Waynes Stuff 7

DO YOU REMEMBER
GETTING DETAILED TO ENGINE 12 / LADDER 9 AND WATCHING THE NEW TRIALMEN'S CLASS AND THINKING BACK TO YOUR CLASS AND WONDER WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

I REMEMBER
THE CISTERN IN THE BACK OF THE TRAINING ACADEMY. DURING ONE TRAINING SESSION ON DRAFTING ONE OF THE GUYS FORGOT WE WERE DRAFTING FROM THE CISTERN AND NOT GETTING WATER FROM A HYDRANT. IT WAS A HOT DAY AND HE WAS THIRSTY. HE TOOK A DRINK FROM THE LINE. WE DON'T KNOW IF HE GOT SICK LATER

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW YOU USED TO WRAP YOUR HAND OVER THE FRONT OF THE NOZZLE TO GET A DRINK?

DO YOU REMEMBER
ALL THE WET INSULATION THAT CAME DOWN ON YOU WHEN YOU PULLED THE CEILING UNDER AN ATTIC?

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW WE PUT OUR OWN SHOVEL HANDLES ON PIKE POLES TO MAKE PULLING PLASTER EASIER..................ANOTHER NAME FOR PIKE POLES WAS...PLASTER HOOKS. MOST GUYS CALLED THEM PIKE POLES

DO YOU REMEMBER
IN MANY ATTICS YOU HAD TO WALK ON THE JOIST OTHER WISE YOU WOULD FALL THROUGH THE CEILING. THIS MOSTLY HAPPENED TO TRIALMEN AS SOME DIDN'T KNOW THAT MANY ATTICS DIDN'T HAVE FLOORS

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW HARD A DOUBLE SHINGLED ROOF WAS TO CHOP A HOLE IN.

DO YOU REMEMBER
EVER CHOPPING A HOLE IN A ROOF AND FINDING UNDERNEATH THE ASPHALT SHINGLES THE OLD OUTLAWED WOOD SHINGLES

DO YOU REMEMBER
WALKING ON A SPONGY ROOF TO CHOP A HOLE IN IT AND WAVERING BETWEEN GETTING OFF OR CHOPPING A HOLE SO YOUR GUYS WOULDN'T BAKE INSIDE.

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE MANY DIFFERENT COLORS OF SMOKE FROM FIRES AND HOW WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS "BOILING" YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO "POP" AT ANY MINUTE.

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WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
WHEN AS FIRST ARRIVING COMPANIES YOU HAD SECONDS TO MAKE DECISIONS AND THE "MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKS" HAD DAYS TO DECIDE WHAT YOU DID WRONG

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW YOU DID NOT GET ALONG WITH SOME CO WORKERS BUT WHEN THAT ALERT WENT OFF YOU PUT YOUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND ALL WORKED TOGETHER.

DO YOU REMEMBER
WITH THE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM WHEN YOU WENT ON COT WATCH YOU WROTE:

10-10
10-4
IN THE JOURNAL

AFTER THE SYSTEM WAS TAKEN OUT YOU WROTE:

COT WATCH IN EFFECT

HOW MANY OF YOU STILL WROTE
10-10
10-4

I KNOW I DID FOR MANY YEARS AFTER.

DO YOU REMEMBER
IN ATTICS WHEN THE ROOF BOARDS WERE BADLY BURNED "AS A YOUNG WHIPPER SNAPPER"YOU STOOPED OVER AND USED YOUR BACK TO PUSH THE ROOF BOARDS FROM THE JOISTS

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE FAMOUS SAYING WHEN A WEST SIDER GOT DETAILED TO ENGINE 26, LADDER 14
"WHERE'S CRANE & BRINKET"

AND THE RESPONSE

"YOU CAN'T GET THERE FROM HERE"

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW AT SOME ENGINE HOUSES THE TRAFFIC WOULDN'T STOP FOR YOU TO GET OUT OF THE DOORS. YOU WOULD HAVE TO EDGE OUT IN THE STREET AND SOME WOULD JUST GO AROUND YOU RATHER THEN STOP.....................OH WELL

I REMEMBER
AT ENGINE 44 , SOMETIMES PEOPLE WOULD PARK ON OUR RAMP BLOCKING THE DOORS . WE HAD TO CALL THE POLICE TO GET THEM TOWED.

DO YOU REMEMBER
PULLING ONTO AN EMPTY FIELD TO USE YOUR MONITOR AND DUMPING YOUR TANK ON A TOTALLY INVOLVED DWELLING. THEN HAVING YOUR RIG GETTING BOGGED DOWN. YOU HAD CALL THE SHOP TO SEND A TOW TRUCK. GETTING BOGGED DOWN ALSO HAPPENED ON OPEN FIELDS TO PUT OUT ABANDONED CARS, AND ON GOLF COURSES FOR BRUSH FIRES.

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WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE STRIPPED CARS THAT WE FOUND IN ALLEYS AND HOW THE "PROFESSIONAL CARS DISSEMBLERS" REALLY WOULD DO A THOROUGH JOB OF TAKING A CAR APART. ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE USED AND SOLD WAS STRIPPED.
I GUESS THE "PROFESSIONAL CARS DISSEMBLERS" MAY HAVE WORKED IN THE AUTO PLANT AS ASSEMBLERS AS THEY CERTAINLY KNEW HOW TO DISSEMBLE.

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW ON SOME AUTO ACCIDENTS ON THE DITCH (EXPRESSWAY) IT WAS AMAZING HOW SOMEONE WALKED AWAY FROM THE MANGLED MESS OF A VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY WERE HIT BY A TRUCK.

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW MOST ENGINE HOUSE BATHROOM HAVE TERRAZZO FLOORS. I BET MOST YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPERS" NEVER HEARD THE WORD "TERRAZZO" BEFORE
DOES ANYONE DO TERRAZZO FLOORS ANYMORE???????????

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE RULE ABOUT NOT WEARING JEWELRY ON THE JOB, THAT NOBODY OBEYED.

TWO JEWELRY STORIES

I USED TO WEAR MY WEDDING BAND THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS ON THE JOB. ONE TIME I WAS STANDING ON THE SIDE OF LADDER 22 GETTING SOMETHING FROM THE TOP COMPARTMENT. I WAS HOLDING ON WITH MY LEFT HAND AND JUMPED DOWN.
MY RING HUNG UP MOMENTARILY ON A BRACKET. IT CUT INTO MY FINGER BUT LUCKILY IT UN CAUGHT FROM THE BRACKET OTHER WISE I WOULD HAVE LOST MY FINGER. I DIDN'T NEED STITCHES. MY FINGER SWELLED AND I COULDN'T GET MY RING OFF. WITH THE CUT I COULDN'T USE THE STRING TRICK AND I DIDN'T WANT TO CUT IT OFF AS IT WAS MY WEDDING RING. AFTER THE SWELLING WENT DOWN I TOOK IT OFF AND NEVER WORE IT AT WORK AGAIN
NOTE..............REMEMBER THE BASKETBALL PLAYER A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THAT IN DUNKING A BALL HAD HIS RING CATCH ON THE BASKETBALL HOOP NET BRACKETS.
HE DID LOSE HIS FINGER

FF JOHN DOE HAD A WRIST WATCH WITH A METAL BAND. HE WAS WORKING ON HIS CAR NEAR THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. HIS HAND WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE BATTERY AND SOMEHOW HIS WATCH GOT SHORTED OUT BETWEEN THE BATTERY SIDE POST AND SOME OTHER METAL FROM THE CAR . HE COULDN'T GET HIS HAND OUT AND THE WATCH WAS BURNING INTO HIS WRIST. THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED HIM IS THE PINS ON THE BANDS POPPED AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET HIS HAND OUT.
HE HAD A VERY BAD BAND BURN COMPLETELY AROUND HIS WRIST. HE FIGURED IF THE PINS HADN'T POPPED IT WOULD HAVE POSSIBLY BURNED INTO HIS ARTERIES AND HE MIGHT HAVE REALLY BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.
HE NEVER WORE A WRIST WATCH WHILE WORKING AGAIN.

REMEMBER & BE CAREFUL
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
WHEN THE THE BAD GUYS WOULD SCRAPE THE TAB OFF OUR CAR LICENSE PLATE FOR THEIR OWN VEHICLE WHILE WE WERE OUT ON RUNS

SMART US AS WE TOOK A SINGLE BLADE RAZOR AND CUT MANY VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL CUTS INTO THE TAB SO IT WOULD FALL INTO A HUNDRED PIECES WHEN THEY TRIED TO SCRAPE IT AWAY FROM THE PLATE

SMARTER THEM AS THEY THEN TOOK TIN SNIPS TO CUT THE TAB CORNER OF THE LICENSE PLATE OFF.

SMART US AS WE BACKED UP OUR CAR TO A WALL OR BACK TO BACK WITH ANOTHER CAR.

SMARTER THEM AS THEY GOT SOME DETAILS CAR THAT DIDN'T KNOW THE ENGINEHOUSE HAD PROBLEMS OR ONE OF THE REGULARS AS THEY GOT LAX.

SMART US AS WE GOT THE CITY TO PUT FENCES AROUND OUR CARS.

SMARTER THEM AS THEY BROKE INTO THE ENGINE HOUSES TO GET STUFF.

SMART US AS WE GOT THE CITY TO INSTALL ALARM SYSTEMS TO THE ENGINE HOUSE.

EVEN WHEN WE GOT HARASSED BY SOME PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD

EVEN WHEN WE GOT HARASSED BY THE CITY

EVEN WHEN WE GOT HARASSED BY OUR OWN ADMINISTRATION

WHEN THE ALERT WENT OFF EVERYONE STILL WENT ALL OUT.
THAT'S THE PRIDE IN " FIREMEN"
WE ALL KNOW THAT'S ALSO TRUE IN TODAYS FIREMEN AS IT WAS IN OUR TIME.

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE DUMPSTER LINE AND HOW WE PUT IT ON OUR SHOULDERS TO PUT IT INSIDE THE DUMPSTER. WE THEN FLOODED THE DUMPSTER RATHER THEN SPEND AN HOUR EMPTYING IT WHILE PUTTING OUT ANY FIRE

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW SOME ALLEYS LOOKED MORE LIKE A FOREST THEN AN ALLEY

DO YOU REMEMBER
OPENING SOME HYDRANTS AND THEY WOULD START CHATTERING. YOU HAD TO SHUT IT DOWN FAST OR, ACCORDING TO THE WATER DEPARTMENT, IT COULD DAMAGE THE WATER MAIN

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE POP CANS THAT WOULD COME OUT OF A HYDRANT WHEN YOU FLUSHED IT OUT.

DO YOU REMEMBER
WHEN THE BLOW OUT STEMS WERE STUFFED WITH STICKS SO YOU COULDN'T PUMP IT OUT THE REGULAR WAY.

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE STATEMENT 'IF THE TRIALMAN GETS BURNED THE SENIOR MAN OR BOSS BETTER BE BURNED ALSO"

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE FIRST GUY THAT WORE AN EARRING TO WORK AND THE LOOKS HE GOT. NOW SOME OF OUR RETIREES WEAR ONE........................NOT ME...............NEVER WILL HAPPEN

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE GUY THAT BUILD A WOOD VAN BODY FOR HIS VEHICLE WHEN IT RUSTED OUT...............ENGINE 31 IN THE 60s

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE BOTTOM 4 INCHES OF ALL KITCHEN TABLES BEING EATEN AWAY FROM ALL THE YEARS OF THE FLOORS BEING SCRUBBED WITH "RED DEATH"
NOTE: NO ONE HAS COME UP WITH THE REAL NAME OF THAT PINK POWDERED SOAP THAT MANY OF US CALLED "RED DEATH" WHAT DID YOU BOSSES PUT ON YOUR REQUISITION WHEN YOU ORDERED IT?????????????

DO YOU REMEMBER
AT MULTIPLE ALARMS WHEN TWO COMPANIES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY WERE BOTH PICKING UP LINE AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNEW THAT YOUR LINES WOULD GET MIXED UP.. YOU SPENT THE REST OF THE DAY TRYING TO TRACK DOWN YOUR LINE.

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE HOSE BOOK WITH ALL THE NUMBERS AND THAT IT WAS HARD TO BE TOTALLY ACCURATE WITH THE NUMBERS.

DO YOU REMEMBER
THAT IF YOUR COMPANY WAS SHORT OF LINE AND YOU HAD SOME OTHER COMPANIES LINE YOU MIGHT BE TEMPTED TO KEEP THEIRS RATHER THEN TYPE EIGHT COPIES OF A MISSING EQUIPMENT REPORT.........BUT AS USUAL YOUR CONSCIENCE WON OUT AND YOU DID THE RIGHT THING .....................WHICH WAS...........................?

DO YOU REMEMBER
TURNING THE EMPTY AIR TANKS BACKWARD IN THE COMPARTMENTS

DO YOU REMEMBER
IF YOU USED AN EXTINGUISHER YOU NEVER PUT IT BACK IN ITS HOLDER BUT RATHER YOU PUT IN IN THE HOSE BED.
REASON BEING THAT YOU MIGHT FORGET TO REFILL IT WHEN YOU GOT BACK TO QUARTERS. IF IT WAS IN THE BED SOMEONE WOULD EVENTUALLY CATCH IT AND REFILL IT
THE RULE WAS IF IT WAS IN ITS HOLDER IT WAS READY TO BE USED,

DO YOU REMEMBER
AS AN ENGINE COMPANY DOING SOME OF THE TRUCKS HYDRANTS WHEN THAT DISTRICT HAD VERY NARROW STREETS.
HOW YOUR FIRE HOUSE WORKED AS A TEAM

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
LOOKING AT OUR RETIREES PAPER (UNITY) AND SEEING THE DEATH NOTICE ,AND NOTICING THAT MANY POLICE OFFICERS RETIRED AS "POLICE OFFICERS" WHILE ALL OF OUR RETIREES HAD SOME RANK. WHETHER WE CHOSE THE SUPERVISORS OR DRIVERS ROUTE IN FIRE FIGHTING OR ONE OF THE DIVISIONS TO MAKE RANK WE ALL DID GET PROMOTED
WHEN WE HAD OUR 25 YEARS ON WE ALL HAD RANK THANKS TO OUR "UNION"
OUR UNION LOOKED OUT FOR US WHILE WE WERE WORKING AND NOW
THE RDPFFA LOOKS OUT FOR US NOW THAT WE ARE RETIRED.

A TEAM CONCEPT FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END

"WHAT A JOB"

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
NOTE: YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER THIS AS IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT OFTEN BUT IT DID HAPPEN
WHEN ONE ENGINE WAS PUMPING AND HE COULDN'T GET ENOUGH PRESSURE THEY HAD ANOTHER ENGINE PUMP IN TO HIM.
SOMETIMES THE SECOND ENGINE WOULD HOOK A 2 1/2 LINE INTO THE PUMPING ENGINES INLET VALVE AND THEN DRIVE DOWN THE STREET LOOKING FOR A HYDRANT.
WHAT DID HAPPEN SOMETIMES IS THE PUMPING ENGINES FEO WOULD PREMATURELY OPEN THE INLET VALVE THAT THE SECOND ENGINES LINE WAS HOOKED TO.
ON SOME ENGINES THAT DIVERTED SOME WATER TO FILL UP HIS LINE AS HE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. IT ALSO FILLED UP ALL THE LINE IN HIS BED.
IT WAS A SIGHT

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF "WIRES DOWN".....KIND OF LIKE...KELLOGGES

SNAP......CRACKLE.....&.....POP
WHEN IT WAS NIGHTTIME IT WAS FIREWORKS ONLY MORE DANGEROUS. THE WIRES WOULD DO A DANCE ON THE CEMENT WHILE BURNING HOLES IN IT.

DO YOU REMEMBER
RIGHT AFTER 1967 GETTING THAT HELMET ATTACHMENT TO PROTECT YOU FROM THROWN ROCKS AND BOTTLES

DO YOU REMEMBER
USING YOUR HELMET BY HOLDING ON ITS INTERNAL WEBBING AND SMASHING OUT WINDOWS

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
BEFORE CABLE TV THE TABLE GAMES WE WOULD PLAY
GIN ( AT ENGINE 31 WE WOULD HAVE 10 GUYS PLAYING, 5 ON A SIDE)
EUCHRE
HEARTS
PINOCHLE
POKER
OH SHIT
HORSE COLLAR
CRIBBAGE
CHESS
CHECKERS
BACKGAMMON
POOL
PING PONG

DO YOU REMEMBER
WHEN WE WENT OUT ON ABANDONED DWELLINGS AND BUILDING SURVEYS, AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.

DO YOU REMEMBER
BEING A DECKIE ONE DAY AND BREAKING SOME RULES (JUST A SMALL RULE LIKE NOT HAVING POLISHED SHOES) AND THEN GETTING PROMOTED AND NOW HAVING TO ENFORCE THE RULES AGAINST YOUR FRIENDS.

REMEMBER HOW SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS NEEDED HAIRCUTS, OR THEIR UNIFORMS WERE DIRTY OR EVEN THE WORSE INFRACTION ON OUR UNIT NOT SHAVING BEFORE COMING TO WORK

JUST BE THANKFUL YOU WEREN'T TRANSFERRED TO THE "OFU"
THOSE GUYS HAD MUSTACHES BEYOND THE CORNERS OF THEIR MOUTHS, WHICH WAS AGAINST RULE # 569.34

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW THE "OFU" NEVER: DID ANY MONTH ENDS
HOW THE "OFU" NEVER: DID THE ANNUAL REPORT
HOW THE "OFU" NEVER: DID THE GAS / DIESEL OR OIL MONTHLY REPORT
HOW THE "OFU" NEVER: DEFROSTED THE REFRIGERATOR
HOW THE "OFU" NEVER: CLEANED THE OVEN OR EVEN CLEANED THOSE BURNER GREASE TRAYS
HOW THE "OFU" NEVER: DID THEIR FAIR SHARE OF HYDRANTS OR SMOKE DETECTORS

THE TRIALMAN AND THE DIFFERENCE ON HOW THE "OFU" AND "OUR UNIT" TREATED HIM

"OFU" YELLED AT HIM, CALLING HIM SUBBIE, TRIALMAN, SHIT HEAD AND OTHER UNMENTIONABLE NAMES
"OUR UNIT" LEARNED HIS FIRST NAME AND SPOKE IN LOW TONES TO TREAT HIM AS A HUMAN BEING

"OFU" SCREAMED THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE HOUSE FOR HIM USING ONE OF THE ABOVE NAMES TO HAVE HIM DO A CHORE
"OUR UNIT" SENT ONE OF THE GUYS TO FIND HIM AND IF WAS NOT BUSY" ASK" HIM WHEN HE WAS THROUGH WOULD HE PLEASE DO THIS OTHER CHORE

"OFU" TOLD HIM HE WAS TO BE LAST IN THE CHOW LINE AND IF THERE WASN'T ANYTHING LEFT , THAT'S TOUGH
"OUR UNIT" MADE SURE HE WAS FIRST IN LINE AS WE REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD MEAL TO HIM AND ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED SECONDS.

"OFU" KICKED UP THE PRESSURE ON THE LINE TO SEE IF HE COULD HANDLE IT
"OUR UNIT" ASKED IF HE WANTED US TO LOWER THE PRESSURE SO THE LINE WAS MORE COMFORTABLE TO HANDLE

"OFU" GIVE HIM ,BY HIMSELF, A JOB THAT WAS REALLY A TWO MAN JOB
"OUR UNIT" ALWAYS HELPED HIM IN HIS CHORES AND TOLD HIM THAT IF HE GETS TIRED TO TAKE A BREAK AND THE REGULARS WILL TAKE OVER UNTIL HE CATCHES HIS BREATH

"OFU" SPIED ON HIM DURING 1 TO 4 TO MAKE SURE HE WASN'T SNEAKING A CATNAP AND KICKING HIS CHAIR IF HE WAS.
"OUR UNIT: IF WE ACCIDENTALLY SPOTTED HIM NODDING OFF OFFERED TO GET HIM A CUP OF COFFEE, AND IF HE WAS SLEEPING IN HIS CHAIR TIP TOED AS TO NOT WAKE HIM

"OFU" HAD HIM DO THE DISHES BY HIMSELF
"OUR UNIT" ALWAYS ASSISTED HIM IN DISHES, AND IF WE FELT HE WAS WORKING TOO HARD GET HIM A CUP OF COFFEE WHILE WE DID THE DISHES FOR HIM.

"OFU" INSULTED HIM BY ASKING WHO HE KNEW TO GET THIS JOB
"OUR UNIT" COMPLIMENTED HIM BY SAYING HE MUST BE A VERY SMART PERSON TO QUALIFY FOR THIS JOB.

"OFU: IN THE MORNING NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGING HIS PRESENCE WHEN HE WAS LEAVING TO GO HOME.
"OUR UNIT" STANDING ON THE APRON WAVING GOOD-BYE TO HIM AS HE LEFT

DO YOU REMEMBER
HOW THE "OFU" WOULD TAKE SOMEONE ELSE'S AX AT A FIRE IF THEY LOST THEIRS . THEN UPON RETURNING TO THE ENGINE HOUSE THEY WOULD USE THAT PIECE OF A HANGER THAT WAS KEPT IN ONE OF THE KITCHEN DRAWERS TO RE-BRAND THEIR NUMBER OVER THE OTHER COMPANIES NUMBER. HOW COULD THEY LIVE WITH THEMSELVES IN THIS
DASTARDLY DEED

REMEMBER OUR UNIT IF WE "ACCIDENTALLY " BROUGHT SOMEONE ELSE'S AX BACK RATHER THEN OUR OWN. WE WOULD CALL THEM UP TO TELL THEM WE HAD IT AND MANY TIMES WE EVEN POLISHED THE AX HEAD FOR THEM THEN WE SPENT THE NEXT HOUR TYPING A MISSING EQUIPMENT REPORT. IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.................YEAH RIGHT

DO YOU REMEMBER
WASHING SECOND STORY WINDOWS BY STANDING ON THE LEDGES AND HEARING SOME GUYS STEPPED BACK "OFU GUYS"
TO ADMIRE THEIR WORK

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
TRYING TO BREAK A" LEXON" WINDOW WITH AN AX AND HAVING IT BOUNCE OFF

DO YOU REMEMBER
BEING ORDERED TO CUT THE "LOOP" WITH THE LONG WIRE CUTTERS AND PULLING THE ROPE REAL FAST WHILE SAYING
"OH SHIT"

DO YOU REMEMBER
WHY YOU WOULD TOUCH A SUSPECTED LIVE WIRE WITH THE BACK OF YOUR HAND
IF YOU TOUCHED IT WITH THE FRONT OF YOUR HAND AND IT WAS A LIVE WIRE YOUR HAND WOULD INVOLUNTARY CLOSE ON IT

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE SIGHT AND SOUND OF A BURNING GAS METER...SSSWWWOOOSSSHHH

DO YOU REMEMBER
CARRYING A SUPER HEAVY PERSON DOWN FROM AN UPPER FLOOR APARTMENT USING BOTH THE SOFT AND REGULAR STRETCHERS.

DO YOU REMEMBER
AT OLD RECEIVING HOSPITAL AFTER PUTTING THE PERSON ON A GURNEY WITH YOUR STRETCHER YOU SLID THE STRETCHER POLES OUT OF THE CANVAS. THEN YOU ROLLED THE PERSON ON HIS SIDE , PUSHED THE CANVAS UNDER HIM
ROLLED HIM ON HIS OTHER SIDE AND THEN WERE ABLE TO RETRIEVE YOUR CANVAS STRETCHER. IF THE STRETCHER WAS BADLY SOILED YOUR WERE ABLE TO GET A NEW ONE FROM RECEIVING

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE COLOR OF THE BOX THAT THE SQUAD CARRIED
DIRTY RED
REMEMBER HOW THAT TOP FLIPPED OVER WHEN YOU OPENED THE :BOX TO ALLOW YOU TO PUT THE KEY IN THE TANKS TO OPEN THEM.
REMEMBER HOW INHALATION WAS EASIER THEN RESUSCITATION. WITH INHALATION YOU COULD HOLD THE FACE PIECE WITH ONE HAND BUT WITH RESUSCITATION YOU HAD TO BE BEHIND THE PERSON TILTING THEIR HEAD BACK AND HAD TO USE BOTH HAND TO GET A GOOD SEAL.
REMEMBER HOW GOOD IT FELT WHEN YOU STARTED ON RESUSCITATION AND YOU WERE ABLE TO SWITCH TO INHALATION AS THEY STARTED TO BREATH ON THEIR OWN.

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE FIRST " JAWS OF LIFE" I DON'T RECALL WHAT IT WAS CALLED BUT IT WAS NOT "JAWS OF LIFE" IT WAS JUST A SMALL HYDRAULIC UNIT THAT YOU HAND PUMPED

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE EXPRESSION .......OLD LEATHER LUNGS.

DO YOU REMEMBER

THAT SOME OF THE COOKS WOULD MEET AT A" RESTAURANT" FOR COFFEE AND DONUTS WHILE DISCUSSING THEIR DAYS MENU. WHAT A GREAT BUNCH OF GUYS THOSE COOKS WERE. RATHER THEN JUST SHOPPING FOR ANYTHING THEY WOULD ACTUALLY MEET THE OTHER ENGINE HOUSE COOKS AND PLAN FOR OUR MEALS. BAD THING WAS SOME COOKS DRANK SO MUCH COFFEE THAT THEY HAD AN UPSET STOMACH WHEN THEY CAME BACK TO THE ENGINE HOUSE., SOME EVEN. SEEM TO HAVE A SUGAR HIGH FROM USING TOO MUCH SUGAR IN THEIR COFFEE . THEY SHOULD SWITCH TO DECAF AND WITHOUT SUGAR . I THINK SOMETIMES OUR CHOW MONEY WENT TO BUY THE OTHER COOKS A ROUND OF COFFEE AND DONUTS. I KNOW THOSE LEMON FILLED ONES ARE HARD TO RESIST

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE 3 PHASES OF LOADING 2 1/2 LINE AND HOW IT AFFECTED YOUR BACK
YEAH OLD TIMER, I KNOW YOUR BACK REMEMBERS LOADING LINE

(1) WHEN WE HAD SEAGRAVE ENCLOSED ENGINES AND YOU HAD TO LOAD THE LINE VERTICALLY (ON ITS
EDGE)
IT WAS EASIER WITH 3 GUYS, ONE FEEDING THE LINE AND 2 LOADING IT VERTICALLY ' IT WAS ESPECIALLY HARD ON YOUR BACK WHEN ALL THE LINE WAS STRETCHED . YOU HAD TO ALMOST BEND IN HALF TO REACH ALL THE WAY DOWN. THERE WERE A LOT OF" DUTCHMEN"    WHEN TWO BUTTS MET. THIS WAS REALLY HARD WHEN WE HAD TO FOLD THAT OLD
   STIFF LINE. YOU REMEMBER THAT OLD-TIMER, IT DIDN'T FOLD VERY WELL. THE YOUNG
"WHIPPER SNAPPER" ALWAYS LOADED LINE. TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK IF YOU WERE WAITING
FOR MORE LINE YOU COULDN'T STAND UP TO REST YOUR BACK , YOU JUST KNEELED IN THE ISLE UNTIL THE NEXT LINE WAS READY TO BE LOADED

(2) WHEN WE HAD SEAGRAVE ENCLOSED ENGINES AND YOU HAD TO LOAD THE LINE HORIZONTALLY
WHILE 3 GUYS MADE IT EASIER 2 COULD HANDLE IT. ONE TO FEED AND THE OTHER TO LOAD.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BEND OVER SO MUCH AS YOU COULD JUST SORT OF FLOP IT IN ITS PLACE
DUTCHMEN WERE FEWER AS YOU JUST SHIFTED THE MATCHING BUTTS OVER ONE ROW OR DID A SHORT DUTCHMAN. YOU DUTCHMANED IT AT THE END JUST LIKE THE VERTICAL LOAD

(3) WHEN YOU HAD AN OPEN ENGINE IT WAS EASIER AS YOU COULD EITHER STAND UP IN THE ISLE OR ON
   TOP OF THE BED YOU WERE LOADING. YOU WALKED ON THE LINE AS YOU LOADED IT. IF YOU WERE
REALLY SHORT OF MEN YOU HAD THE FEO SLOWLY BACK UP WHILE YOU WALKED ON THE LINE
AND LOADED IT

HOW'S YOUR BACK OLD TIMER?
TAKE A DOANS PILL AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING
THE YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPERS" PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF DOANS PILLS

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY
WAYNE