I've got a book, which I've had for about fifty years, written by a guy named Burr Leyson about the FDNY. The book was already old when I got it... It was written in the late '30s or early '40s and was obviously aimed at older kids who had an interest in fire-fighting. It details the operations of every type of company that the department had in service at the time and each chapter starts off with a description of the company in service at an actual fire scene.
The chapter on water towers begins with a description of one of the four towers in service at the Lincoln Square Arcade Building fire at Broadway and 66th Street on Jan. 30th 1931. The book goes into very little detail about the fire itself or even the building...nothing's mentioned, for example,about any of the rescues that were made, or of the firefighters who were trapped and injured when the stairway collapsed beneath them.
I was wondering if any of you guys can shed some light on this fire?
As for the book...it details the operation of spring raised aerials, scaling ladders, the installation of radios on fireboats, and has chapters on the FIREFIGHTER when she was brand new and Dr Archer and his ambulance. (Sadly no pictures of that rig). The telegraph bureau and drill school circa 1930s are also detailed (With a description of a pretty awesome scaling ladder rescue in that chapter.).
It's a fun read, even though it's obviously written for kids. I just wish I hadn't cut a bunch of the pictures out of it for a report on firefighting back when I was in the eighth grade. (Got an 'A' on it though!)
The chapter on water towers begins with a description of one of the four towers in service at the Lincoln Square Arcade Building fire at Broadway and 66th Street on Jan. 30th 1931. The book goes into very little detail about the fire itself or even the building...nothing's mentioned, for example,about any of the rescues that were made, or of the firefighters who were trapped and injured when the stairway collapsed beneath them.
I was wondering if any of you guys can shed some light on this fire?
As for the book...it details the operation of spring raised aerials, scaling ladders, the installation of radios on fireboats, and has chapters on the FIREFIGHTER when she was brand new and Dr Archer and his ambulance. (Sadly no pictures of that rig). The telegraph bureau and drill school circa 1930s are also detailed (With a description of a pretty awesome scaling ladder rescue in that chapter.).
It's a fun read, even though it's obviously written for kids. I just wish I hadn't cut a bunch of the pictures out of it for a report on firefighting back when I was in the eighth grade. (Got an 'A' on it though!)