190    L40  1337      E35  1922  L40  1781      E69  1673  L43  1545      E69  1667  L40  1496      E91  1923  L47  1772
                                                                        BC12  3277                    BC12 3622                    BC12 3967

  1961 RUNS                     1962 RUNS                    1963 RUNS                     1964 RUNS                     1965 RUNS
E58  3024  L26  3214      E283 2980  L120 3410      E283  3627  L120 4112      E283  4952  L120 4970      E231  6170  L120  6077
E283 2701  L120 2888      E82  2733  L103 3349      E231  3157  L103 3816      E231  4935  L103 4316      E283  6148  L103  5550
E82  2648  L103 2627      E58  2708  L26  3208      E82  3051  L26  3500      E82    4612  L26  4013      E290  5551  L31  4253
BC12 4457                      E231 2618  L123 2522      E290  2801  L43  2907      E58    4245  L31  3759      E82    5137  L26  4088
SQ2  3597                      BC44 4206                      BC44 4902                    E290  4155                      E73    4777
SQ4  3362                      SQ4  4056                      SQ4  4838                    BC44  5976                      BC44  7815
                                    SQ2  3738                      SQ2  4311                    BC3    4241                      R3      2570
                                                                                                          SQ4    3651

  1966 RUNS                    1969 RUNS                        1970 RUNS                      1971 RUNS
E82  6234  L120  6476      E94  7477  L31  7806      E290  7151  L120  8791      E82  7876  L120    8013
E73  5730  L103  5824      E73  6876  L48  7643      E231  6983  L103-1 8047      E283 6900 L103-1 7726
E94  5413  L31    4976    E45  6758  L120 7127      E41-1  6898  L103-2 7889      E41-1 6808 L103-2 7704
E283 5279  L123  4677      E290 6655  L27  7070      E232  6704  L123    7650      E231  6731  L123  7201
E290 5114  L48    4563    E231  6290 L103-1 7032    E50-1  6680  L48    6673      E41-2 6692  L48    6879
BC3  6008                        E82  6183 L103-2 6752    E283    6644  L29    6211    E88-1 6634  L31    6864
SQ4  7483                      SQ3  8445                      SQ4      9694                      SQ4  9795
SQ2  7335                      SQ4  8277                      SQ3      9278                      SQ1  7841
R3    3031                      SQ2  7918                      SQ1      7892                        R2    4060
                                    R2    3483                      R2        3859                        M5    1507

Sorry if I might have missed a unit or a number here.  Totals were from WNYF. It is amazing to remember that runs in the 1960s were made in the days of open cabs, telegraph alarm (bells), limited mask usage, no FAST units, few tower ladders, rubber turn out coats, pulled boxes, no CIDS, no thermal imaging equipment etc.
                                                                         

 

[nfd2004]

Thanks Andy, but I got to tell you that it wasn't only me that contributed to these Stories. And I was only there about two or three times a month to see what was going on. Guys like "G-man" and "Mikeindabronx" actually lived there, and saw it on a "daily" basis. And as you probadly know, there are also a few guys who have contributed to some stories that were actually members on the job then and were a part of those busy companies. (Capt of E82,******, was one. Now Retired Chief). And some from the FDNY that caught the tail end of the War Years, as we moved into the 80s. Believe me, "those guys paid their dues too".(turk132, 69 Mets, I think, mack, to mention a few) I followed them to plenty of work, "I kid you not".
 And don't forget the great pictures that I believe "vbcapt" posted of the Big Brooklyn Job in Bushwick, or the videos and pictures that "r1smokeater" put on here. I look back at some of those videos, and its hard for me to believe that things were just so bad down there, and I walked those streets. (Charlotte and 170 etc). And of course my real Old friend "Johnd248" with his Brooklyn stories. We been friends since maybe the War Years started. In fact, I think he followed me as we both moved from one part of Connecticut to the other.
 Thanks goes to "Tbendick". I guess without him, NONE of This would be possible.
 So Andy, as much as I love a good "pat on the back", there's plenty more out there that have actually done much more than I have.
 Maybe what we should all do is get all these facts together, and sell the rights to make a Movie. But not Hollywood style, But the way it really was, based on these stories. And then donate the profits to some organizations within the FDNY for making it all possible.
  And Thanks Mack, your figures tell a story in themselves. Thank you for sharing that. 

 

[mikeindabronx]

Thanks Bill, I would like to add 2 names.First is "mmattyphoto", Matty also lived in DaBronx and has been buffing fires forever.He is also an honorary DC and well known to many of the members. "Wayne the Flame" (RIP) also lived in DaBronx and is sort of a legend.He was buffing for longer then I can remember. Wayne also brought the Salvation Army canteen to numerous fires. If I am not mistaken "G-man" knew him quite well.

 

[mack]

Remember the housewatch areas of the 1960s:  A desk, sometimes on a small platform, separated by a few brass rails.  It was usually located immediately to the left or right of the main apparatus door or doors.  There were lists of response boxes on the wall with E, T or C (engine, truck or chief) indications and 1st due boxes noted.  Bells (telegraph alarm) and voice alarm system when later installed.  A chalk board with boxes received marked with times.  You would sometimes see tick marks for guys keeping count of signals received.  There was a department radio.  The journal. A box with running cards (always marked up with changes).  Cards with directions to each box from quarters.  There was a speaker system, light switches.  A small black and white TV.  A fan.  A few ash trays.  A desk light with a bulb that was always bigger than necessary.  Notes and reminders taped on the walls.  A WNYF, old magazines and copies of the Daily News or NY Mirror opened to the sports pages.  A filled trash can. Companies then began enclosing their housewatch areas and built booths with additional comforts.

 

[Bigandy]

All you guys are stand-up guys. Thanks for the wealth of information.  

 

[guitarman314]

Thanks Bill, I would like to add 2 names.First is "mmattyphoto", Matty also lived in DaBronx and has been buffing fires forever.He is also an honorary DC and well known to many of the members. "Wayne the Flame" (RIP) also lived in DaBronx and is sort of a legend.He was buffing for longer then I can remember. Wayne also brought the Salvation Army canteen to numerous fires. If I am not mistaken "G-man" knew him quite well.

 Yes, Wayne was a couple of years younger than me and got his start with me at E60,L17,BC14. Another buff from that house was Bobby "The Beef" who went onto the Fire Patrol and is now a legendary Bronx CO Dispatcher.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            P.S., the reason we have not heard from Matty recently because he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke last month. The last I heard is that he was at Burke Rehab in White Plains, N.Y.

 

[rdm258]

Andy, once again your right!!! LOL. Have to also say "thank you" to all who have posted and made this site what it is, one of the BEST sites, with the greatest members and real life living History of the FDNY. And YES the book the Usual, well recommend.
Stay safe.  Rob

 

[3511]

And don't forget the old radiator. In the old days the apparatus floor was unheated save for the radiator (or a coal stove before central heating was installed) to keep the man on watch from freezing. E48 has a great picture of theirs in 1910 in their 125th Anniversary book.

The box assignment board was usually color coded, with first due boxes in red. Some houses have resurrected them after years stored in basements. E88 and L38 have theirs mounted as before. The one at L38 is encased in the old oak frame that was made by the brothers back in the 1960's. It still shows them 2d due at Tremont and Webster, Boston Road and Southern Blvd, and Mosholu Parkway and Perry Ave.

 

[nfd2004]

Generally buffing the FDNY was a pretty cheap, inexpensive hobby. Get yourself an inexpensive Buff Mobile thats good on gas, a scanner, camera and map, then you're all set to hit the streets. But wouldn't it be great if we could video this with sound. Well, that wish came true, just as the heavy War Years activity was starting to slow down, and the action was now starting to spread more to the West Bronx. Companies like 92/44, 75/33, 68/49, 43/59, 48/56 (Ladder 56 had just moved from Eng 42's qtrs for floor repairs), and Engine 42. As this was happening, a new product started to hit the shelves. A Super 8 Sound Movie Camera, and Projector was a MUST HAVE for me. The camera itself costs about $800.00, probadly more than the Buffmobile was worth. The projector was about another $300.00. Then came the cost of the film. About $6.00 for three minutes, and another $6.00 to get it developed. And this was 1978/79 dollars. My buffing hobby had really gotten expensive, but for me, now I could show these movies to others as they watched with astonishment.
  After splicing these three minute films together, I ended up with about an hour worth of sound movies from the South Bronx, Harlem, and Bushwick. The sounds of breaking glass, handie talkies, saws running, and those companies coming into the job. I ended up putting on programs and fundraisers for some of the smaller depts in my area. I was able to get a few dollars back on my investment. People that had only heard stories about the Busy FDNY WAR YEARS, got to see about one hour of just what was going on in these arson prone areas. The Stars of the program were the FDNY members that came to work and put out fires EVERY SHIFT, sometimes EVERY HOUR. Sadly, I got rid of those films just about five years ago, as the film got old and brittle. What a mistake !!!

 

[nfd2004]

Came across these photos on another site put on by "Mr Negative". As stated earlier Engine 92 and Ladder 44 kind of took over after most of Engine 82 and Ladder 31s first due response area was pretty much destroyed from those thousands of fires. Most of these photos were taken in Engine 92/Ladder 44 area, one of the favorite buff spots of the late 70s and into the 80s.
 So with "Mr Negatives" permission click on this and enjoy the view.
          http://www.flickr.com/photos/dpoole6131/sets/72157616643071198/
 About the only thing I know about "Mr Negative" is that I believe he might be from the Chicago area. Thank you. Great Memories.

 

[Lifeguard238]

The shot with the "flying standpipe" is pretty cool.  I've seen that done with a regular aerial ladder, a stretch from the ladder into an upper floor, but never something like that.

 

[nfd2004]

The shot with the "flying standpipe" is pretty cool.  I've seen that done with a regular aerial ladder, a stretch from the ladder into an upper floor, but never something like that.

"Lifeguard" they actually did that quite a bit. Alot of these buildings had previous fire damage in them, and rather than try stretching a line up those stairs, it was a lot safer and faster to bring the line up from the bucket of the Tower Ladder. Plus it saved on lengths of hose needed. A good example of just one of those simple things that you learn when buffing these guys.

 

[Bigandy]

Great shot of the young sappling with the senior man. Probably his pop's or something.

 

[Bigandy]

One thing I dislike, even though I shouldn't, about the fire-ground today vs. yesterdays is you can't get as close as you used to. Whether its the cops (only doing their job), or whatever. After looking at Mikeindabronx's photos and other one's on flickr, these guys were practically inside the fire room with the line knocking down fire! Reading all these stories makes my mind wander into that era, and I just wish for once I could've been there. Guys with stories about riding the rigs all night long, catching a 4th there, a all-hands here, and a 2nd alarm over there. You guys are truly the last generation of 'real' buffs. Don't get me wrong, I've been to a lot of fires with my father, dragging hose as a 16 year-old kid, filling bottles, helping guys with their gear etc, in the early 90's. But boy you guys really experienced 1000x that. Lucky dogs.  8)

 

[nfd2004]

Andy, speaking as a buff of those days, you are right. Very few people ever kept us from getting close up shots of the guys at work. Probadly its just that the cops were just too busy doing other things. I know sometimes you'd have to wait for an ambulance for one hour. The dispatcher would give a one hour ETA for it.
  I don't want to speak for "Mikeindabronx" but I believe he had special permission from the FDNY to ride with those companies and do his photography work.
  And I was with "Anesti" a few weeks ago. He's a buff and on this site pretty regularly. He made a good point. He said: "My generation will probadly be the last group of Buffs around, because it's just not the same". He's about 30 years old, and maybe there's something to that.
  It was just the right time to be around, and of course the FDNY was the busiest. Although as I stated earlier, many cities were also going through their own busy War Years. But to think that there were times when there were no Engine or Ladder Cos available in the Bronx because everybody was busy, car fires would just burn themselves out, sometimes it was a choice of which job to take in, there might be three seperate columns of smoke rising, two rigs would cross intersections going to different calls, rigs would go from one job to another, or they might make five or six runs before getting back to the firehouse. It was just such a busy time.
  It was an education that you just couldn't get from a book. For the guys that fight the fires today; the smoke, heat, and danger is still the same. But for today, "The Greatest Generation of Firefighters", sure is a Tough Act to Follow.

 

[Bxboro]

Things sure were different buffing in the 80's at least when I was a regular. Still seemed to be plenty of work and not any "restrictions" as far as getting in. On occasion you were on the fire floor with the Truck before the Engine had made the stretch. I recall one night heading to a job in the west Bronx (traveling on 95) and a Box came in for a building on Walton and 174. We looked to our left and saw fire out of several windows on the top floor. We exited onto Jerome Ave. and ended up arriving before any companies. The building was on the southwest corner (large "H" Type). We made it up to the fire floor with 44 Truck and I was able to witness some great work. The Engine had a bad hydrant so water was delayed. Fire was starting to burn thru the fire apt. door. The inside team from 44 started to remove doors from apts. down the hall and held it in check by placing them against the origional fire apt door. I remember the Officer telling the can man to conserve the water in case they really needed it !!! Unreal !!! Being able to witness these actions first hand sure was great. Tactics that have probably been done for years. You don't see these in the suburbs!!!   

 

[nfd2004]

'Bxboro", a good friend and a Great Guy. Yes, he was there. The story is Great. Thank you. That Walton Ave area was really "Hot" in those days. Back then, we were very seldom disappointed even though the "Official War Years" had pretty much ended. Even though the Red Caps were doing an Excellent job in putting a huge dent in the fires of the busy War Years, the FDNY members of those busy companies were still catching it.
  For the buffs then (1980s), instead of catching 6-7 jobs south of the Cross Bronx, it was now 3-4 jobs that probadly extended north to the Fordham Rd area. It was just a matter of increasing the buff area a little more to the West and North for the busy activity. Of course sometimes it was a job in Harlem or Washington Heights. Those busy companies were sharing the workload too. That was just a matter of crossing one of the smaller bridges.
  I don't know if Rescue 3 still has it (maybe Squad 41 too), but they had a decal on the rig. It said basically that they had the "BEST of Both World's-Bronx and Harlem". Although many Bronx and Harlem Companies also fought fires in both areas due to their location. For  many of us buffs then, including "Bxboro" and myself, we also claimed to have the "Best of Both Worlds". Right Mr Bxboro !!

 

[georged4997]

big blue

 

[Lifeguard238]

The shot with the "flying standpipe" is pretty cool.  I've seen that done with a regular aerial ladder, a stretch from the ladder into an upper floor, but never something like that.

"Lifeguard" they actually did that quite a bit. Alot of these buildings had previous fire damage in them, and rather than try stretching a line up those stairs, it was a lot safer and faster to bring the line up from the bucket of the Tower Ladder. Plus it saved on lengths of hose needed. A good example of just one of those simple things that you learn when buffing these guys.

Thanks for the information.  Makes sense with what they were dealing with.