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Wayne's Stuff #21
DO YOU KNOW
THAT THERE WAS A SMALL AX THAT THE OLD
TIMERS USED WITH THE POMPIER LADDERS.
IT WAS CALLED A POMPIER AX.
I HAD A PAST ARTICLE ABOUT THEM.. I AM ONLY INCLUDING THIS AS I FINALLY FOUND A
PICTURE OF THE
POMPIER AX HOLDER.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
DO YOU REMEMBER
OK, YOU THE REAL OLD FARTS SHOULD REMEMBER THIS.
THE YOUNGER RETIREES WON'T REMEMBER THIS AS THEY NEVER SAW ONE.
NOTE: I'M IN WITH THE OLD FARTS AS I DO REMEMBER IT.
OK WHAT IS IT???????????????
BEFORE THERE WAS LIGHT WATER
BEFORE THERE WAS LIQUID FOAM
THERE WAS DRY POWDER FOAM.
I NEVER USED IT OR SAW IT USED.
OUR EDUCTOR WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, THE HOPPER
( THE FUNNEL WHERE YOU DUMPED THE POWDER)
WAS THE SAME.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU REMEMBER
THE OLD TWO MAN CROSSCUT SAW.
BEFORE THE GAS POWER SAW WE HAD THIS.
I KNOW I NEVER USED IT.
AS A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER" I JUST CLEANED AND OILED IT.
THE ONE I CLEANED WAS ON LADDER 22 IN THE 60s
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU REMEMBER
THE OLD AUGER THAT WAS CARRIED ON TRUCKS .
THERE WAS ONE ON LADDER 22 IN THE 60s.
IT WAS USED BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN MANPOWER ALLOWED
FOR MORE OVERHAULING
THEN IN OUR LATER YEARS. I NEVER USED ONE MYSELF. I JUST CLEANED AND OILED IT
FOR INSPECTION.
AUGERS WERE USED TO
DRILL HOLES IN WOOD FLOORS TO DRAIN ALL THE
EXCESS WATER
TO MINIMIZE WEIGHT AND DAMAGE..
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU REMEMBER
THE "IRONMAN"
THIS IS THE ONLY PICTURE OF ONE I COULD FIND.
IT HELD THE "LARKIN PIPE". I
COULD NOT FIND A PICTURE OF ONE SO I JUST DREW A
NOZZLE WHILE I WAS DRAWING
THE IRONMAN.
THE METAL ROD SLID OUT AND YOU STUCK IT IN THE STREET WITH TWO MEN HOLDING ON
THOSE SIDE HANDLES.
FROM THIS EVOLVED THE NOZZLES WITH ATTACHED SIDE HANDLES.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU KNOW
THAT THE:
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS
SECOND CHOICE OF NAMES WAS:
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF FIREFIGHTERS
DO YOU KNOW
THAT LOCAL UNION NUMBERS WERE ASSIGNED
FOLLOWING THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER IN WHICH THEY
BECAME AFFILIATED WITH THE AMERICAN FEDERATED OF LABOR
PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS.
LOCAL 344 AFFILIATED MAY 8, 1933
DO YOU KNOW
WHY SOME OF THE OLD FIREMEN
DIDN'T PULL DOWN THE EARFLAPS ON THEIR HELMETS. ?
THEY KNEW THAT THE EARS BEING VERY SENSITIVE AND WHEN THEY
STARTED TO BURN IT WAS TIME TO THINK ABOUT BACKING
OUT TILL THEY COOLED IT DOWN SOME MORE..
DO YOU KNOW
SOME CHEMICAL CARTS HAD A
GONG THAT WAS HOOKED UP TO A WHEEL THEREBY BEING STRUCK WITH
EACH REVOLUTION.
DO YOU KNOW
THAT IT DOES APPEAR THAT ALL CHEMICAL ENGINES HAD
SHUT OFFS ON THEIR NOZZLES .ALONG WITH
SOME SODA ACID EXTINGUISHERS.
THE EXTINGUISHERS WE HAD BACK IN THE 60s DID NOT
HAVE SHUTOFFS.
THERE ARE STORIES OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PRESSURE BUILDING UP
TOO MUCH AND THERE BEING
A CHANCE OF THE TANK OR HOSE BURSTING.
I COULD NOT FIND ANY STORIES OF A CHEMICAL TANK BUSTING
BUT I DID ON THE EXTINGUISHERS.
NOTE A CHEMICAL ENGINE WAS JUST A LARGER SODA AND
ACID EXTINGUISHER
BUT DUE TO ITS SIZE PROBABLY HAD A
MUCH STRONGER TANK.
ANOTHER NAME FOR SULFURIC ACID WAS CALLED "OIL OF VITRIOL
ANOTHER NAME FOR CARBON DIOXIDE WAS CARBONIC ACID GAS
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHEN THE PRESSURE STARTED TO DIMINISH ON THE SODA
ACID EXTINGUISHER YOU JUST SHOOK IT VIGOROUSLY TO THOROUGHLY MIX THE ACID IN THE
SODA WATER.
IN THE CHEMICAL ENGINES TANK MANY HAD A INTERNAL PADDLE SYSTEM TO MIX THE ACID
IN RATHER THEN JUST DUMPING IT IN.
DO YOU REMEMBER YOU STUCK YOUR FINGERS IN THE TOP OF THE EXTINGUISHER AS A
GAUGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A 3 TO 4 INCH AIR SPACE BETWEEN THE
TOP OF THE EXTINGUISHER AND THE WATER.
IF IT WAS COMPLETELY FILLED THERE WAS THE DANGER OF
THE PRESSURE BUILDING UP TOO MUCH WHEN THE ACID WAS DUMPED IN. THE PRESSURE
COULD GO UP TO 1000 LBS. PER SQ. INCH.
A SMALL HOLE WAS DRILLED IN THE THREADED PART OF THE REFILL OPENING OF THE
CHEMICAL ENGINE, AS A SAFETY FEATURE, TO RELIEVE
ANY PRESSURE . WHEN THE CAP WAS UNSCREWED PART WAY THE HOLE WAS EXPOSED
RELIEVING ANY PRESSURE .
DO YOU KNOW
THAT MANY TIMES THE SODA WATER AND ACID
DID NOT MIX PROPERLY IN THE CHEMICAL ENGINES.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN THEN IS THE INITIAL STREAM OF WATER
WOULD HAVE A HIGH ACIDITY THAT DAMAGED THE FIREMENS CLOTHES AND
ANYTHING ELSE THAT WAS WETTED DOWN WITH THAT "FIRST
WATER"
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
BELOW ARE THREE PICTURES FROM THE TRAINING SCHOOL, LATER CALLED THE TRAINING
ACADEMY
PICTURE # 1
REMEMBER IN GOING UP THE FIRE ESCAPE YOU HAD TO HAVE THE LINE ON YOUR
INSIDE SHOULDER. IF IT SNAGGED ON
ANYTHING IT WOULD PULL OFF YOUR SHOULDER. IF IT WAS ON YOUR OUTSIDE
SHOULDER AND SNAGGED ON
SOMETHING IT WOULD PULL YOU TOWARDS THE INSIDE OF THE STAIRWAY AND POSSIBLY
OVER THE RAIL.
REMEMBER YOU ALSO PRACTICED USING THE FIRE ESCAPE
HOOK TO RAISE LINE UP TO THE TOP FLOOR. AT FIRES YOU
USED THIS SAME METHOD BUT USED THE HOOK OF YOUR PIKE
POLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING
PICTURE # 2
REMEMBER CLIMBING THE POMPIER LADDER (NOTE THE PICTURE HAS IT SPELLED WRONG)
A TEST OF CONFIDENCE IN LEANING BACK ,
I THINK EVERYONE FELT THE SAME IF YOU MADE IT TO BE HIRED
NOTHING WAS GOING TO STOP YOU FROM
GRADUATING, "NOTHING"
PICTURE # 3 PLAYING AWAY FROM THE
ROOFTOP OF THE ACADEMY
ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE POMPIER CLIMB.
REMEMBER GETTING OFF THE MAT
YOU LAID ON THE MAT WITH THE TOP PART OF
YOUR BODY OVER THE EDGE
YOU GRABBED THE MAT EDGE
AND "FLIPPED OVER TO THE GROUND.
I BET YOU RETIREES FORGOT ABOUT DOING THAT.
DO YOU KNOW
PRIOR TO LEATHER HOSES MADE
IN AMERICA BY COBBLERS
AND HARNESS MAKERS THEY WERE
PURCHASED FROM
HOLLAND.
DO YOU KNOW
IT APPEARS THAT THE FIRST HOSE WAS USED TO
DRAW WATER FROM A WELL, POND, CISTERN PLUS
RELAYING WATER FROM
ONE ENGINE TO THE NEXT AND FINALLY TO THE CLOSEST TO THE
FIRE
WHERE THE WATER WAS APPLIED FROM THE
ENGINE MOUNTED NOZZLE
DO YOU KNOW
PRIOR TO THE GOOSENECK ENGINES TO DIRECT
THE STREAM OF WATER YOU HAD TO TURN THE
ENTIRE ENGINE TO THE NEW FIRE
LOCATION.
A GOOSENECK HAD A CROOK IN
THE EDUCTION PIPE ON THE AIR CHAMBER CASE.
IT HAD TWO ELBOWS SO WHEN A
NOZZLE WAS ATTACHED YOU ROTATED, RAISED AND LOWERED
IT
WITHOUT MOVING THE ENTIRE RIG.
THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO USE HOSE FROM THE HAND PUMPER
APPEARS WHEN THE MEN TOOK OFF
THE NOZZLE AND ATTACHED THE HOSE TO THAT
OUTLET CONNECTION.
NOTE: THAT WAS THE ONLY OUTLET ON THE
HAND TUBS.
DO YOU KNOW
WHEN A TOWN BOUGHT AN ENGINE FOR THE VOLUNTEERS
IT WAS ORDERED IN
FLAT GRAY PAINT.
THE MEN WOULD THE GATHER AND AS A GROUP DECIDE
HOW TO PAINT
AND DECORATE
HER.
THE DECORATING
WAS DONE IN SECRET AS THEY DIDN'T WANT ANY OTHER COMPANY TO COPY
THEIR IDEAS.
WHEN THE DECORATING
WAS FINISHED THE NEW
ENGINE
WAS PUT
"IN SERVICE"
BY SCHEDULING A PARTY,
DANCE ,MEAL
OR A FIREMEN'S BALL
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU KNOW
THAT ONE EARLY ENGINE COMPANY INSTALLED A
BLACKSMITHS BELLOWS, HOOKED UP TO A
WHISTLE,
WITHIN THE FRONT SPRINGS.
AS THE RIG BOUNCED ON THE OLD STREETS IT OPERATED
THE WHISTLE
DO
YOU KNOW
THAT EACH TOWN, CITY HAS DEPARTMENT RULES
THAT COVER ALL THEIR FIRE COMPANIES.
EACH EARLY "VOLUNTEER"
COMPANY WITHIN A TOWN, CITY , BEING
INDEPENDENT, HAD THEIR
OWN INDIVIDUAL COMPANY RULES.
DO YOU KNOW
THAT ON JUNE 11, 1805
THERE WAS A STABLE FIRE IN DETROIT THAT SPREAD AND
DESTROYED THE TOWN.
CANADIAN VOLUNTEER FIREMEN FERRIED THEIR
ENGINES FROM WINDSOR TO HELP DETROIT.
DO YOU KNOW
WHEN HOSE FIRST CAME INTO
BEING , SOME TOWNS READILY USED THEM TO GET CLOSER TO
THE FIRE.
OTHERS RELIED ON THEIR OLD METHOD OF PUTTING OUT THE FIRE
BY "PLAYING AWAY" FROM THE
HAND PUMPERS, MOUNTED NOZZLE.
DO YOU KNOW
THE EARLY FIREHOUSES WERE JUST
SHEDS THAT WERE JUST LARGE ENOUGH FOR THEIR
RIG. THERE WASN'T
ANY ROOM TO STORE THEIR FIRE GEAR. SINCE THIS WAS
THE CASE WHEN AN ALARM CAME IN THEY HAD TO
FIRST RUN HOME TO GET THEIR FIRE CLOTHES,
THEN RUN TO THE FIREHOUSE TO GET THEIR RIG AND
THEN RUN PULLING THIS HEAVY RIG TO THE FIRE. AFTER
ALL THIS RUNNING AND BEING BEAT THEY HAD TO
MAN THE BRAKES AND PUMP THE WATER
TO PUT OUT THE FIRE.
DO YOU KNOW
THERE WAS THE CHANCE OF LOOTING AT FIRES SO IT WAS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE THEIR
BADGE AND FIRE CAP TO
DISTINGUISH THEM FROM THE OTHERS AT THE FIRE SCENE.
THEY WERE FINED IF THEY WEREN'T WEARING THESE TWO
ITEMS
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU KNOW
IN THE EARLY 1800s IN THE DEEP SNOW OF NEW YORK'S
WINTER SEASON FIREMEN MADE RUNNERS FROM
6" X 16' PLANKS. THEY STEAMED THE ENDS AND CURVED THEM UP. THEY THEN CLAMPED
THEM TO THE
RIMS OF THEIR HAND PUMPER.
TO GET THEIR RIG OUT OF THE
FIREHOUSE THEY PUT BROOMSTICKS UNDER THE RUNNERS
AND ROLLED IT
OUT TO THE STREET AND SNOW.
A "CLASSIC SENTENCE" FROM AN OLD FIRE BOOK ABOUT THE EARLY DAYS.
"THE CHARM OF IT ALL LAY IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THE RUNNING,
IN THE VICTORY OVER RIVALS,
AND IN THE DARING FEATS IN AND ABOUT BURNING BUILDINGS."
DO YOU KNOW
ANOTHER NAME FOR
"OVERSEERS OF CHIMNEYS
AND FIRES" WAS
"BRANDT MEISTERS" OR "FIRE MASTERS"
WHEN THEY FOUND A DEFECT
THEY HAD THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER IT REPAIRED.
IF THE HOMEOWNER DIDN'T THEN A FINE
WAS IMPOSED WITH THE A
50 / 50 SPLIT OF THE MONEY
TO THE TOWN AND THE FIRE MASTER
DO YOU KNOW
THE EARLY SETTLERS FEARED TWO "CALLS OF
ALARM"
THAT THREATENED THEIR EXISTENCE.
THE CALL OF "FIRE"
THE "WAR WHOOP" OF INDIANS.
THE MALE SETTLERS EITHER BECAME
FIREMEN OR
SOLDIERS
THE WOMEN EITHER FILLED WATER BUCKETS OR
LOADED MUSKETS .
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT YOU SCROUNGED FROM THE DUMPSTER ,IN THE ALLY. NEXT TO HEADQUARTERS BACK IN
THE 60s?
THE HEAVY CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES
BACK THEN A RECIPE FOR "COLD DUCK"
WAS BEING CIRCULATED.
I THINK IT WAS MADE FROM GRAPE JUICE.
MANY OF THE GUYS BOUGHT THE BOTTLES FROM A WINE SUPPLY
HOUSE, BUT IF YOU RAN AT
HEADQUARTERS, AT THAT TIME, YOU GOT THEM FREE.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU KNOW
THAT THE DALMATION DOGS NOT ONLY RAN IN FRONT OF
THE RIGS BUT ALSO RAN BEHIND AND
SOME BRAVE DOGS EVEN RAN UNDERNEATH AND BETWEEN THE TWO
HORSES.
SOME DOGS LEARNED THE ACTUAL STREET LOCATION ACCORDING TO THE STRIKING
OF THE GONG
AS TO BOX NUMBER.
THEY GUARDED THE RIG AT THE FIRE SCENE AND DIDN'T
LET ANY CIVILIANS COME NEAR IT.
SOME EVEN WENT IN THE HOUSE ON FIRE AND WERE ABLE
TO SEARCH FOR TRAPPED PEOPLE.
DO YOU KNOW
SOME EARLY ENGINES WERE CALLED WAGONS
DO YOU REMEMBER
NOT ONLY STANDING ON THE BACK PLATFORM OF YOUR ENGINE BUT WHEN THE LINE WAS
PILED ON THE
PLATFORM AFTER A FIRE YOU STOOD ON THE ROLLED UP WET HOSE TO KEEP THEM FROM
FALLING OFF,
WHEN YOUR RIG TURNED A CORNER YOU HELD ON WITH BOTH HANDS....(BEFORE
OSHA)
DO YOU REMEMBER
SINCE THE THE OLD 1 1/2" LINE WAS SO STIFF AND TRAPPED AIR WHEN MADE INTO A
BUNDLE IT WAS A LOT
BIGGER THEN TODAY'S BUNDLES AND WAS A "BITCH"
TO CARRY.
DO YOU REMEMBER
LEAVING YOUR SHOES ON THE APPARATUS FLOOR WHEN PUTTING
YOUR BOOTS ON WHEN
GETTING A RUN AND WHEN YOU GOT BACK THEY WERE GONE.
FROM THEN ON YOUR SHOES ALWAYS WENT WITH YOU.
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT YOU THREW UP TO THE CEILING OF THE ENGINE HOUSE
KITCHENS TO SEE IF IT WAS DONE?
COME ON OLD TIMER.................THINK................
HINT # 1 THE TRIALMAN HAD TO BE ON DUTY THAT DAY TO CLEAN UP THE MESS.
HINT # 2 THE BOSS ON THAT DAY HAD TO SEE THE HUMOR IN THIS.
HINT # 3 NO, NOT DOUGH BALLS, THOSE YOU THREW OUT THE KITCHEN WINDOW AT THE
BUILDING NEXT
DOOR.
HINT # 4 AND FINAL HINT. IT WAS AN ITALIAN MEAL.
SPAGHETTI..... OLD TIMER.............
SPAGHETTI.................. YOU THREW THE SPAGHETTI UP
AT THE CEILING. WHEN SOME STUCK AND HUNG DOWN, THEY WERE DONE AND YOU YELLED
CHOW.
NOTE: THE FIRST WEEK I WAS RETIRED I TRIED THIS AT
HOME....................................
I DIDN'T GET ANY THAT NIGHT......................AND I'M
NOT TALKING ABOUT SPAGHETTI , I DIDN'T GET ANY
SPAGHETTI EITHER.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY..............DON'T THROW ANY SPAGHETTI AT THE
CEILING OR YOU WON'T GET WAYNE
ANY THAT NIGHT................AND I'M
NOT TALKING ABOUT SPAGHETTI..
HEY GUYS, ANOTHER STYLE OF THE OLD "PULL DOWN HOOK"
THIS WAS THE HOOK THAT THEY USED TO PULL DOWN HOUSES / BUILDINGS TO
PREVENT THE SPREAD OF
FIRE.
THE FIREMEN PULLED ON THE
ROPE OR IF NEEDED, THEY ATTACHED IT TO A TEAM OF
HORSES.
BELOW THAT IS THE "SWAB" FOR
PUTTING OUT ROOF FIRES. IT WAS A BLANKET
WRAPPED AROUND A POLE SOAKED IN WATER TO BEAT OUT
ANY FIRE ON THEIR ROOFS.
THESE TWO ITEM WERE VERY IMPORTANT IN THE EARLY DAYS.
DO YOU KNOW
IN THE 1835 TO 1845 ERA THERE WERE
33 LAWSUITS AGAINST NEW YORK'S MAYOR FOR
BLOWING UP BUILDINGS FOR FIRE BREAKS.
DO YOU REMEMBER
HAVING A RED RIG AT A SUBZERO
MULTIPLE AND HOOKED TO A HYDRANT RIGHT IN
FRONT OF THE
BUILDING.
BY THE TIME YOU PICKED UP YOU COULD NOT SEE ONE INCH OF
RED WITH ALL THE ICE COVERING IT.
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT DID YOU THROW AT THE KITCHEN CEILING AND IF IT
STUCK IT WAS DONE?
YOU DID THIS ONLY IF THE TRIALMAN WAS ON DUTY
NO, NOT DOUGH BALLS, THOSE YOU THREW OUT THE WINDOW AT THE BUILDING NEXT DOOR,
IF THEY
STUCK THE DOUGH WAS READY
SPAGHETTI, WHEN SOME STUCK
,AND HUNG DOWN IT WAS READY TO YELL "CHOW"
IF IT WAS LEFT FOR THE NEXT DAYS TRIALMAN THE SPAGHETTI DRIED ON THE CEILING.
DO YOU KNOW
ON THE BATTLEFIELD AT GETTYSBURG, IS A STATUE OF A
FIREMAN
AND
SOLDIER
STANDING SIDE BY SIDE.
DO YOU KNOW
THAT THE OLD VOLUNTEER FIREMEN WITH THEIR LOVE OF
THEIR ENGINE ALONG WITH THEIR
ESPRIT DE CORP. ,AND COMMUNITY LANGUAGE WAS COMPARED TO THE
OLD SEAMEN OF THE TALL SAILING SHIPS
DO YOU KNOW
IN SMALL COMMUNITIES THE SIGNAL FROM A BOX
CAN GO FROM THE BOX DIRECTLY TO THE
FIREHOUSE OR BELL TOWER.
IN LARGE CITIES , USUALLY THE SIGNAL GOES TO
A CENTRAL OFFICE AND THEN SENT TO THE
FIREHOUSE.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
DO YOU KNOW
THE FIRST STEAM ENGINE WAS SO BIG AND HEAVY
THAT IT TOOK
4 HORSES TO PULL IT.
DO YOU KNOW
THE FIRST BOX PULLED FOR A FIRE WAS IN BOSTON
APRIL 29, 1852
CAUSEWAY & CHARLESTOWN
IT WAS FOR A BUILDING FIRE
DO YOU KNOW
WHAT IS THE LOWEST NUMBER BOX IN DETROIT AND IT'S
LOCATION
COBO HALL CATEGORY
BOX 012
COBO HALL EXHIBITS BLDG.---IST FLOOR FOYER (SOUTHEAST SECTION)
STREET LOCATION CATEGORY
BOX 12,
CASS AND MICHIGAN
WHAT IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER BOX IN DETROIT AND IT'S
LOCATION
BOX 9916 MOROSS ROAD AND MACK
DO YOU KNOW
IT APPEARS THAT THERE WERE SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN FIREMEN AND SEAMEN
IN THEIR RELUCTANCE IN GOING FROM MANUAL RIGS (HAND
PUMPERS &
TALL SAILING SHIPS) TO ONE OF
STEAM. IT
WAS TO BE AN END OF THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
DO YOU KNOW
IN A CARGO FIRE ,IN THE HOLD OF A
DOCKED OLD WOODEN SHIP , IF THEY COULDN'T
EXTINGUISH IT
THEN, AT TIMES, THEY RESORTED TO SCUTTLING IT TO SALVAGE THE
HULL.
THEY DID THIS BY OPENING HOLES IN THE HULL
THAT WERE BELOW THE WATER LEVEL.
DO YOU KNOW
THE CALL FROM THE TOWER NIGHT WATCHMAN TO
THE MEN SLEEPING IN THE DORATORY WHEN
HE SPOTTED A FIRE .
" TURN OUT, TURN OUT"
DO YOU KNOW
THE CALL FROM THE OLD TIME FLOOR WATCHMAN TO
THE MEN SLEEPING WHEN
HE GOT A RUN ON THE REGISTER
"IT'S A HITCH"
MEANING TO HITCH UP THE HORSES
DO YOU KNOW
THE AVERAGE FIREMAN WORKED 6 DAYS A WEEK (144 HRS)
AND THEN HAD 24 HRS OFF.
THIS WAS THE ONE PLATOON SYSTEM
WITH THE ONE PLATOON SYSTEM IF THERE WAS A BIG FIRE
ON YOUR OFF DAY YOU COULD BE CALLED BACK.
DO YOU KNOW
IN 1904 NEW YORK WENT TO A 2 PLATOON SYSTEM, 8AM TO
6PM & 6PM TO 8AM
NOW SOME CITIES HAVE A 3 PLATOON SYSTEM, 8 HOURS A
DAY
DO YOU KNOW
WHAT A SPIKE HITCH IS?
MOST PICTURES YOU SEE OF A STEAMERS BEING PULLED BY THREE HORSES, HAVE
THEM ALL IN LINE.
A SPIKE HITCH WAS A THREE HORSE
HITCH, WHERE ONLY TWO HORSE WERE HITCHED NEAR THE RIG.
THE THIRD HORSE WAS HITCHED OUT FRONT OF THESE
TWO RATHER THEN IN BETWEEN THEM
DO YOU KNOW
THAT IN SOME EARLY COMMUNITIES ,VOLUNTEER FIREMEN ALSO ACTED AS THEIR POLICE
FORCE.
DO YOU KNOW
WHILE WE HAD UNIT 1 & UNIT 2
SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE FIRST PLATOON & SECOND PLATOON
AND ALSO SOME GO BY COLORS
WHITE WATCH, BLUE WATCH & RED
WATCH (3 PLATOON SYSTEM)
DO YOU KNOW
OUR APPARATUS ROOM
IS LONDON'S
APPLIANCE ROOM
DO YOU KNOW
WHILE OUR POMPIER LADDER HAD ONE BEAM AND ONE HOOK
I SAW PHOTOS OF TWO OTHER STYLES
TWO BEAM AND ONE CENTER HOOK ( THE WIDTH OF
THE LADDER LOOKED AS NARROW AS OUR SINGLE
BEAM POMPIER LADDER
TWO BEAM AND TWO HOOKS ( THE WIDTH LOOKED A LITTLE WIDER THEN OUR
SINGLE BEAM POMPIER
LADDER
DO YOU KNOW
THAT BEFORE RIG MOUNTED AERIAL LADDERS
SOME DEPARTMENTS HAD AN
AERIAL LADDER MOUNTED ON A CART / WAGON
WITH
COUNTER WEIGHTS TO STABILIZE IT.
DO YOU KNOW
THAT I READ OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT , AS A TOUCH OF
NOSTALGIA, WENT TO GIVING THEIR
FIRE APPARATUSES NAMES AS WELL AS
NUMBERS, AS IN THE OLDEN DAYS.
DO YOU KNOW
THAT THEY MADE A SIREN THAT
OPERATED OFF THE
FAN BELT.
DO YOU KNOW
ONE BAD FEATURE OF BUYING A TRACTOR TO
REPLACE THE HORSES FOR THE
STEAMER WAS WHEN THE
STEAMER WORE OUT THERE WAS NO FURTHER USE FOR THE
TRACTOR.
MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE
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