Wayne

DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN 1930 THERE WAS A "FWD" FIRE APPARATUS THAT HAD TWO CHEMICAL TANKS , HOSE

AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR USE IN THE "DETROIT WINDSOR TUNNEL"

THERE WASN'T ANY INFORMATION AS TO WHERE IT WAS STATIONED, ON OUR SIDE OR OVER THERE.

ALSO NO INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE AS TO WHO OWNED IT , ONE OF THE TWO CITIES OR THE COMPANY

THAT OWNED THE TUNNEL.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT MACHINISTS, BLACKSMITHS AND CARRIAGE MAKERS WERE THE FIRST BUILDERS

OF HAND FIRE ENGINES AND HOSE REELS IN AMERICA.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT FIRE TERM DID WE USE WITH THE TILLERED LADDER TRUCKS THAT THEY DON'T USE FOR THE

NON TILLING ONES.

HINT OLDTIMERS....................THE WORD MUMBLY PEG WHEN YOU WERE A KID AND YOU ALWAYS HAD ONE OF THESE

IN YOUR JEANS POCKETS

"JACKKNIFE" OLDTIMER "JACKKNIFE"

DO YOU KNOW

AN "OLD" FIRE TERM USED WHEN RELAYING WATER FROM ONE ENGINE TO ANOTHER .

YOU "YOKED" ONE ENGINE TO ANOTHER

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE MOST EARLY ENGINES WERE HAND CRANKED TO START THEM, SOME HAD A SPRING THAT WAS

ATTACHED TO THE CRANK WITH A CABLE RELEASE.. THE CABLE RELEASED THE SPRING TENSION AND IN

TURN CRANKED THE ENGINE.

ONE ARTICLE STATED THAT THE SPRING WAS WOUND BY ENGAGING A LEVER WHILE BACKING UP, BUT IT

REALLY WASN'T VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS FACT.

DO YOU REMEMBER

BEING ON WATCH WHEN A BOX CAME IN AND IN PULLING THE CARD SAW YOU WOULD BE FIRST. THEN

YELLING "WE'RE FIRST" OR "IT'S OUR FIRE" TO ALERT THE GUYS TO DRESS FAST AS WE'LL BE STRETCHING.

BEING ON WATCH WHEN A BOX CAME IN AND IN PULLING THE CARD SAW YOU WOULD BE SECOND BUT IF IT

WAS CLOSE ENOUGH, YELLING "WE CAN STEAL THEIR ( THE FIRST ENGINES ) FIRE.

ARRIVING SECOND TO THE FIRE BUT GETTING A JUMP ON THE FIRST ENGINE BY EDGING THEM OUT AT THE

HYDRANT AND YOU END UP STRETCHING AND "STEALING THEIR FIRE"

HOW HUMILIATED YOU FELT IF YOU RAN IN A DOUBLE HOUSE WITH A SQUAD OR TRUCK, IT WAS
YOUR FIRE BUT THE SECOND OR THIRD ENGINE STOLE IT FROM YOU.

LATER THE CHIEF PICKED YOU UP FIRST AND YOU WENT HOME BY YOURSELF,

TO GET CHOW READY FOR THE "WORKERS"

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY..........................UNLESS SOMEONE STEALS YOUR FIRE, THEN MAKE
WAYNE SURE THE FOOD IS HOT FOR THE "WORKERS".

DO YOU REMEMBER

STANDING ON THE BACK END OF THE ENGINE ON A RUN. YOU HAD TO KEEP YOUR LEGS LOOSE , FLEXIBLE AND WITH

KNEES SLIGHTLY BENT . IF YOU HAD YOUR LEGS TOO STIFF, WITH LOCKED KNEES, WHEN HITTING A BUMP IN THE STREET IT

WOULD JAR YOU ON COMING DOWN FROM BEING THROWN IN THE AIR.

ALSO OLD TIMERS IF YOU CAN REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN REMEMBER THIS

ROLLING THE WET 2 1/2 " LINE AND STACKING THEM ON THE REAR PLATFORM

( THE WET 1 1/2 " WAS FOLDED IN THE CENTER ISLE OF THE OLD SEAGRAVE ENGINES).

THIS WAS DURING THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN WET LINE WAS NOT RELOADED IN THE BED, IT HAD TO BE CHANGED

FOR DRY LINE.

NOW WITH THE LINE OF THE BACK PLATFORM THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR YOU, SO YOU BALANCED STANDING ON THE VERY

EDGE OF THE PLATFORM

( ONLY THE FRONT OF YOUR FEET WAS ON THE PLATFORM AND YOUR BODY WAS HOLDING THE LINE FROM FALLING OFF).

IF THERE WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF LENGTHS OF 2 1/2" LINE YOU STOOD ON THEM ON THE REAR PLATFORM.

ALL THIS WAS BEFORE "OSCHA" AND ANY SAFETY COMMITTEE
THE GOOD OLD DAYS................................YEAH.............. RIGHT

NOW US OLDTIMERS NEED A SEAT BELT TO SIT ON THE TOILET SO WE DON'T FALL OFF
................OH, WELL, THAT'S LIFE.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT HAPPENED TO "MOST STEAMERS"

DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THE GOVERNMENT HAD MANY SCRAP DRIVES AS THEY NEEDED THE

METAL FOR THE WAR EFFORT.

MANY WERE SCRAPED, THANKFULLY NOT ALL, SO WE CAN STILL SEE SOME AT OUR FIRE MUSTERS.

THE STEAM ERA WAS FROM 1853 TO 1913

DO YOU KNOW

STEAMER FRAMES WERE EITHER "STRAIGHT FRAME OR CRANE NECK FRAMES.

THE CRANE NECK FRAMES HAS AN UPWARD CURVE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS.

THIS ALLOWS THE FRONT SET OF WHEELS TO TURN AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE FRAME, THUS ALLOWING

FOR TIGHTER TURNS.

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE ON OUR BOX ALARMS THE SIGNAL CAME IN THREE TIMES .THERE WERE SOME COMMUNITIES

THAT THE SIGNAL CAME IN FIVE TIMES

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OLD LADDER TRUCKS CARRIED "FIXED HOOKS" ON THEIR ROOF LADDERS.

DO YOU KNOW

DURING WORLD WAR TWO, FDNY PAINTED FIVE HOSE CARRIERS GRAY ,IN CASE OF AERIAL

BOMBING. THIS WAS THEY COULDN'T BE SPOTTED FROM THE AIR

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHEN THE OLD STIFF 2 1/2 " LINE (1960s ERA) WAS PACKED ON EDGE AND YOUR

ENGINE WAS GOING DOWN THE STREET STRETCHING TO THE HYDRANT. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE, RATHER

THEN FLAKING OFF, THE LINE WOULD BIND (CATCH WHERE TWO LINES BUTTS WERE JAMMED TOO TIGHT IN

THE BED ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER) THEN RATHER THEN COME OFF THE RIG THE LINE WOULD STAY

JAMMED AND DRAG ALL THE LINE TO THE HYDRANT. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN OFTEN BUT IT DID HAPPEN.

WITH THE FLAT LAY IT COULD NOT HAPPEN.

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY....................................................AND REMEMBER YELLING "BUTT COMING ON"
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST SQUAD WAS KNOWN AS A FLYING SQUADRON AND WAS OFFICIALLY ENGINE 30.

THEY RODE WITH 15 MEN

THEY WERE STATIONED AT THE QUARTERS OF STEAM FIRE ENGINE # 2, WHICH WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF

HASTINGS, BETWEEN LARNED AND CONGRESS.

THEY EVENTUALLY BECAME RESCUE # 1

THEY RESPONDED TO ALL BOXES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AT NIGHT AND WHEN OTHERS WERE AT THEIR

MEALS.

WHEN THOSE COMPANYS MEALS WERE OVER, THE SQUAD WENT OUT OF SERVICE FOR 3 HOURS.

AMONG THEIR PEERS, THEY WERE KNOWN AS "THE SUICIDE SQUAD"

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN STEAMERS CAME INTO THE FIRE HOUSES SOME OF THE DOORWAYS WEREN'T HIGH ENOUGH TO

ACCOMMODATE THE TALL SMOKESTACKS ON THEM. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM, SOME OF THE STACKS

WERE HINGED AND FOLDED DOWN.

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN THE STEAMERS CAME IN SERVICE IT APPEARS THAT THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES CHANGED FROM A

VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT TO A PAID ONE PRIOR TO THE LARGER COMMUNITIES. . THE LARGER

COMMUNITIES HAVING MORE MANPOWER, USED THEIR POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO GUARD AGAINST THE

DESTRUCTION OF THEIR "WAY OF LIFE"

DO YOU KNOW

PRIOR TO ANY ORGANIZED SPORTS IN THE EARLY DAYS, FIRE FIGHTING WAS THEIR SPORT.

THE VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD FIRE STATIONS WERE THE TEAMS.

THE WINNING OF THE "SPORT WAS "FIRST WATER".

THE TOWNSPEOPLE WERE THE SPECTATORS. THEY CHEERED AS THE MEN RACED TO THE FIRE.

SINCE ALL VOLUNTEERS WORE DIFFERENT UNIFORMS IT WAS JUST LIKE A SPORT DIVISION WITH THEIR

DIFFERENT UNIFORMS.

LIKE WE HAVE OUR FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM THE TOWNSPEOPLE HAD THEIR FAVORITE FIRE COMPANY.

DO YOU KNOW

IN READING MANY BOOKS ON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT I HAVE COME ACROSS SOME MORE PICTURES OF THE

STEAMER SMOKESTACKS WITH COVERS ON THEM.

THE COVERS WERE CONNECTED TO A CHAIN AND THIS WAS ATTACHED TO THE CEILING, NATURALLY

THE COVER WAS PULLED OFF ON A RUN.

I NEVER READ A REFERENCE TO THIS COVER BUT SINCE THE STEAMERS HAD A PREHEATING SYSTEM IT

WAS PROBABLE TO RETAIN THE HEAT.

ALSO I IMAGINE WITHOUT A COVER STRAY CATS OR BIRDS COULD GET IN THE STACK TO KEEP WARM,

ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER.

AGAIN I NEVER READ A REFERENCE TO THESE COVERS SO I AM JUST PUTTING A SENSE OF LOGIC TO IT.

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE SOME "FIREBOATS" HAD A FIREHOUSE FOR THE MEN TO STAY IN, OTHERS DIDN'T , THE MEN STAYED

ON THEIR BOAT.

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE THERE IS THE MALTESE CROSS BADGE THERE IS ALSO AN EIGHT POINTED BADGE .

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS BADGE?

"SUNBURST BADGE"

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME FIRE DEPARTMENTS THEY HAVE A SIGN, IN THE WATCH ROOM, WITH THE

WATCHMAN'S NAME AND BADGE NUMBER FOR IDENTIFICATION TO THE CIVILIANS THAT WALK IN.

DO YOU KNOW

YOU ALWAYS HEARD THAT YOU CAN'T YELL "FIRE" IN A THEATER, BUT NEVER KNEW IF THERE WAS AN

ACTUAL LAW.

IT IS WRITTEN IN CHAPTER 742, IN THE NEW YORK LAWS OF 1871 MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO FALSELY YELL "FIRE" IN A CROWDED THEATER.

DO YOU KNOW

EVEN IN CITIES THAT HAVE A CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, THERE ARE MANY PRIVATE FIRE DEPARTMENTS

WITHIN THAT CITY.

THEY ARE IN FACTORIES, HOSPITALS, MILITARY PROPERTY,

PRISONS , AIRPORTS ,TRAIN STATIONS

AND MANY LARGER COMPANIES.

DO YOU KNOW

IN 1865 NEW YORK INTRODUCED THE MALTESE CROSS AS A BADGE DESIGN FOR THE

FIRE DEPARTMENT.

FROM THIS THE DESIGN ,ONCE ACCEPTED, IT SPREAD TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

DO YOU KNOW

ON SOME OLD FIRE DEPARTMENTS THE STOKER ON THE STEAMER WAS A CIVILIAN

ON SOME OLD FIRE DEPARTMENTS THE ENGINEER OF THE STEAMERS

WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

RATHER THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN NEW YORK IN THE MID TO LATE 1800s THEIR

DEPARTMENT HAD THE RANK OF PRIVATE AND CORPORAL..

ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT , FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME ,

HAD THE RANKS OF COLONEL, LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND

MAJOR.

DO YOU KNOW

PRIOR TO 1865

ON NEW YORK FIRE DEPARTMENT BADGES IT WAS

NYFD ..........NEW YORK FIRE DEPARTMENT

BETWEEN 1865 AND 1870 IT WAS

MFD ...........METROPOLITAN FIRE DEPARTMENT

IN 1870 IT WAS CHANGED TO

FDNY .........FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

SOME FIRE DEPARTMENT BADGES USE

BUGLES FOR ENGINES AND

AXES FOR TRUCKS

A NICK NAME FOR AN OVERSIZE BADGE

IN THE EARLY DAYS WAS

"PIE PLATE"

DO YOU KNOW

NEW YORK CITY

WAS THE FIRST FIRE DEPARTMENT TO USE A TRUMPET ON

THEIR BADGE TO SIGNIFY RANK IN 1868

IN 1890 THE AX WAS USED AS THE SYMBOL FOR A

HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY ON THEIR BADGES

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT THE 8 POINTS OF THE "CROSS OF SAINT JOHN " REPRESENTS

STARTING AT 12 O'CLOCK AND GOING CLOCKWISE

LOYALTY

GALLANTRY

OBSERVATION

TACT

PERSEVERANCE

SYMPATHY

EXPLICITNESS

DEXTERITY

DO YOU KNOW

EVERY BADGE NUMBER

OF THE FIREMEN KILLED

ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

WAS RETIRED,

NEVER TO BE ISSUED AGAIN.

MAKE SOMEONE "REMEMBER" EVERYDAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

THAT SOME OF THE FIREMEN, SERVING DURING THE CIVIL WAR,

WORE THEIR FIREMEN'S BADGES ON THEIR MILITARY UNIFORMS

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OF THE VERY EARLY FIRE HELMETS, IN SOME DEPARTMENTS ,

WERE MORE OF A CLOTH RAIN HOOD THEN THE HARD HELMETS WE KNOW.

ALSO NEW YORK FIREMEN WORE STRAW HATS (NON FIRE FIGHTING HOURS) WITH THEIR BADGE NUMBERS

FROM 1858 TO 1907

THE OFFICERS WORE WHITE HATS AND THE MEN WORE BROWN WITH A LIGHT BLUE BAND FOR

ENGINE COMPANIES AND SCARLET FOR HOOK AND LADDER COMPANIES

DO YOU KNOW

THE REASON FOR THE" WHITE GLAZED BRICK" IN MOST OF OUR OLDER ENGINE HOUSES APPEARS TO

BE FOR THEIR EASY MAINTENANCE

YOU JUST WASHED THE WALLS RATHER THEN HAVING TO REPAINT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS.

DO YOU REALIZE

IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THE PERSON THAT FEEDS COAL TO THE OLD STEAMER WAS CALLED A
"STOKER".

IF HE DID THAT EXACT SAME JOB IN ANOTHER INDUSTRY , THAT PERSON WOULD BE CALLED A
"FIREMAN"

NOTE : A TRAIN HAD A "FIREMAN" FEEDING COAL .

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME FIRE DEPARTMENTS "THE STEAMER" WAS ALSO

USED TO HEAT THE ENGINE HOUSE

ONE BIG ADVANTAGE TO THIS WAS THAT THE STEAMER WAS ALWAYS READY TO PUMP WHEN THEY GOT A

RUN.

I NEVER RAN ACROSS A PICTURE SHOWING THIS SET UP, BUT I IMAGINE THERE HAD TO BE SOME SORT OF

TEMPORARY HOOKING UP TO AN EXTERNAL FLUE VENT FOR THE SMOKE. THEN THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE

TO HAVE A QUICK DISCONNECT SYSTEM FOR THIS VENT.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT THE EARLY FIRE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYED A "HOSTLER"
OK, OLD TIMER, WHAT'S A HOSTLER?
HE WAS THE PERSON THAT TOOK CARE OF THE HORSES.

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE A FIRE HORSE DIDN'T HAVE A BADGE, THEY DID HAVE A NUMBER.

PRIOR TO 1910, FIRE HORSES HAD A BRASS TAG WITH THEIR NUMBER

HUNG AROUND THEIR NECK.

AFTER THAT DATE THEIR NUMBER WAS BRANDED INTO THEIR HOOF.

NOTE: POLICE HORSES DID HAVE A BADGE.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE "ELECTRIC HOSE HOISTS"

THOSE GUYS DON'T KNOW THE JOY OF HAULING UP 14 LENGTHS OF WET 2 1/2 " LINE AND

5 LENGTHS OF 1 1/2 " LINE AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AFTER A 3 HOUR FIRE, LIKE WE

DID AS YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPERS"

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

THE "MSA MASK'S " WERE TO BE USED WHEN

CARBON MONOXIDE DIDN'T EXCEED 2 %

FROM REPORTS, THE ORDINARY HOUSE FIRE PRODUCES AS

MUCH AS 6 % CARBON MONOXIDE.

NO WONDER OUR HEADS WERE SPLITTING AND WE THREW UP

DO YOU KNOW

  THROUGHOUT MY YEARS, MANPOWER WENT FROM ( ON AN ENGINE )
  5, TO 4, AND MANY TIMES TO 3.

THE MOST MEN I EVER RODE ON AN ENGINE, FOR AN ACTUAL RUN, ( NOT A PARADE ) WAS "37"

NO, THAT IS NOT A TYPO........... THIRTY SEVEN.

EXPLANATION:

"JULY 23, 1967"....... ..........ON THE RECALL , WE REPORTED TO

VARIOUS COMMAND POSTS THAT WERE ANNOUNCED ON TV.

  I REPORTED TO ENGINE 42'S COMMAND POST

( I RAN AT ENGINE 31 AT THAT TIME)

AS THEY PULLED X-RIGS UP, THEY LOADED AS MANY OF US

AS THEY COULD. WE ACTUALLY COUNTED AS WE KNEW WE

WOULD WANT TO REMEMBER THE NUMBER.................

"THIRTY SEVEN" FOR A RUN.

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHEN THE HOSE COUPLINGS WERE BRASS AND THE MALE BUTT HAD A SLIGHTLY MASHED THREAD AND HOW

YOU REPAIRED IT.

YOU TOOK THE BLADE OF YOUR AX AND PUT IN BETWEEN THE THREADS .YOU PICKED UP THE BUTT ,WITH AX, AND

BOUNCED THEM ON THE SIDEWALK OR CURB. THIS STRAIGHTEN OUT THE DAMAGED THREAD.

ALSO SOME OF THE OLD TIME ENGINEERS HAD A HAND FILE WITH THEM TO FILE THE THREADS.

SEE OLD TIMER , NOW YOU REMEMBER.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT WAS AT TIMES CALLED "PASSING THE LEATHERN"

BEING IN THE "BUCKET BRIGADE"

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

ON ONE VERSION OF THE MALTESE CROSS THERE ARE 5 FIRE RELATED ITEMS IN THE CENTER.

WHAT ARE THEY ,OLD TIMER.

HERE ARE 5 HINTS, ONE HINT PER ITEM

1... SOMETHING ON YOUR HEAD

2.. SOMETHING YOU STAND ON TO REACH HIGH PLACES

3.. SOMETHING YOU YELL THROUGH

4.. SOMETHING YOU USE TO PUT AN OPENING IN THE WALL.

5.. CHOP

OK, OLD TIMER, THINK AND PUT DOWN YOUR ANSWERS.

TAKE YOUR TIME

YOUR ANSWERS:

1... SOMETHING ON YOUR HEAD.......................HAIR

2.. SOMETHING YOU STAND ON TO REACH HIGH PLACES................YOUR WIFES SHOULDERS

3.. SOMETHING YOU YELL THROUGH.................THE CLOSED BATHROOM DOOR

4.. SOMETHING YOU USE TO PUT AN OPENING IN THE WALL......................YOUR FOOT WHEN THE BATHROOM
DOOR WON'T OPEN

5.. CHOP........................................PORK CHOP

NO OLD TIMER, SORRY I FORGOT , YOU WERE ON THE "OFU" YOU AREN'T EXPECTED TO KNOW.

SEE PICTURE BELOW.

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE GRADUAL CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS FROM

BOSSES
TO
SUPERVISORS

DO YOU REMEMBER

SITTING BACK IN THE OLD ENGINE HOUSE ON A HIGHLY WINDY DAY. YOU KNEW YOUR NEXT HOUSE FIRE

WOULD BE "GOING THROUGHOUT" , DUE TO THE WIND, BY THE TIME YOU GOT THERE.

THIS WAS ESPECIALLY TRUE IF IT WAS AN ABANDONED HOUSE.

DO YOU REMEMBER

BEING ISSUED

"STOVE BLACK"

TO POLISH THE STOVE GRATES ON THE GARLAND STOVES.

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE SHOP ISSUING POLISH TO WAX THE RIG FOR INSPECTION. REMEMBER THE BRAND

DUPONT 7.......IN A GREEN CAN

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE THREE WHEELED TRACTORS THAT CITIES BOUGHT TO REPLACE THE HORSES

IN PULLING THE STEAMER.

THE SINGLE FRONT WHEEL GOT CAUGHT IN THE STREET CAR TRACKS WHILE TURNING CORNERS. AT TIMES

THIS CAUSED THE TRACTOR TO TURN OVER.

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE EARLY COLONIAL TIMES IT WAS YOUR OBLIGATION TO HELP IN EXTINGUISHING A FIRE.,

OR PAY FOR A SUBSTITUTE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE LATE 1630s, YOU COULDN'T SMOKE OUTDOORS IN BOSTON DUE TO THE FEAR OF FIRE

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT AN ALCALDES DE CARRIO WAS.

FIRE WARDEN IN NEW ORLEANS

DO YOU KNOW

HOW THE EARLY FIRE ENGINES WERE BOUGHT BY THE COMMUNITIES.

TAXES, RICH CITIZENS AND PUBLIC LOTTERY

DO YOU KNOW
ONE EARLY FIRE HOUSE ALSO SERVED AS A JAIL.

THE RIG WAS PARKED OUTSIDE WHILE THE PERSON WAS BEING HELD.

DO YOU KNOW

DURING WORLD WAR ONE ,

PRIVATE TUGBOATS WERE USED AS A

SUPPORTIVE FIREBOAT FLEET

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

HOW THE NEW HORSE (HORSE # 1)

REPLACED THE OLD HORSE (HORSE # 2)

BOTH HORSES STAYED IN THE FIRE HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME

HORSE # 2 TOOK ALL THE RUNS TILL HORSE # 1 WAS TRAINED AND READY TO TAKE OVER.

HORSE # 1 WAS KEPT IN THE UNUSED SICK BAY DURING THIS PERIOD OF TRAINING.

AT THE BEGINNING, HORSE # 1 WAS BEING ACCUSTOMED TO THE SURROUNDINGS OF THE ENGINE HOUSE,

THE LIGHTS COMING ON FOR A RUN,

BELLS RINGING,

FIREMEN YELLING AND RUNNING AROUND,

HORSES GOING FROM THEIR STALLS TO THE RIGS ,

HARNESSES BEING DROPPED FROM THE CEILING ON THE REGULAR HORSES AND

FINALLY THE HORSES GALLOPING OUT, PULLING THE SMOKING STEAMERS.

AFTER HORSE # 1 GOT ACCUSTOMED TO THE ALL THIS, HE WAS PUT IN A STALL AND THE MEN REPEATEDLY

SPRUNG OPEN THE STALL DOORS UNTIL HE GOT USED TO IT.

THE NEXT STEP WAS TO RING THE GONG, SPRING THE STALL DOORS AND THEN SLAP HIS RUMP TO

MOVE HIM OUT AS THEY LED HIM TO THE FRONT OF THEIR RIG.

THEY DID THIS BY HIMSELF AT FIRST AND THEN WITH THE OTHER HORSE / HORSES FOR

THEM TO GET USED TO EACH OTHER.

THEN THEY DROPPED THE HARNESS ON THEM AND HOOKED IT UP.

THEY TOOK SLOW DRIVES IN THEIR DISTRICT AT FIRST,

THEY SIMULATED FIRE RUNS UNTIL THE MEN FELT THEIR HORSE # 1 WAS READY.

THEN HE REPLACE HORSE # 2

IT APPEARS IT WAS ABOUT A THREE WEEK BREAKING IN PERIOD

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU KNOW

IT APPEARS THERE IS SOME CONTRADICTION IN HOOKING UP THE CENTER HORSE IN A

THREE HORSE HITCH AT THE ENGINE HOUSE

SOME BOOKS STATED THAT HE WAS RELEASED FROM HIS STALL "SECONDS EARLIER" THEN THE OTHER TWO.

THIS WAS SO HE COULD BE IN POSITION AND NOT INTERFERE WITH THE OTHER TWO IN GETTING IN THEIR

POSITION.

NOW I JUST READ OF WHERE THE TWO OUTER HORSES WERE FIRST IN POSITION AND THE

CENTER HORSE JUST BACKED IN TO HIS POSITION.

I GUESS LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE , THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THE HARNESSING BASED ON THE

VARIOUS DRIVERS AND THE HORSES TEMPERAMENT.

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE FIRE COMPANY LINEUP AT HEADQUARTERS, IN THE 60s, FROM THE ALLY.

BAY # 1.....ENGINE 1 IN FRONT, AMBULANCE IN BACK

BAY # 2.....LADDER 1

BAY # 3.....SQUAD 1 IN FRONT, BOAT TENDER 1 IN BACK

DO YOU REMEMBER

AT HEADQUARTERS ALSO IN THE 60s , THEY HAD A MINI FIRE MUSEUM DISPLAY IN THAT ROOM JUST

OFF THE BASEMENT RAMP, THEY EVEN HAD AN OLD HOSE REEL.

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE 3 PLACES YOU MADE A BUNDLE AT THE FIRE SCENE

ON THE REAR PLATFORM

AGAINST ONE OF THE RIGS REAR TIRES

AGAINST THE CURB

NOTE: AGAINST THE CURB WAS THE ONLY ONE WHERE IT WAS EASIEST TO MAKE A BUNDLE YOURSELF BY

HAVING ALL THE LINE IN FRONT OF YOU AND PULLING IT INTO A BUNDLE.

THE TWO OTHER PLACES THE LINE WAS BEHIND YOU.

BUT YOU OLD-TIMERS REMEMBERED THAT. NOW LET'S PICK UP LINE AND GO HOME AS IT'S TIME FOR

"CHOW"

DO YOU KNOW

EARLY FIRE ENGINES WERE GIVEN NAMES , JUST LIKE THE OLD SAILING SHIPS,

AND NOT JUST NUMBERS LIKE OUR PRESENT DAY APPARATUS.

DO YOU KNOW

THE OLD HOSE WAGONS / REELS STRETCHED FROM THE ENGINE TO THE FIRE

ON STRETCHING THE HOSE WAGON / REEL THEY WRAPPED THE LINE AROUND ONE OF

THE ENGINES WHEELS SO IT WOULDN'T GET DRAGGED ON GOING TO THE FIRE

DO YOU REMEMBER

HOW A DOUBLE OR TRIPLE COMPANY COULD ABSORB A "LOSER"

BUT A SINGLE COMPANY WOULD BE RUINED BY HIM

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY..............................................UNLESS YOU WERE A "LOSER"
WAYNE

THE IRONMAN AND THE OLD LARKIN PIPE

NOTE : A BUCKEYE PIPE WAS THE SAME AS THE LARKIN PIPE

PICTURE 1 AND TWO ARE TWO VIEWS OF THE IRONMAN

PICTURES 3 AND 4 ARE TWO VIEWS OF THE LARKIN PIPE

PICTURE 5 IS HOW THE LARKIN PIPE FIT ON THE IRONMAN

PICTURE 6 IS HOW THE EXTENSION IS EXTENDED TO DIG INTO THE STREET FOR EASIER HANDLING

TWO MEN HELD ON THE SIDE BARS (THE WORN GRAY AND RED HOSE COVERING)

THE TWO BOTTOM HOOKS ARE USED IF YOU ARE ON A LADDER, YOU HOOK THESE ON THE RUNGS.

AH.....YES....OLD TIMERS .....NOW YOU REMEMBER

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE OLD SUCTION PUMP

REMEMBER BEFORE TAKING THE RIGS TO PUMP HYDRANTS, WE HAD TO GO ON OUR OWN,

THERE WAS A HYDRANT BOOK , JUST LIKE THE WATCH BOOK. EACH DAY , DURING HYDRANT SEASON, WE

WENT OUT EITHER WALKING OR WITH OUR CARS. (NO THERE WASN'T ANY MILEAGE) IF YOU COMPLAINED

THEN YOU JUST WALKED . IT WAS UP TO YOU.

NOTE: I REALLY BELIEVE THE SENIOR MAN DOCTORED THE HYDRANT BOOK, AS A

YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER" IT SEEMS LIKE I WAS ALWAYS UP FOR HYDRANTS

THIS "SUCTION PUMP" WAS THE PUMP OF LAST RESORT.

FIRST YOU USED THE REGULAR HAND PUMP THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THIS BUT IT WORKED ON PRESSURE.

IF THE HYDRANT WAS SLOWLY LOSING PRESSURE YOUR ARMS WERE BURNING AS YOU TRIED TO KEEP THE

PRESSURE UP TO GET ALL THE WATER OUT.

YOU DIDN'T WANT TO STOP AS THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO START FROM ZERO PRESSURE

IF YOU HAD A HYDRANT THAT COULDN'T KEEP THE PRESSURE. THEN YOU RESORTED TO THE

SUCTION PUMP.

AH YES, DO YOU REMEMBER.......................

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY........................................AND OLDTIMER, YOU'RE UP FOR HYDRANTS TODAY
WAYNE