FIREFIGHTER

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 435

2006-11-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 435

THIS IS THE LAST PAGE OF MY BLOG.

MY BRAIN NOW READS "EMPTY"
I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE TO ADD.

IT HAS BEEN A NICE RUN AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED MY BLOG AND BECAME EDUCATED AS TO THE HISTORY OF THE FIRE SERVICE

IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, E-MAIL ME AT WISTUFF@COMCAST.NET

SEE YOU AT "THE BIG ONE"
(EXTRA / MULTIPLE ALARM)

FIREFIGHTER
WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 434

2006-11-15T13:06:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 434

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
VARIOUS WAYS OF RETURNING TO QUARTERS WITH HORSE PULLED RIGS:
SOME FIRE HOUSE HAD REAR DOORS AND IN THOSE CASES THEY JUST WENT AROUND THE BACK AND PULLED IN.

SOME FIREHOUSES HAD INTERIOR TURNTABLES,
IN THOSE CASES THEY PULLED IN THE FRONT DOORS, PUTTING THEIR RIG ON THE TURNTABLE. THEN THEY UNHITCHED THE HORSES AND ROTATED THE TURNTABLE, WITH RIG, 180 DEGREES

WITH THE FIREHOUSE THAT HAD NEITHER REAR DOOR OR TURNTABLE THEY UNHITCHED THE HORSES OUTSIDE AND HAND BACKED THE RIG IN.

DO YOU KNOW

UPON RETURNING FROM A RUN THE HARNESS HAD TO BE SOAPED AND RINSED BEFORE BEING SUSPENDED FROM THE CEILING

DO YOU REMEMBER

CARRYING A BUCKET OF WATER DOWN TO THE ENGINE HOUSE BASEMENT WHEN YOU REFILLED THE OLD SODA & ACID EXTINGUISHER WITH ACID.

IT WAS IN CASE YOU GOT SPLASHED WITH ACID.

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE REAL OLD DAYS THE ONLY BOOK WORK AS FAR AS RECORDING A FIRE WAS THE DATE, ADDRESS OF PLACE ON FIRE AND NUMBER OF HOSE LINES.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FIRE REPORTS, AS TO THE ACTUAL DETAILS OF THE FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES ,BEFORE PENSIONS, IF YOU COULDN'T DO YOUR DUTIES AS A FIREMAN YOU WERE RELEASED FROM THE DEPARTMENT

DO YOU KNOW

THERE ARE STORIES OF THE MEN FORGETTING TO BUCKLE THE HARNESS WHEN IT WAS DROPPED ON THEIR HORSE / HORSES

IN THOSE CASES THE HORSE / HORSES WOULD PULL THE REINS FROM THE DRIVERS HANDS AS THEY GALLOPED OUT OF THE FIRE HOUSE WITHOUT THEIR RIG AND MEN

DO YOU KNOW

ONE ARTICLE STATED THAT THEY PLACED A BALE OF HAY ON THEIR RIG DURING THE WINTER TO BE USED ON A FROZEN HYDRANT.
THE PLAN WAS TO PLACE THE BALE AGAINST THE FROZEN HYDRANT AND SET IT ON FIRE

DO YOU KNOW

FROM A WEB SITE

Having fought this fire, you wondered why no bothered to use the ONE air-pack that was assigned each engine company. Being brand new, you asked. With all the scowling eyes turned on you, you learned that
REAL firemen used the three most common air-packs of the era:
a cigar (White Owl),
a one-inch by two-inch sponge,
or a red or white shop towel (your choice of color). So you had your choice of ways to be a leather-lung fireman.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 433

2006-11-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 433

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
I FOUND A MENTION OF USING "LIQUID MANURE BARRELS MOUNTED ON A CARRIAGE" TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

TWO BIG HINDRANCES, TO USING THE AERIAL LADDER OR THE RAISING OF THE LARGER HAND LADDER IN THE OLDER LARGER CITIES WERE:

THE MANY ELECTRIC WIRES STRUNG OVERHEAD.

BESIDES THESE WIRES THEY ALSO HAD
PHONE WIRES,
STREETCAR WIRES
AND FIRE ALARM BOXES WIRES.

THE CITIES OF OLD WERE HEAVY WITH STRUNG WIRE.
EVEN HERE IN DETROIT WE HAD BOTH STREET CAR AND ELECTRIC BUS WIRES ON THE MAIN STREETS.
THEN BESIDES WIRE, MANY CITIES HAD CANOPIES IN FRONT OF THEIR BUILDINGS GIVING A LADDER RAISING CREW ANOTHER OBSTACLE

CAN YOU TRUCK GUYS IMAGINE BACK IN THE "OLD DAYS"CRANKING BY HAND THE BED LADDER
THEN
CRANKING BY HAND THE TURNTABLE
THEN
CRANKING BY HAND THE FLY SECTION
THEN WHEN YOU WERE TOTALLY EXHAUSTED
CLIMBING UP THE LADDER TO GO TO WORK CHOPPING HOLES IN THE ROOF.

DO YOU REALIZE

IN THE "REAL" OLD DAYS
THE SALVAGE PATROL COVERED THE PEOPLES PROPERTY WITH SALVAGE COVERS, CARRIED OUT BELONGINGS AND STOOD GUARD OVER THEM, SHOVELED OUT THE BURNED DEBRIS , PUMPED OUT THE BASEMENTS IF FLOODED AND SQUEEGED OUT THE WATER.
THEN THEY STOOD FIRE WATCH THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT TO BOTH GUARD THE PLACE AND, TO CHECK FOR REKINDLES

IN THE "OLD" DAYS
THEY DISBANDED THE SALVAGE PATROL AND PUT JUST SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT ON TRUCKS
THEN THE TRUCK CREW SHOVELED OUT THE BURNED DEBRIS AND SQUEEGED OUT THE WATER,.

TODAY DUE TO MANPOWER SHORTAGES AND NOT HAVING THE TIME OR EQUIPMENT , ESPECIALLY IN MAJOR CITIES, SALVAGE OPERATIONS DON'T GET DONE TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY DID IN THE PAST.

DO YOU KNOW
FOR A MULTIPLE ALARM IN THE REAL OLD DAYS
IF NEED BE, THE EMPTY HOSE REEL / WAGON UPON STRETCHING ALL THEIR LINE WOULD AT TIMES GO BACK TO THE ENGINE HOUSE TO LOAD UP MORE LINE.
THE DRIVER WOULD JUST GO BACK AND THE NEW CREW WOULD CONSISTS OF THE MEN WHO WERE ON THEIR MEAL BREAKS AND THOSE WHO WERE OFF DUTY AND NOW WERE REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO ALL MULTIPLE ALARMS

DO YOU KNOW

ACCORDING TO SOME FIRE ARTICLES

DURING THE OLD DAYS, IN MANY COMMUNITIES ,YOU COULD BE A CAPTAIN ONE DAY AND A DECKIE RIDING THE BACK END THE NEXT OR A DECKIE ONE DAY AND A CAPTAIN THE NEXT.

THIS WAS ALL DUE TO A CHANGE IN ADMINISTRATION..

FAVORITISM WAS A BIG FACTOR IN MANY DEPARTMENTS

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 431

2006-11-14T19:50:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 431

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
THE RIDES WERE SO ROUGH WITH THE OLD STEAMER AND THEIR METAL WHEELS, LACK OF SPRINGS AND COBBLESTONE ROADS THAT, AT TIMES, THE GRATES FOR THE COAL CAME LOOSE , THEREBY RENDERING THE STEAMER USELESS. .

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OUTSIDE WATCHES (PATROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ) WERE A TWO HOURS SHIFT IN THE WINTER.

LATER CIVILIANS WERE HIRED FOR THIS JOB.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME STEAMERS HAD AN OIL BURNER ON THEIR RIG TO PREHEAT THE WATER

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OF THE FIRST FIRE HELMETS WERE MADE FROM A CARDBOARD LIKE MATERIAL. IT WAS COATED WITH SHELLAC AND PAINT FOR RIGIDITY.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, WHENEVER A NEW MAYOR WAS ELECTED, HE APPOINTED HIS OWN CHIEF AND THEY CLEANED HOUSE,
IN THAT THEY TRANSFERRED WHOEVER THEY WANTED,
PROMOTED AND DEMOTED AND EVEN TERMINATED EMPLOYMENT FOR SOME FIREMEN.

WHAT IS "LONG MONDAY"

WHEN FIREMEN WORKED A 10 HOUR DAY AND 14 HOUR NIGHT SHIFT AND ROTATED EVERY WEEK ON MONDAY THE DAY SHIFT STAYED AND ALSO WORKED THE NIGHT SHIFT FOR A TOTAL OF 24 HOURS AND THAT WAS "LONG MONDAY"

FROM A WEB SITE
Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) were put on the cars of the district chiefs and on all ladder trucks in 1953. Development of furnishings made of synthetic fibers and plastics made breathing more difficult when they burned. Yet, the old "leather-lung" firefighters ignored the new breathing apparatus. They had a tradition to uphold, that of a "smoke-eater." Later after engine companies were furnished SCBA, the airpacks were usually buried under other equipment in the basket of the engines. A firefighter was considered a wimp for some years if he donned an airpack at a fire.

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY, TO RID AN AREA OF MOSQUITOS THEY PUT "MALATHION" IN THE PUMPERS WATER TANK AND SPRAYED THE FIELDS.

ONLY PROBLEM WAS, THE MALATHION DETERIORATED THE PUMPS PACKING AND PUT THEM "OUT OF SERVICE"

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT IS A HEAVY BOX

ONE COMMUNITY GAVE IT THAT NAME WHEN THEY SENT A BOX ASSIGNMENT PLUS AN EXTRA ENGINE AND LADDER TRUCK

DO YOU KNOW

SOME COMMUNITIES X-RIGS ARE FULLY EQUIPPED SO WHEN YOU CHANGED RIGS, DUE TO NEEDED REPAIRS, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TRANSFER ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT.
DO YOU KNOW
THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF A COMMUNITY BUYING A STEAMER AND THEN , DUE TO HARD TIMES, HAVING IT REPOSSESSED.

THEY THEN JUST HAD A HOSE REEL / WAGON TO EXTINGUISH FIRES

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 432

2006-11-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 432

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
SOME COMMUNITIES DIDN'T HAVE THEIR OWN CISTERNS,
THEY DRAFTED FROM BUSINESSES OR PRIVATE ONES.
THEN IT WAS UP TO THOSE PEOPLE TO REFILL THEIR OWN CISTERNS, WHICH AT TIMES OF NOT MUCH RAIN MIGHT PRESENT A PROBLEM.
WHEN THE COMMUNITY DID BUILD THEIR OWN CISTERNS IT BECAME UNLAWFUL TO TAKE ANY WATER FOR PERSONAL USE.
IT WAS ONLY TO BE USED FOR A FIRE.
PUNISHMENT WAS A FINE OF $25.00 OR 10 DAYS IN JAIL.

DO YOU KNOW
ONE COMMUNITY LOADED AN OLD WATER FILLED WHISKEY BARREL ON A WAGON AND PULLED THAT TO A FIRE, TO DIP THEIR BUCKETS IN.

DO YOU KNOW

IN MOST INSTANCES, WOMEN DIDN'T MAN THE HAND PUMPER BRAKES BUT, ON OCCASION, THEY DID IF THERE WASN'T ENOUGH MEN AROUND.

DO YOU KNOW

ONE OLDTIME REQUISITE TO BE A FIREMAN WAS TO BE A MECHANIC OR AN APPRENTICE OF SOME TRADE.

DO YOU KNOW

THERE IS MENTIONED, IN SOME BOOKS, THAT THEY USED 12 MEN TO HOLD SOME REAL OLD LIFE NETS.

ON OURS IT ONLY TOOK 8 MEN
I ASSUME THEIRS MUST HAVE BEEN LARGER, AS 12 MEN COULD NOT HAVE FIT AROUND OURS WITH THEIR ELBOWS EXTENDED AWAY FROM THEIR BODY
IF THEIR ELBOWS WERE IN BY THEIR SIDE, TO FIT 12 MEN, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVEN INTO THEIR STOMACHS UPON SOMEONE LANDING IN THE NET.

IN OUR TIME 3 FLOORS ,WAS TAUGHT, AS THE MAXIMUM "SAFE" HEIGHT TO CATCH A PERSON.
SOME EARLIER BOOKS SHOWED 5 FLOORS AND IT WAS RECORDED AS SOMEONE CAUGHT A PERSON FROM THE 7TH FLOOR IN NEW YORK

DO YOU KNOW .
TO DISCOURAGE FALSE ALARMS, SOME EARLY FIRE ALARM BOXES HAD A BELL THAT RANG WHEN YOU OPENED THE BOX TO PULL THE LEVER.
THEY REMOVED THE BELL WHEN THEY FOUND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD THINK THAT THE ALARM WAS TRANSMITTED WHEN THE BELL RANG AND THEY THEREFORE FAILED TO PULL THE LEVER TO ACTUAL TRANSMIT THE ALARM

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 430

2006-11-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 430

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
WE ALL KNOW WHAT A KELLY DAY IS BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT A KELLY MAN IS

.ONE COMMUNITY HIRED A FIREMAN TO ONLY FILL IN WHEN THE REGULARS WENT ON KELLYTHEY CALLED HIM A "KELLY MAN

DO YOU KNOW

ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN ENGLAND , IN EARLIER TIMES, HAD THEIR FIREMEN WORK 48 HOURS ON AND 24 HOURS OFF.

DO YOU KNOW

THERE ARE RECORDS OF FIREMEN BEING SUSPENDED FOR FALLING ASLEEP ON WATCH.

DO YOU KNOW

A BAD FEATURE OF THE HOSE WAGON FOLLOWING THE OLD STEAMER TOO CLOSE WAS THAT THE STEAMER EMITTED BURNING EMBERS FROM THEIR STACK.

IF YOU WERE TOO CLOSE THERE WAS THE DANGER OF THE HOSE WAGON HORSE / MEN GETTING BURNED.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT THREE THINGS MADE FOR AN EXTREMELY BONE - JARRING RIDE DURING THE EARLY DAYS
IRON RIMMED WHEELS
NO SPRINGS
COBBLE STONE ROADS

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE OLD DELUGE SET
BACK IN THE 60s, BEFORE ENGINES HAD MONITORS,
THE OLD SEAGRAVES CARRIED IN THEIR COMPARTMENT A STRAIGHT STREAM
2 1/2 " PIPE ATTACHED TO A 6' LENGTH OF LINE STRAPPED TO A 3' BOARD MOUNTED ON A LOW TRIPOD.

THIS WAS OUR MONITOR.

DO YOU KNOW

SALVAGE PATROLS:
WERE CALLED PATROLMEN
MADE LESS THEN FIREMEN
FIRST CARRIED A BAG TO CARRY ITEMS FROM THE BURNING BUILDINGS,
THEN THEY THREW SALVAGE COVERS OVER LARGER PERSONAL PROPERTY
THEY RODE WITH UPWARDS OF TEN MEN.
NOT ONLY DID THEY SHOVEL OUT ALL DEBRIS , SQUEEGEE OUT ALL WATER THEY ALSO WATCHED OVER , WITH POLICE OFFICERS, THE PROPERTY WHILE IT WAS BEING SECURED
THEY CARRIED, SALVAGE COVERS , AUGERS, STRAINERS, MOPES, SCOOPS, BUCKETS, CHAMOIS, SPONGES, SQUEEGEES, ROOFING PAPER, AND SAWDUST
FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 429

2006-11-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 429

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
THE BOX EVOLVED TO CUT DOWN ON FALSE ALARMS
THE BOX WENT FROM A LOCKED BOX WITH ONLY POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN, AND CLOSE BUSINESSES HAVING THE KEY
TO
UNLOCKED BOXES
TO
PURPLE DYE ON THE BOX HANDLE (OR PURPOSED PURPLE DYE ON THE HANDLE)
TO
A BREAK THE GLASS SYSTEM ON THE BOX
TO
THE BOX REMOVAL
NOTE: BEFORE THEY HAD A PROGRAM TO REMOVE ALL OF THE BOXES THEY FIRST STARTED REMOVING JUST THE HIGH FALSE ALARM BOXES.
DO YOU KNOW
IT APPEARS THAT THE TRAINING SCHOOL BECAME THE TRAINING ACADEMY ABOUT 1967, BUT NOT POSITIVE
DO YOU KNOW
IN MANY COMMUNITIES, WHEN THEY GOT A NEW ENGINE, THE OLD ONE WAS DELEGATED TO A WATER SUPPLY FUNCTION TO THE NEW PUMPER

DO YOU KNOW
WHILE WE USED THE 1 1/2 " LINE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OLD MSA SMOKE MASK FOR MOST HOUSE FIRES IN THE 60s & 70s

SOME COMMUNITIES STILL ONLY HAD THE 2 1/2" LINE AND NO MASKS WHAT SO EVER..
SOME COMMUNITIES FIRST BREATHING PROTECTION WAS THE SCBA

ALSO
WHILE WE USED THE SODA & ACID EXTINGUISHERS
SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS
USED A "HAND PUMP EXTINGUISHER"
THE BOOKS DIDN'T DESCRIBE THEM BUT I IMAGINE THEY WERE LIKE OUR OLD INDIAN PUMPS.
ONE OF THE REASONS "MIGHT HAVE BEEN " A COST FACTOR.$$$$$$$$$$$
THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BUY SODA OR ACID AS THEY JUST USED WATER

THEY FILLED A SOCK WITH ROCK SALT AND PUT IT IN THEIR HAND PUMP EXTINGUISHER IN THE WINTERTIME.

DO YOU KNOW

VARIOUS ITEMS USED TO HELP BREATH IN FIRES IN THE PAST

WHISKERS SOAKED IN WATER
WET RAG
WET SPONGE
CHEW OF TOBACCO
UNLIT CIGAR

DO YOU KNOW

ACCORDING TO MANY BOOKS THE REASON FOR WHEN THE OPERATION OF THE STEAMER WAS LESS THEN EFFICIENT WAS:

A BAD STOKER
THE PROPER RATE OF COAL / WOOD APPLICATION WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE OPERATION OF A STEAMER

DO YOU KNOW

ONE ARTICLE STATED THAT IF A HOSE COMPANY ARRIVED FIRST ON THE SCENE THEY WOULD HOOK UP TO THE HYDRANT AND STRETCH TO THE FIRE.

WHEN THE STEAMER ARRIVED THEY WOULD POSITION THEMSELVES CLOSE TO THE FIRE AND HAVE THAT HOSE COMPANY , AS WELL AS OTHERS, HOOK INTO THEM AS A WATER SUPPLY SOURCE.

A PROBLEM WAS THAT THE HOSE COMPANY WOULD GET "FIRST WATER "RITES ALONG WITH ANY MONEY ACCORDING TO THE ERA AND COMMUNITY.

ALSO MANY HOSE COMPANIES DIDN'T WANT TO BE RELEGATED TO SECOND CLASS STATUS BY FEEDING A STEAMER,

THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT THE FIRE WITH THEIR LINE.

THAT'S WHEN SOME FIGHTS STARTED.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 428

2006-11-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 428

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW

THAT THE HOLD OUT SYSTEM WAS ALSO KNOWN AS A RING OUT
THAT WAS WHEN THE FIRE ALARM BELL WAS ONLY IN THE CIRCUIT TO THE RESPONDING COMPANIES AND NOT TO THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT

DO YOU KNOW

THE OFFICIAL AGE OF VOLUNTEERS IN ONE COMMUNITY WAS 16 YEARS OLD BUT SOMETIMES (UNOFFICIALLY) YOU COULD BE AS YOUNG AS 12.
IT DEPENDED ON THE AVAILABILITY OF MANPOWER AT THE TIME.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES. THE FIREMEN HAD TO BUY THEIR OWN BADGES

DO YOU KNOW

DURING WORLD WAR TWO SOME FIRE DEPARTMENTS TAUGHT THEIR CITIZENS HOW TO EXTINGUISH INCENDIARY BOMBS.
THEY ALSO ESTABLISHED LISTENING POSTS FOR ENEMY AIRCRAFT

DO YOU KNOW
A TORCHBOY WAS A YOUNG BOY THAT CARRIED A TORCH TO LIGHT THE WAY DOWN UNLIT STREETS

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES THERE WAS AN ORDER THAT ONCE AN ALARM OF FIRE RANG YOU COULDN'T USE YOUR HOME PHONE

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OLD FIRE DEPARTMENTS CALLED THE EARLY LONG NOZZLES THAT DIDN'T HAVE SHUTOFFS AS "SUICIDE NOZZLES"
YOU CAN IMAGE CRAWLING (NO MASKS) IN A BUILDING FIRE WITH A STIFF 2 1/2 " LINE THAT YOU COULDN'T SHUTOFF, AND STRUGGLING TO MANEUVER IT THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING, AND UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CALLED IT A "SUICIDE NOZZLE "

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY YOU PAID A FIRE TAX
WHEN AN ALARM CAME IN THE WATCHMAN WOULD CHECK THE FIRE TAX JOURNAL TO SEE IF YOU PAID YOUR TAX. IF YOU DIDN'T , THEY WOULDN'T RESPOND AND YOUR PLACE BURNED TO THE GROUND.

DO YOU KNOW

IN BUILDING FIRES YOU TRY TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.
IN FOREST FIRES YOU TRY TO CONTROL ITS SPRED BY CREATING FIRE BREAKS.

DO YOU KNOW
IN ONE COMMUNITY THEY HONOR A TRADITION THAT GOES BACK TO THE LATE 1800s.
WHENEVER THEY GET A NEW RIG THEY BACK IT IN QUARTERS THREE TIMES
FIRST FOR GOD
SECOND FOR COUNTRY
THIRD FOR COMMUNITY

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 427

2006-11-14T09:20:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 427

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
IN SOME COMMUNITIES THEY HAD THEIR PULL BOXES HOOKED UP TO THE WATER WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UPON A FIRE THEY WOULD BOOST UP THE PRESSURE SO THE FIREMEN COULD HOOK UP DIRECTLY TO THE HYDRANTS WITHOUT USING AN ENGINE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY THEIR HEAD OF THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD THE TITLE OF "GENERAL"

DO YOU KNOW

ONE COMMUNITIES FIRST RESCUE SQUAD WAS A CONVERTED FUNERAL CAR.

DO YOU KNOW
THE FIRST MAN AT ONE COMMUNITIES FIRE WITH HIS BUCKET WAS THE MAN IN CHARGE.

DO YOU KNOW

ON SOME EARLY APPARATUSES THAT COULD ONLY CARRY 4 MEN THEY HAD A 4 PADDLE SYSTEM IN THE ENGINE HOUSE.
THE FIRST 4 MEN TO RESPOND TO THE ENGINE HOUSE TO GRAB A PADDLE GOT TO RIDE.
THE REST HAD TO GET TO THE FIRE ON THEIR OWN.

DO YOU KNOW
SOME EARLY WATCH TOWERS WERE ACTUALLY "CHURCH STEEPLES"

DO YOU REALIZE
THAT IN MANY RURAL COMMUNITIES THERE IS THE NEED FOR A PUMPER TO BE ABLE TO BOTH PUMP AND BE DRIVEN AT THE SAME TIME.
AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE WHEN A FIELD OF HAY, STRAW, CORN STALKS WERE ON FIRE AND YOU HAD TO TRAVERSE THE AREA.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME OF THE INNER COMMUNITY HOSE STRETCHING CONTESTS THE HOME TEAM OF FIREMEN WOULD TIGHTEN THEIR OPPONENTS HYDRANT CAPS SO THEY COULDN'T GET FIRST WATER ON A HOSE STRETCH.

OTHER THINGS THEY DID WAS TO GIVE THEM THE WRONG HYDRANT WRENCH AND HAD THE WATER PRESSURE DECREASED TO THEIR HYDRANT FROM A DISTANT VALVE.

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES HAD THE EXPENSE OF MAINTAINING A FIRE BRIGADE AND ALSO PAYING FOR INSURANCE LOSES THEY JUST KEPT RAISING THEIR RATES.
WHEN THE RATES GOT EXORBITANT AND THE PEOPLE STARTED TO REVOLT WAS WHEN THE POLITICIANS DECIDED THAT THE COMMUNITY BETTER TAKE OVER THE FIRE BRIGADE.

DO YOU KNOW

A TRAIN TIRE IS ITS WHEEL RIM,
IT WAS USED, AT TIMES, AS A FIRE ALARM BELL.

DO YOU KNOW
WHAT A PIGEON BOX IS?

IT IS A FIRE WATCH TOWER IN SYDNEY AUSTRALIA.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN ONE COMMUNITY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ISSUED A BICYCLE TO CHECK THEIR ALARM BOXES.
THEY HAD TO TEST THEM WEEKLY AND THE BIKE SPEEDED UP THE JOB.

DO YOU KNOW

In 1921, California passed a law forbidding wooden shingles on roofs but pressure from the roofing industry brought a repeal.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 426

2006-11-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 426

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
THE EARLY WOODEN AERIAL LADDER WAS RAISED JUST ON SHEER MANPOWER AS THE HELPER SPRINGS WEREN'T INVENTED YET.

DO YOU KNOW
NOT ALL POLES ARE BRASS.
THERE ARE ALSO GALVANIZED POLES

DO YOU KNOW
POLISHING POLES WASN'T JUST FOR LOOKS, IT WAS TO PROVIDE FOR A FASTER DESCENT. SOME OF THE "OLD TIMERS" USED TO WAX THEM SO US "WHIPPER SNAPPERS" WOULD REALLY ZIP DOWN.
IF WE GOT HURT IT WAS "TOUGH LUCK"

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME OF THE OLD LADDER TRUCKS, THE TILLER STEERING COLUMN WENT BETWEEN THE RUNGS OF THE GROUND LADDERS AS THEY WERE BEDDED IN A SINGLE STACK.
THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REMOVED BEFORE YOU COULD USE ANY GROUND LADDERS.
BACK IN THE 60s THE TRUCKS HAD TWO STACKS OF GROUND LADDERS AND THE COLUMN WENT BETWEEN THE TWO STACKS.THEREFORE, YOU COULD USE THE GROUND LADDERS WITHOUT HAVING TO PULL THE COLUMN.

DO YOU KNOW
OUR "FIRST ALARM DISTRICT" IN SOME COMMUNITIES IS CALLED
"FIRST IN TERRITORY"

DO YOU KNOW
ALL THE ARTICLES STATED THE QUICK HITCH WAS SUSPENDED FROM THE CEILING AND DROPPED ON THE HORSES.
IN ONE ARTICLE, IT STATED THAT THEIR QUICK HITCH WAS A
"SWING HARNESS DESIGN"

THERE WAS NO FURTHER EXPLANATION

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME EARLY COMMUNITIES IF THERE WAS A FIRE IN A HIGH VALUE DISTRICT OR ANY EXTRA ALARM YOU HAD TO RESPOND EVEN IF IT WAS YOUR OFF DAY.
YOU DIDN'T GET PAID FOR IT EITHER.

DO YOU KNOW

SINCE THE EARLY RIGS HAD METAL WHEELS , NO SPRINGS , THE ROADS WERE COBBLESTONE AND YOU HAD TO STAND UP WHILE HANGING ON ANYWHERE YOU COULD
YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT A JARRING RIDE IT WAS.
FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 425

2006-11-13T19:10:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 425

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW

THAT SOME OF THE EARLY FIRE ENGINES , THAT HAD BOOSTER TANKS WERE KEPT IN UNHEATED GARAGES.
THEREFORE THE TANKS WERE KEPT EMPTY IN THE WINTER AND HAD TO BE QUICKLY FILLED UPON AN ALARM OF FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW
IN THE EARLY DAYS, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, TO GET ON THEIR FIRE DEPARTMENT
YOU DIDN'T: HAVE TO TAKE A PHYSICAL
FILL OUT AN APPLICATION
HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK
TAKE A WRITTEN TEST
YOU DID:
HAVE TO BE BETWEEN 21 & 35 YEARS OLD
HAVE TO MEET WITH THE CHIEF( IF HE DEEMED YOU CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB, YOU WERE HIRED.
NOTE: ONE FACTOR WAS YOU HAD TO BE FIT ENOUGH TO SERVE IN THE ARMY

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT EXPRESSION DID YOU USE, WHEN YOUR RIG WENT TO THE REPAIR SHOP FOR A REPAIR AND WHILE IT WAS THERE, PARTS FROM YOUR RIG WERE APPROPRIATED FOR REPAIRS ON ANOTHER RIG.

"CANNIBALIZED"

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE EARLY DAYS, IN SOME COMMUNITIES IF YOU WANTED OFF AND THE DEPARTMENT HAD TO FILL YOUR POSITION FOR THAT DAY WITH AN SUPERNUMERARY (EXTRA TRAINED RECRUIT FIREMAN WAITING TO BECOME A REGULAR)
YOU HAD TO PAY HIM FROM YOUR POCKET.
NOT ALL DEPARTMENTS HAD SUPERNUMERARIES
WHEN THE REGULARS HAD THEIR THREE ONE HOUR MEAL BREAKS THE SUPERNUMERARIES FILLED IN, IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS IT APPEARS THEY JUST RAN SHORT.
THERE WERE NO SICK TIME,
INJURED ON DUTY OR VACATIONS
THE CHIEF COULD SUSPEND YOU FOR ANY OR NO REASON,
NO APPEAL
DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN THE EARLY WOODEN LADDER DAYS, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, EACH MORNING EQUIPMENT INSPECTION REQUIRED:
INSPECTION TO INSURE THERE WERE NO LADDER SPLINTERS
THE RUNGS WERE NOT LOOSE AND THAT ALL WOOD WAS COVERED BY SHELLAC WITH NO BARE SPOTS

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 424

2006-11-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 424

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW

SOME HANDPUMPERS WERE IN SERVICE FOR ALMOST 60 YEARS

DO YOU KNOW
IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT RELIED UPON THE TOWNSFOLK TO UNHITCH THEIR HORSES FROM THEIR DAILY WORK AND HITCH THEM TO THE FIRE RIG.
THEY FIRST PULLED THEM OUTSIDE AND WERE PREPARED TO PULL IT BY MANPOWER IN CASE NO HORSES BECAME AVAILABLE WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF SNOW THEY HAD FIRE SLEIGHS
IN ONE PICTURE IT SHOWED WHERE THE SLEIGH WAS IN THEIR ENGINE HOUSE ON ROLLERS.
THE ROLLERS LOOKED LIKE 15' SECTIONS OF A VERY NARROW LADDER WITH THE RUNGS BEING MOVABLE ROLLERS
DO YOU KNOW
SOME COMMUNITIES HAD A DESCENDING RATE SCALE $$$$ FOR RESPONDING COMPANIES.
THE FIRST ARRIVING COMPANY GOT THE HIGHEST RATE AND THE LAST THE LOWEST.

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHEN YOU HAD TO CALL THE REPAIR SHOP, WHAT DID YOU HATE TO REPORT, AS YOU KNEW THE REPAIR MAN COULDN'T FIX IT AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE RIGS.

COME ON OLD TIMER , THINK"

BROKEN SPRING"

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE BUCKETS USED IN THE BUCKET BRIGADE TO PUT WATER ON THE FIRE, BUT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT ANOTHER BUCKET.

I FOUND A PICTURE OF A BUCKET CART OWNED BY A PROTECTIVES COMPANY (SALVAGE)

ACCORDING TO THE CAPTION THEY WERE USED TO CARRY PERSONAL ITEMS FROM THE BURNING HOUSE.

DO YOU KNOW

ON SOME CHEMICAL ENGINES THE CHEMICAL TANKS WERE LATER REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A BOOSTER TANK.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 423

2006-11-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 423

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
THAT IN MANY DEPARTMENTS THERE IS A DIFFERENCE ON WHO HAS THE PIPE

VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS
(1) TRIAL MAN NOTE: SOME DEPARTMENTS HAD THE TRIALMAN BE THE SECOND MAN ON THE PIPE
(2) YOUNGEST MAN, IF NO TRIALMAN ON DUTY
(3) THE SENIOR MAN
(4) THE FIRST FIREMAN ASSIGNED TO THE ENGINE TO SIGN IN THAT DAY
(5) THE BOSS

DO YOU KNOW
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, BEFORE MASKS
YOU WENT IN TO THE SMOKY FIRE BY EATING AS MUCH SMOKE AS POSSIBLE, COUGHING AND PUKING UNTIL YOU COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. THEN YOU EITHER BACKED OUT OR WERE DRAGGED OUT TO GET A BREATH OF AIR, COUGHED AND PUKED SOME MORE AND WENT BACK IN.

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE EXPRESSION TO"HOOK HER"AND WHAT IT MEANT
TO CALL FOR AN EXTRA ALARM

DO YOU KNOW
WHAT "SUPERNUMERARIES" WERE
THEY WERE NEW RECRUITS WHO WERE TRAINED AT A FIRE STATION AND BECAME FIREMEN AS OPENINGS OCCURRED

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT IS "SKY JELLO"
PINK FIRE RETARDANT CHEMICAL THAT IS DROPPED FROM PLANES ON A FOREST FIRE

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT IS A"FIRELINE"
A STRIP OF LAND THAT HAS BEEN CLEARED OF ALL THE BRUSH TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THE FIRE
DO YOU KNOW
A REASON THAT SOME COMMUNITIES AT FIRST DIDN'T EVEN CONSIDER A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS THERE REALLY WASN'T ANY "WATER SUPPLY"

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OF THE ARTICLES ON MASKS INDICATE THAT DUE TO THE INTRODUCTION OF POISONOUS GASES DURING WORLD WAR 1, THE GOVERNMENT FELT THE NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESPIRATORS.

LATER THESE RESPIRATORS WERE USED BY THE FIRE FIGHTING SERVICE.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 422

2006-11-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 422

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOWOUR "FAST GETOUT"IS CALLED A"FAST PUSH OUT" IN SOME DEPARTMENTS
AND OUR"STRETCHES"ARE SOME DEPARTMENTS"LEAD OUTS"
AND OUR"WORKING FIRE " IS SOME DEPARTMENTS"HIT"AND ALSO A"JOB"
AND
DO YOU KNOW
WHILE WE HAD "COT WATCH" BACK IN THE 60s
OTHER DEPARTMENTS STILL HAD THE "WAKEFUL WATCH"
AND
WHILE OUR "SQUADS" CARRIED THE OLD RESUSCITATOR
OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAD THE "CHIEFS CAR" CARRY THEIRS
DO YOU REMEMBER
A "MEAT LOAF" WAS CALLED A "FOOTBALL"
DO YOU REMEMBER

HAVING TO BLEED THE AIR BRAKE TANKS ON THE OLD MACK ENGINES BACK IN THE 70s

DO YOU KNOW

IF THERE IS DEEP WATER, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WATER USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, ON AN UPPER FLOOR OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING, YOU CAN GET RID OF ALL THIS EXCESS WEIGHT BY SMASHING THE TOILETS AND THE WATER WILL DRAIN DOWN THE PIPES.

YOU DO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT DEBRIS DOESN'T FLOW DOWN THE PIPE TO PLUG IT UP.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN SOME DEPARTMENTS , ONLY THE CHIEF HAD THE AUTHORITY TO CALL IN AN EXTRA ALARM.

I "THINK"( I'M NOT POSITIVE AS I WAS STILL A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER AT THE TIME) THIS WAS THE POLICY BACK IN THE 60s ,
OR IF NOT THE OFFICIAL POLICY THERE WAS A RELUCTANCY FOR ANYONE ELSE TO CALL FOR AN EXTRA ALARM EXCEPT THE CHIEF.

GRADUALLY THE THINKING WAS IT WAS NOT VERY SMART TO HAVE PEOPLE HANGING OUT OF A BURNING APARTMENT AND HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CHIEF TO GET ON THE SCENE TO CALL FOR EXTRA HELP.
HE MAY BE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE DISTRICT.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 421

2006-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 421

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

DO YOU KNOW
THE ORIGIN OF THE MOLOTOV COCKTAIL THAT WE HAVE SEEN MANY, MANY TIMES DURING OUR YEARS ON THE JOB.

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was the head of the Soviet Council of People's Commissars (1930-1941) and Foreign Minister (1939-1949 and 1953-1956), and it is after him that the Molotov cocktail is named. It is unclear how this occurred; either the name was given by the Finnish resistance in 1939, or it was given by Soviet soldiers when Molotov began to mass-produce these weapons.

DO YOU KNOW
ONE DEPARTMENT HAD A RULE IN THEIR BOOKS STATING
NO SPITTING ON THE FLOOR
I GUESS THIS WAS BACK WHEN THEY HAD A LOT OF TOBACCO CHEWERS AND NO FUNDS FOR SPITTOONS

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THEY HAD MANY OF ITS TOWNS FOLKS THAT OWNED HORSES.
RATHER THEN HAVING THEIR DEPARTMENT OWNING OR RENTING HORSES FROM A STABLE,WOULD USE SOME OF THE TOWNS FOLKS HORSES AS THEY RESPONDED TO THE FIREHOUSE FOR AN ALARM.

DO YOU KNOW

ANOTHER WAY OF GETTING FUNDS FOR FIRE EQUIPMENT WAS TO FINE DISORDERLY SPECTATORS AT FIRES

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE VOLUNTARY DEPARTMENT IF YOU DID NOT SHOW UP FOR ROLL CALL OR WEREN'T PRESENT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING A FIRE, YOU WERE FIRED.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES THE PROPERTY OWNERS BANDED TOGETHER TO FORM A VOLUNTARY FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THEY HAD THE MOST TO LOSE

DO YOU KNOW

IT APPEARS THAT THE HOSE CARTS WERE LOADED BOTH WAYS (MALE FIRST AND FEMALE FIRST) ACCORDING TO EACH COMMUNITY AND WHETHER THEY STRETCHED FROM THE FIRE TO THE SOURCE OF WATER OR FROM THE SOURCE OF WATER TO THE FIRE.

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE THREE T's OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATION

T ELEPHONE
T ELEGRAPH
T ELL A FIREMAN......ESPECIALLY A CHIEFS DRIVER

DO YOU KNOW
THAT BEFORE THERE WERE PHONES, SOME DEPARTMENTS HAD THE MEN "KEYING" THEMSELVES IN QUARTERS ON THE REGISTER SYSTEM.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 420

2006-11-13T10:25:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 420

MY FINAL BLOG WILL BE NUMBER 435

HEY OLDTIMERS
BELOW ARE EIGHT NAMES FOR FIREFIGHTER FOLLOWED BY EIGHT COUNTRIES MATCH THE COUNTRIES WITH THE TERM THEY USE FOR FIREFIGHTER
SCROLL DOWN BELOW IF YOUR BRAIN IS TOO CLOGGED FROM
EATING ALL THOSE FRIED STEAK TRIMMINGS ON SATURDAYS "STEAK DAY"

ΠΥΡΟΣΒΈΣΤΗς
BOMBERO
POMPIER
FEUERWEHRMANN
POMPIERE
BRANDBESTRIJDER
BOMBEIRO
FIREFIGHTER

PORTUGUESE
DUTCH
ITALIAN
GERMAN FRENCH
SPANISH
NORWEGIAN
GREECE

ΠΥΡΟΣΒΈΣΤΗς.......................GREECE
BOMBERO..................... SPANISH
POMPIER..................... FRENCH
FEUERWEHRMANN........... GERMAN
POMPIERE.......................... ITALIAN
BRANDBESTRIJDER......... DUTCH
BOMBEIRO.......................... PORTUGUESE
FIREFIGHTER....................... NORWEGIAN

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES ,COMING TO THE END OF MY BLOG

2006-11-11T22:24:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES ,
COMING TO THE END OF MY BLOG

THERE ARE ONLY ABOUT 15 MORE ARTICLES IN MY DRAFT FOLDER FOR MY BLOG.
I WILL BE SENDING OUT MORE THEN ONE A DAY TILL I AM DONE.
IT HAS BEEN ENJOYABLE IN WRITING AND HAVING MANY OF YOU READING THE MANY ARTICLES I HAVE POSTED HERE. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THEM.

THE BLOGMASTER OF THIS SITE IS IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING AND IF IT DISAPPEARS JUST "GOGGLE " FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES
AND IT SHOULD POP UP.

IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS E-MAIL ME AT WISTUFF@COMCAST.NET

FIREFIGHTER
WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 419

2006-11-11T20:29:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 419

WE ARE ONLY PASSING THROUGH,
WE ARE THE GUARDIANS AND CUSTODIAN OF A 100 YEAR TRADITION.

THE MAN IN THE GLASS "
WHEN YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT IN YOUR STRUGGLE FOR SELF
AND THE WORLD MAKES YOU KING FOR A DAY,
JUST GO TO THE MIRROR AND LOOK AT YOURSELF
AND SEE WHAT THAT MAN HAS TO SAY

FOR IT ISN'T YOUR FATHER OR MOTHER OR WIFE
WHOSE JUDGMENT UPON YOU MUST PASS
THE FELLOW WHOSE VERDICT COUNTS MOST IN YOUR LIFE
IS THE ONE STARING BACK FROM THE GLASS

YOU MAY BE LIKE JACK HORNER AND CHISEL A PLUM
AND THINK YOU'RE A WONDERFUL GUY.
BUT THE MAN IN THE GLASS SAYS YOU'RE ONLY A BUM
IF YOU CAN'T LOOK HIM STRAIGHT IN THE EYE.

HE'S THE FELLOW TO PLEASE - NEVER MIND ALL THE REST,
FOR HE'S WITH YOU CLEAR TO THE END.
AND YOU'VE PASSED YOUR MOST DANGEROUS, DIFFICULT TEST
IF THE MAN IN THE GLASS IS YOUR FRIEND.

YOU MAY FOOL THE WHOLE WORLD DOWN THE PATHWAY OF YEARS
AND GET PATS ON THE BACK AS YOU PASS.
BUT YOUR FINAL REWARD WILL BE HEARTACHE AND TEARS
IF YOU'VE CHEATED THE MAN IN THE GLASS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 418

2006-11-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 418

DO YOU REMEMBER
AS A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER" ,IN THE 60s, PUTTING A RAG ON YOUR HEAD AND GOING UNDER YOUR COMPANIES RIG ON A CREEPER .
YOU HAD TO KEROSENE ALL THE GREASE AND OIL FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENTIRE RIG FOR INSPECTION.

THE GOOD OLD DAYS............."YEAH RIGHT"

DO YOU KNOW
IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THE LADDER TRUCK CREW WERE REFERRED TO AS "HOOKS"

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE YEAR 1770 THERE IS A RECORD OF A FIRE CAUSED BY A BOLT OF LIGHTENING.
IT WAS PUT OUT WITH A BUCKET OF MILK FROM A FARMER MILKING HIS COW.

DO YOU KNOW

DURING THE 1800s, IN SOME COMMUNITIES OUT WEST, THERE WAS A RELUCTANCE TO ORGANIZE A VOLUNTEER, FIRE DEPARTMENT AS MANY TOWNSFOLK FELT FIRE WAS AN ACT OF NATURE OR GOD

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST HOOK AND LADDER TRUCK THAT FORT WORTH TEXAS BOUGHT WAS SHIPPED BY TRAIN TO DALLAS.
IT WAS THEN PULLED BY VOLUNTEER FIREMEN 40 MILES TO FORT WORTH.
THE THINKING OF A TRUCK RATHER THEN A PUMPER WAS TO PULL DOWN THE SURROUNDING STRUCTURES RATHER THEN TRY TO EXTINGUISH THE ONE ON FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY, THEY SET UP THEIR TOP STRUCTURE TO HAVE TWO CLASSES OF FIRE OFFICIALS.
PRESIDENT OF THE FIRE WARD
HE FORMULATED POLICY AND HAD THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE A BUILDING BLOWN UP OR TORN DOWN.

FIRE CONSTABLE ALSO KNOW AS FIRE WARDS / WARDENS
THEY DIRECTED THE ACTUAL FIGHTING OF FIRES.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 417

2006-11-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 417

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THAT WAS SPREAD OVER A WIDE AREA, WITH BAD OR NO ROADS TO MANY AREAS,
THEY HAD TO LOAD THEIR FIRE APPARATUS ON A TRAIN TO GET AS CLOSE TO THE FIRE AS POSSIBLE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN DUBLIN IRELAND, IN THE YEAR 1305, THERE WAS AN ORDNANCE THAT IF YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR A FIRE YOU WOULD BE ARRESTED AND EITHER THROWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FIRE OR PAY A FINE OF 100 SHILLINGS

ALSO IN DUBLIN, MOST PARISHES HAD THEIR OWN FIRE ENGINES

DO YOU KNOW

THERE ARE MANY STORIES OF THE FIREMEN COMING BACK FROM A FIRE USING THE CHEMICAL ENGINE AND THEIR UNIFORMS WERE FULL OF HOLES, FROM THE SULFURIC ACID

DO YOU KNOW

IN DETROIT, BACK IN THE 50s, THERE WERE 12 BATTALIONS.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OLD TIME BOSSES HID PENNIES UNDER THE FENDERS OF THEIR RIG TO SEE IF THE DRIVER WASHED UNDER THERE.
ALSO THEY PUT THEM ON WINDOW AND DOOR LEDGES AND ON LOCKER TOPS TO TEST IF THE MEN DUSTED THERE

DO YOU REMEMBER

AN OLD ENGINE HOUSE MEAL OF "RING BALONEY"IF YOU REMEMBER THAT, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU CALLED "RING BALONEY"
"HORSE C--K" OR"DONKEY D--K"

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN DID THE THRILL SHOW START AT THE FIREMEN'S FIELD DAY.
I ONLY READ ONE REFERENCE TO THIS, AND IT STATED IT STARTED IN 1963

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE KNOTS YOU LEARNED WAY BACK THEN. I IMAGINE THEY HAVE CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WITH NEW ROPES AND METAL FASTENERS.

I THINK WE LEARNED
BOWLINE
BOWLINE AND A BIGHT
CLOVE HITCH
HALF HITCH
SQUARE KNOT
BECKET BEND
AGAIN , I'M NOT SURE.I DO KNOW THEY FOUND OUT, FROM MY CLASS, WHO WAS GOING TO BE SENT TO THE "OFU" AND THEY HAD TO TEACH THEM TO TIE THEIR SHOES.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 416

2006-11-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 416

DO YOU KNOW
THERE ARE PLENTY OF STORIES OF THE RELUCTANCY OF THE FIREMEN ON USING THE EARLIER MASKS.

THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE HISTORIC TRADITION OF "EATING SMOKE"

QUOTE FROM AN OLD FIRE DEPARTMENT ARTICLE..

."REAL FIREMEN DID NOT USE A MASK"

I CAN RECALL SOME OLD TIMERS IN THE 60s THAT I NEVER SAW WITH A MASK ON.

I REMEMBER SOME WOULD RATHER CRAWL IN A HOUSE FIRE ( WHERE THE AIR WAS A LITTLE BIT BETTER) THEN WEAR A MASK AND BE ABLE TO STAND UP .

PLASTICS CHANGED THIS FOREVER

DO YOU KNOW

IN MANY COMMUNITIES THE ONLY FIRE EQUIPMENT ISSUED WAS A FIRE HELMET, THE FIREMEN HAD TO BUY EVERYTHING ELSE

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE MID 1800s, MOST FIRE WERE STARTED FROM KEROSENE OIL LAMPS.

DO YOU KNOW

MANY COMMUNITIES HAD A RULE, THAT ONLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD DRAW WATER FROM THEIR CISTERNS.
PUNISHMENT FOR DISOBEDIENCE $25.00 OR 10 DAYS IN JAIL

DO YOU KNOW

ON SOME OLD COMPANY ROSTERS THE DESIGNATIONS WERE:
LADDER COMPANY:
FOREMAN,
TILLERMAN.......NOTE: TILLERMAN WAS AN ACTUAL TITLE
DRIVER
LADDERMAN

HOSE COMPANY
FOREMAN
DRIVER
PIPEMAN

CHEMICAL ENGINE
DRIVER
ENGINEER

COMBINATION (CHEMICAL & HOSE)
DRIVER
PIPEMAN

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT WAS ANOTHER TERM YOU USED FOR GETTING TRANSFERRED TO AN OUT SKIRTS COMPANY

"BOON DOCKS"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 415

2006-11-04T08:47:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 415

DO YOU KNOW
YOU CAN "BACK FILL AN ENGINE HOUSE"
EXPLANATION:
ENGINE 35 HAD A INCOMING WATER MAIN BREAK UNDER THEIR BASEMENT FLOOR.

THE WORKMEN BROKE OPEN THE CEMENT FLOOR TO LOCATE THE BREAK.
RATHER THEN PUT US OUT OF SERVICE AND DETAIL THE MEN ALL AROUND
THEY:
CLOSED OFF THE INCOMING WATER MAIN
THEY TOOK A GARDEN SIZE HOSE , WITH APPROPRIATE FITTINGS, AND HOOKED ONE END TO THE NEAREST HYDRANT AND THE OTHER END TO OUR OUTSIDE WATER FAUCET.

THEN THEY OPENED THE HYDRANT AND THE OUTSIDE FAUCET "BACK FILLING THE ENGINE HOUSE.

NATURALLY THE PRESSURE WASN'T GREAT BUT IT DID KEEP US IN SERVICE

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT THEY CALLED AN EARLY RADIO THAT FIREMEN USED, "WALKIE TALKIE"

DO YOU KNOW

ONE COMMUNITY HAD ONE OF THEIR ENGINES REPOSSESSED FOR LACK OF PAYMENT, THEY THEN REVERTED TO A HOSE COMPANY

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE EARLY TIMES, MANY FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAD A THREE MAN FIRE WATCH ,
TWO MEN PATROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ONE MAN IN THE ENGINE HOUSE . CIVILIANS EVENTUALLY TOOK OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHT WATCH FROM THE FIREMEN.

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST FIRE HELMETS WERE MADE OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL WHICH WAS BASICALLY CARDBOARD HEAVILY COATED WITH SHELLAC AND PAINT.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME COMPANIES, THAT HAD A TWO PLATOON SYSTEM CONSISTING OF 10 & 14 HOURS, CHANGED EVERY MONTH AND SOME EVERY WEEK.DAY (10 HOURS) TO NIGHT (14 HOURS).

LONG MONDAY WAS WHEN THE DAY SHIFT WENT TO NIGHT,
THEY THEN WORKED THE 24 HOURS. THE NIGHT SHIFT THEN GOT OFF.
I GUESS IT ALL BALANCED OUT IN THE LONG RUN.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME EARLY VOLUNTEERS STOPPED AT THEIR COMMUNITIES BORDERS AND WOULD WATCH AS A PLACE BURNED DOWN IN ANOTHER TOWN.

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT BOOK GUIDED YOU AT OUR UNION MEETING

"ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER"

DO YOU REMEMBER

IN THE "OLD DAYS" WHEN YOU SAID "INNER CITY" YOU MEANT INSIDE GRAND BLVD OR A CLOSE PROXIMITY

firefighter

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 414

2006-10-31T06:45:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 414

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE EXPRESSION

"HE'S UPSTAIRS, STUDYING THE CRACK IN THE CEILING"

DO YOU REMEMBER

CENTRAL SENDING OUT
12 BLOWS AT 8 O'CLOCK........NO SCHOOL
&
8 BLOWS AT 12 O'CLOCK.........TEST

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT WAS ANOTHER NAME FOR A "FFD".....(FIRE FIGHTER DRIVER)
A

"TRACTOR DRIVER"

DO YOU KNOW

I READ IN ARTICLES THAT IN THE 1950s THERE WERE PREDICTIONS THAT THE CITY WAS GOING TO TEAR DOWN HEADQUARTERS AS IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.

50 YEARS LATER, IT'S STILL STANDING.

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE EARLY 50s AND BEFORE

WHAT DID THE FIREMEN HAUL FROM THEIR ENGINE HOUSE BASEMENT, ON A DAILY BASIS AND WHAT DID THEY DO WITH IT.

COME ON OLD TIMER YOU ARE OLDER THEN I AM,
THIS WAS BEFORE I CAME ON THE JOB.

I KNOW YOU DID IT WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER"

THEY HAULED ASHES FROM THEIR COAL FURNACES AND THEY WERE PICKED UP DAILY.

THEY ALSO USED THEM TO FILL IN THE RUTS IN THEIR DIRT PARKING LOTS.
THE RUTS WERE CAUSED BY THEIR CARS WHEN THE DIRT TURNED TO MUD.

THE FIREHOUSES CONVERTED TO GAS FURNACES IN THE MID 50s

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT THREE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO IF YOU CATCH ON FIRE

STOP, DROP & ROLL

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY, IN THE EARLY 1800s THE ACTUAL TITLE OF THEIR CHIEF WAS "MASTER OF FIRE ENGINES"

DO YOU KNOW

ONE ENGINE HOUSE HAD THEIR FLOOR BUILT WITH A SLIGHT FORWARD SLOPE, SO THE HORSES COULD GET A FASTER GET OUT, PULLING THEIR STEAMER

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 413

2006-10-29T08:22:00.000-08:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 413

DO YOU KNOW
IN THE 50s
FRIDAY WAS "WINDOW DAY".....WASHING THEM
DURING THE 60s FRIDAYS WAS FISH DAY
SATURDAY WAS STEAK DAY &BRASS DAY .....POLISHING &FLUSH OUT DAY..... THE APPARATUS ROOM AND AT TIMES THE ENTIRE FIRST FLOOR
SUNDAY WAS RULES AND REGULATIONS DAY.....FROM 9 AM TO 10 AM (NOW 0900 TO 1000) TO LEARN WHAT YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO BEFORE YOU DID IT ANYWAY.
THERE WAS ALSO,GREASE DAY.....GREASE YOUR RIG
INSPECTION DAY.....SEMI ANNUAL OR ANNUAL INSPECTION DEPENDING ON WHEN YOU CAME ON THE JOB.
MONTH END DAY.... TABULATE THE RUNS FOR THE MONTH
YEAR END DAY... TABULATE THE RUNS FOR THE YEAR
BOSSES CHANGING UNIT DAY...IN THE 60s AND BEFORE, THE BOSSES CHANGED UNITS EVERY 6 MONTHS
HOSE CHANGE DAY.....CHANGE ALL THE LINE IN THE BED AS THE OLD COTTON LINE HAD A TENDENCY TO ROT.
SUMMER UNIFORM TO WINTER UNIFORM DAY.... CHANGING OF UNIFORMS WITH THE SEASON
WINTER UNIFORM TO SUMMER UNIFORM DAY.... CHANGING OF UNIFORMS WITH THE SEASON
PAYROLL DAY......$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
REFRIGERATOR DAY......CLEAN THE "OFU" FOOD OUT BEFORE IT TURNED GREEN
REFRIGERATOR DEFROST DAY.....GET RID OF WHAT THE "OFU" SAVED FOR SOUP AND NEVER USED
STOVE DRIP PAN DAY....WHICH WAS EVERY DAY FOR THE TRIALMAN
TRASH DAY.....IN THE EARLY DAYS YOU JUST DUMPED YOUR TRASH IN CANS IN THE ALLEY AND THE TRASH MEN PICKED IT UP. LATER ON YOU, ONCE A WEEK, BROUGHT YOUR TRASH RECEPTACLE OUT TO THE FRONT CURB ON "TRASH DAY"
LAUNDRY DAY.....WHEN THE DETROIT HOUSE OF CORRECTION PRISONERS CAME WITH THE ONE GUARD TO PICK UP OUR SHEETS, PILLOWCASE AND TOWELS IN THE 60s
SCHOOL CHILDREN DAY..... WHEN THEY SCHEDULED A VISIT
HYDRANT DAY.....INSPECTED, FLUSHED & PUMPED
WEED DAY.....WHEN WE HAD TO CUT ALL WEEDS AROUND THE HYDRANT WHEN THE PEOPLE DIDN'T DO IT.
BUG DAY........SPRAYING BY THE BUG MAN WITH BUG JUICE

DO YOU REMEMBER
"MAKEUP DAY"
THAT WAS THE DAY THE COOK TOLD YOU HE OVERSPENT HIS LAST DAY AND TODAY HE HAD TO MAKE IT UP.
SO YOU MAY BE EATING HOT DOGS AND MEAT LOAF THAT DAY.
SOME COOKS TRIED TO CLAIM EVERYDAY A MAKEUP DAY.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 412

2006-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 412

DO YOU KNOW
THE FIRST FOAM COMPOUNDS WERE MADE FROM
"ANIMAL BLOOD"

DO YOU KNOW
IN ONE COMMUNITY THE FIRE ALARM WAS THE BLOWING OF A HUNTING HORN, LATER THEY BEAT A LARGE DRUM.

DO YOU KNOW
BESIDES THE EARLY WOODEN HYDRANTS BEING FILLED WITH MANURE SOME WERE FILLED WITH SAWDUST TO GUARD AGAINST FREEZING

DO YOU KNOW
ALL HYDRANTS IN THE U.S. AREN'T LIKE OURS HERE IN MICHIGAN.
WE HAVE "DRY BARREL HYDRANTS" WITH THE WATER VALVE BELOW THE FROST LINE.
IN WARMER CLIMATES THEY HAVE "WET BARREL HYDRANTS" WHERE THE WATER VALVE IS AT THE OPENING

DO YOU KNOW
SOME EARLY ENGINE HOUSES ALSO HAD CELLS FOR POLICE LOCKUPS

DO YOU KNOW

FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THEY USED THE SECOND FLOOR OF ONE COMMUNITIES FIRE HOUSE AS A SCHOOL ROOM.
THEY HAD TO DISCONTINUE THIS PRACTICE DUE TO THE HORSE SMELL.

DO YOU KNOW
THE OLD FIRE COAT HAD A REMOVABLE INNER LINING THAT SOME GUYS REMOVED IN THE HOT SUMMER. THEY FIGURED SINCE IT WAS MADE JUST TO KEEP THE MEN OUT OF THE ELEMENTS AND NOT FOR FIRE PROTECTION IT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
AT LEAST IT WOULD BE COOLER IN THE SUMMER

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT DID THEY CALL, IN A HUMOROUS TONE, THE TRAINING SCHOOL
( NOW THE TRAINING ACADEMY)
IN THE OLD DAYS.

THE STRAININ SCHOOL.

FIREFIGHTER
WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 411

2006-10-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 411

DO YOU KNOW

AFTER THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON IN 1666 , THEY SET UP FIRE BRIGADES RIGHT NEXT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES
THE INSURANCE COMPANIES SET UP THEIR OWN FIRE BRIGADES AS WITH THE HIGH FIRE LOSSES THEY FELT THAT THEY COULD INCREASE THEIR PROFIT IF THEY CONTROLLED THE FIREMEN, RATHER THAN THE COMMUNITY.

THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF THOSE FIRE BRIGADES WERE THE SAVING OF PROPERTY

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE EARLY TIMES IN LONDON, FIREMEN CARRIED PORTABLE STANDPIPES . THESE WERE USED WHEN REMOVING THE WOODEN PLUG FROM THE WOODEN MAINS.
THEY THEN INSERTED THE STANDPIPE INTO THE UNPLUGGED HOLE.

PRIOR TO THIS THE FIREMEN DUG DOWN TO THE MAIN, IF THERE WAS A PLUG, THEY REMOVED IT, IF NOT THEY DRILLED A HOLE.

THE WATER FILLED THE DUG HOLE IN THE STREET. FROM THIS THEY EITHER FILLED THEIR BUCKETS, PUMPED THE WATER INTO THEIR ENGINE OR DRAFTED INTO THEIR ENGINE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN LONDON, PRIOR TO AERIAL LADDERS ON TRUCKS, THEY HAD WHEELED ESCAPE LADDERS.
THESE WERE AERIAL LADDERS THAT WERE ATTACHED TO CARTS AND WERE ON VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT TOWN.
SOME OF THESE ESCAPE LADDERS HAD AN ATTACHED CANVAS CHUTE ON THE UNDERSIDE ENABLING PEOPLE TO SLIDE DOWN.

DO YOU KNOW

IN EARLY LONDON THEIR RIGS DIDN'T HAVE ANY BELLS OR OTHER ALERTING DEVICES SO THE FIREMEN WOULD "SHOUT" TO THE PEOPLE TO CLEAR THE WAY.

FIRE CALLS THEN BECAME KNOWN AS "SHOUTS"
WHILE OURS WERE KNOWN AS "RUNS"

DO YOU KNOW
IN ONE COMMUNITY THEY ONLY HAD ONE PAID FIREMAN.
HIS JOB, UPON AN ALARM OF FIRE , WAS TO RUN TO THE FIREHOUSE, HITCH UP THE HORSES TO THE PUMPER AND RESPOND TO THE FIRE.
THE REST OF THE VOLUNTEERS RESPONDED TO THE FIRE AND NOT TO THE FIREHOUSE.

DO YOU KNOW

BACK IN THE 50s THE DETROIT FIRE DEPARTMENT SPONSORED A BEAUTY CONTEST TO REPRESENT THEM

WHAT WAS HER TITLE?

"MISS FLAME"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 410

2006-10-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 410

DO YOU KNOW
THAT SOME COMMUNITIES EXEMPTED THE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE "POLL TAX" (USED FOR THEIR ELECTIONS)

DO YOU KNOW
THAT IN ONE ARTICLE, IT LISTED ONE PUMPER SO LARGE AND HEAVY THAT IT TOOK 42 MEN TO PULL IT

DO YOU KNOW

SINCE SOME EARLY HAND PUMPERS WERE ONLY ABOUT 3 ' WIDE THEY COULD PULL IT INSIDE SOME BUILDINGS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN 1688, IN MASSACHUSETTS THERE IS ON RECORD OF THE VOLUNTEERS EXTINGUISHING A FIRE IN A WIGWAM ON THE MUDDY RIVER

DO YOU KNOW

BACK IN THE OLD DAYS (BEFORE I CAME ON) YOU HAD TO BUY YOUR OWN UNIFORM. THE CHIEF, UPON INSPECTION, COULD TELL YOU TO GET A NEW ONE, AS IT FAILED HIS INSPECTION.
THIS WAS REALLY A HARDSHIP ON THOSE THAT COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

SOME OF THE GUYS SUSPECTED SOME CHIEFS ABUSED THIS AUTHORITY. TO THE GUYS HE DIDN'T LIKE
IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE "OFU" CHIEFS AS OUR UNITS CHIEFS WERE REALLY GENTLEMEN.............."YEAH RIGHT"

DO YOU KNOW

THE RULE WAS: "WHOEVER SPITS IN THE SPITTOON HAS TO CLEAN IT UP".
BUT FROM THE OLDTIMERS I TALKED TO, THE TRIALMAN OR OTHER YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPERS CLEANED THE SPITTOONS, ALONG WITH THE FLOOR AND WALLS AROUND IT.
THEY SAID, SOME OLD CHEWERS JUST SPIT IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF THE SPITTOON, AFTER ALL THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO CLEAN IT.
A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER WAS ON DUTY

DO YOU KNOW
IN THE UNION PAPER FROM 1951 TO 1967 A FIREMAN WROTE A HUMOROUS DEPICTION OF LIFE AT THE FIRE HOUSE

QUESTIONS:
(1) WHO DID HE WRITE TO?
(2) HOW DID HE SIGN OFF?
(3) WHAT DID HE CALL A FIREMAN?
(1) LETTER TO UNCLE LOUIE
(2) FROM YOUR NEPHEW, JUAN MIXTUPFALLO
(3) FIREFELLER

DO YOU KNOW
SINCE THE EARLY FIREBOOTS DIDN'T HAVE STEEL SOLES, YOU WERE ISSUED LEATHER INSOLES .
THE ORDER WAS, YOU HAD TO HAVE THEM IN YOUR BOOTS TO PREVENT NAILS FROM GOING THROUGH.
NOTE: NAILS DID GO THROUGH THEM, THEN WE WENT TO "OLD RECEIVING HOSPITAL" FOR A TETNUS SHOT.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 409

2006-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 409

DO YOU KNOW
AT TIMES, THE FIREMEN WERE TOO EXHAUSTED FROM PULLING THEIR FIRE ENGINE TO IMMEDIATELY START PUMPING THE HAND BRAKES.
SOME OF THE OTHER RESPONDING MEN HAD TO PUMP WHILE THEY CAUGHT THEIR BREATH.
IN THE CASES WHERE THERE WASN'T ANY OTHER MEN, THEY HAD TO PUMP WHILE COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED, PEOPLE NEEDED THEM "NOW"

STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT :

RUNNING FROM WORK OR HOME, TO THE SOUND OF AN ALARM,
TO YOUR ENGINE HOUSE.RUNNING WHILE PULLING A LARGE HEAVY FIRE ENGINE.
PUMPING AT 60 STROKES A MINUTES TO APPLY WATER TO THE FIRE.
THEY DID IT ,FOR THEY WERE "FIREMEN"

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE OTHER VEHICLES, IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WERE BEING DRAWN BY HORSES, THE VOLUNTEERS WERE RELUCTANT TO HAVE HORSES PULL THEIR RIG AND CHANGE THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
ONLY WHEN THE SIZE, WEIGHT OF THE NEWER RIGS INCREASED AND THE COMMUNITIES EXPANDED MAKING THEIR FIRE RUNS LONGER DID THEY RELUCTANTLY GIVE INTO ACCEPTING THE HORSES.

DO YOU REALIZE

THE EARLY FIRE COATS WERE MORE TO PROTECT THE FIREMEN FROM THE ELEMENTS RATHER THEN THE FIRE.

EVEN IN THE EARLY 60s OUR FIRE COATS DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE THE PROTECTION OF TODAY'S FIRE COATS

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OF THE THINKING OF REPLACING THE 2 1/2 " LINE WITH 1 1/2 " LINE, AND GOING FROM A STRAIGHT STREAM PIPE TO A FOG NOZZLE FOR INTERIOR FIRE FIGHTING WAS

$$$ THE MANPOWER COST FACTOR $$$.
IT TOOK 2 TO 4 MEN TO MANEUVER A 2 1/2 " LINE IN A HOUSE WHILE IT ONLY TOOK 1 TO 2 MEN WITH AN 1 1/2 " LINE.

DID YOU EVER

FLUSH OUT A CEMENT TRUCK
WHILE WE HAVE FLUSHED OUT THOUSANDS OF HYDRANTS THROUGHOUT OUR YEARS WE ALSO HAVE FLUSHED OUT A CEMENT TRUCK

THE STORY:

BACK IN THE EARLY 60s A CEMENT TRUCK PULLED UP TO OUR ENGINE HOUSE ( LADDER 22) AND TOLD US THAT HE HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF CEMENT IN HIS CEMENT DRUM AND THE MOTOR TO TURN IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING .

HE SAID IF THE CEMENT STARTED TO HARDEN IT WOULD COST THE COMPANY QUITE A BIT TO CLEAN THE HARDENED CEMENT OUT .
HE MAY LOSE HIS JOB OR BE DOCKED FOR THE COST.

HE ASKED IF WE COULD FLUSH IT OUT FOR HIM.

NOT WANTING TO SEE HIM GET IN TROUBLE WE WENT TO AN EMPTY FIELD AND, WHILE STAYING IN SERVICE IN CASE OF A FIRE, WE FLUSHED THE DRUM USING AN 1 1/2 LINE HOOKED UP TO A HYDRANT.
WE EXPLAINED IF WE GOT A RUN WE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE AND FOR HIM TO RETURN THE LINE TO US IF WE COULDN'T MAKE IT BACK.
THIS CEMENT DRIVER WAS VERY GRATEFUL

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 408

2006-10-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 408

DO YOU KNOW

THAT "NATIVE AMERICANS"CALLED "CHEROKEE FIRE DANCERS" FIGHT WILDFIRES IN OKLAHOMA

DO YOU KNOW
"SHAG RAG" WAS THE NAME OF THE FIRST FIRE ENGINE THAT PHILADELPHIA BOUGHT IN THE YEAR 1718

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT YOU CALLED A FIRE THAT YOU RESPONDED TO A SECOND TIME
YOU WERE THERE BEFORE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT AFTER YOU LEFT, A SMALL FIRE STARTED AGAIN

TWO QUESTIONS "OLD TIMER"

(1) WHAT DID YOU CALL THAT SECOND FIRE
AND
(2 WHAT DID YOU CALL THE PLACE THE SECOND FIRE STARTED

(1) REKINDLE
(2) NEST

DO YOU KNOW
THE BACK OF OUR FIRE HELMET WAS , AT TIMES, CALLED A DUCKBILL OR BEAVERTAIL
DO YOU KNOW

THAT THE FIRST 911 CALL WAS MADE IN HALEY, ALABAMA IN 1968, IT WAS A TEST . THE FIRST CITY TO ACTUALLY USE THE SYSTEM WAS NEW YORK CITY IN 1972

DO YOU KNOW

That the first "professional" firefighters, from the French Army,were known as Sapeurs-Pompiers.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME COMMUNITIES HAD FIRE WAGONS, LOADED WITH BARRELS OF WATER, PULLED BY HORSES, AS A WATER SOURCE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN LONDON, THE FIRST FIRE BRIGADES WERE RECRUITED FROM THE RANKS OF SEAMEN

NOTE: IN RESEARCHING THE WORD "DECKIE", I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING ,ON THE WEB, TO INDICATE WHERE OR WHEN THIS TERM CAME INTO BEING, TO DEFINE DETROIT FIREMEN.

A CONJECTURE, ON MY PART, WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE IT CAME FROM THE TERM "DECKHAND" FROM THE RANKS OF THE SEAMEN.
MANY ARTICLES INDICATED THAT FIREMEN WERE RECRUITED FROM THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY
THEY WERE USED TO WORKING UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS, WORKING AS A TEAM ,BEING ABLE TO THINK ON THEIR FEET AND ADAPT TO CHANGING CONDITIONS .

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 407

2006-10-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 407

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OF THE THREE WHEELED TRACTORS, THAT PULLED THE OLD HORSE DRAWN LADDER TRUCKS, WHEN RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE STREETCAR TRACKS, GOT THEIR SINGLE WHEEL TRAPPED IN THE RUTS THAT RAN ON EACH SIDE OF THE TRACK.
THE FIREMEN HAD TO JACK THEIR RIG UP TO GET IT OUT.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME COMMUNITIES THAT HAD STEAMERS, DIDN'T KEEP THEM UP WHEN THEY DEVELOPED A WATER SYSTEM (MAINS WITH HYDRANTS), THE FIREMEN JUST CONNECTED HOSE TO A HYDRANT AND USED WHATEVER WATER PRESSURE THE HYDRANT PROVIDED

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OF THE EARLY RADIOS IN CHIEFS CARS WERE JUST RECEIVERS, YOU COULDN'T TRANSMIT FROM THEM.

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE MOST COUNTRIES HAVE A NATIONAL ANTHEM THAT CROATIA

( Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia)

HAS A FIRE SERVICE ANTHEM.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT A FIRE-STARTING CARTRIDGE WAS
IT WAS A CARTRIDGE CONSISTING OF KINDLING ,COAL AND WAX PAPER.
IT WAS USED BY SOME FIREMEN TO START THE FIRE IN THEIR STEAMERS.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME STREET FIRE ALARM BOXES ACTIVATED THE "BELLS" IN CHURCHES, ENGINE HOUSES AND THE CHIEFS HOUSE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES THE LADDERS AND BUCKETS WERE STORED IN THEIR CHURCHES.

DO YOU KNOW

ANOTHER NAME FOR FIRE WARDENS WERE CHIMNEY VIEWERS

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 406

2006-10-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 406

DO YOU KNOW
SOME FIRE STATIONS HAD A STEAM WHISTLE TO SOUND AN ALARM, AS IT COULD BE HEARD FOR MILES.
BUT THERE WAS A DOWNSIDE TO THIS.
FOR THE SYSTEM TO WORK, A STEAM BOILER HAD TO BE IN CONSTANT OPERATION, WITH A PERSON TO MAINTAIN IT.
THE STEAM WHISTLE WAS ABANDON FOR A LOCOMOTIVE BELL

DO YOU KNOW
ON GOING DOWN HILL WITH A HAND PULLED HOSE CART, THE MEN , AT TIMES, HAD TO TURN THE RIG AROUND AND BACK DOWN.
THE ROPES USED TO PULLED THE CART WERE NOW USED TO HOLD IT BACK.

DO YOU KNOW
MANY TIMES THE ONLY SOURCE OF WATER WAS THE HORSE WATERING TROUGHS

DO YOU KNOW

THE EARLY FIREMEN USED A PIKE POLE OR A METAL HOOK AND CHAIN TO SNAG FURNITURE FROM INSIDE A BURNING STRUCTURE AND DRAG IT OUTSIDE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN 1847 , SOLDIERS FROM DETROIT, ON THEIR WAY TO FIGHT IN THE MEXICAN WAR WERE FORCED INTO FIRE SERVICE AT A FIRE IN TOLEDO, OHIO.

DO YOU KNOW
A PROBLEM AROSE WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANIES (DUE TO HIGH FIRE LOSSES) CAMPAIGNED FOR COMMUNITIES TO CHANGE FROM A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT TO A PAID ONE.
THEY WERE ADVOCATING THE DESTRUCTION OF THE VOLUNTEERS WAY OF LIFE.

THE DANGER WAS THAT THE VOLUNTEERS COULD ALL RESIGN AS A SIGN OF PROTEST THEREBY RENDERING THE COMMUNITY WITH NO FIRE DEPARTMENT

DO YOU KNOW
SOME VOLUNTEERS ORGANIZED A GROUP OF BOYS AND YOUNG MEN TO HELP IN PULLING THE APPARATUS, LAYING AND PICKING UP LINE AND OTHER FUNCTIONS AROUND THE FIREHOUSE. BUT THEY WERE FORBIDDEN TO FIGHT FIRES.
THEY WERE CALLED "RUNNERS"IN SOME CASES, AS THE RUNNERS GREW IN NUMBER AND AGE THEY WOULD PETITION TO ALSO BECOME A SEPARATE ENGINE COMPANY

DO YOU KNOW

ARSON WAS SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE EARLY DAYS, THAT MANY NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS CALLED FOR THE "DEATH PENALTY"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 405

2006-10-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 405

DO YOU KNOW

That a "Steam Engine Company" consisted of a
Captain,
an Engineer,
Engine Driver,
Reel Driver,
a pipe man,
a fireman
and two runners.and that
A Hook and Ladder Company was made up of a
Captain,
Steersman,
Driver, Coal Cart Driver
and seven runners

.DO YOU KNOW
THAT IN SOME COMMUNITIES THE ALARM SYSTEM ,CONSISTING OF THE FIRE ALARM BOXES TRANSMITTING A SIGNAL TO THEIR CENTRAL OFFICE THEN FORWARDED IT TO THE VARIOUS FIRE STATIONS, WHICH WAS THEN READ AS STREET LOCATIONS WAS CALL A:
"JOKER SYSTEM"

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT A "TWO BUNK HITCH" WAS, BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS.
IT WAS A CONTEST IN WHICH:

Two men going from their beds, hitching the horse team to the fire wagon and reaching a designated point in the least amount of time possible.

DO YOU KNOW
BELOW IS A DESCRIPTION OF ONE COMMUNITIES CISTERNS
WOOD LINED WATER TANKS12 ' DEEP16 ' X 16 ' OPENINGTOPPED BY 4 " LUMBER
SIDES WERE LINED WITH3 " LUMBER
CAPACITY23 GALLONS

DO YOU KNOW

IN DETROIT, IN THE YEAR, 1880 THERE WAS A HOOK AND LADDER HOUSE, KNOWN AS "FIREHOUSE NO. 5", ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF RUSSELL AND CALDOUN (SINCE CHANGED TO ERSKIN)
EAST OF THE FIREHOUSE WAS THE "FIRE DEPARTMENT SUPPLY STABLES.
NORTH OF THE FIREHOUSE WAS A "HORSE HOSPITAL AND TRAINING TRACK".

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 404

2006-10-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 404

VARIOUS ORDINENCES AND RULES FROM ONE COMMUNITY
Section 5
The Superintendent may order the removal of any building, erection or fence for the purpose of checking the progress of any fire and with the advise of the Mayor or two members of the Fire Department shall have power to blow up or cause to be blown up with powder or other substance any building or erection for the purpose of extinguishing or checking a fire.

Section 7
The Board of Fire Department when necessary shall appoint for each fire engine one competent mechanical engineer who shall operate and keep said engine in good condition and repair and generally do and perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Fire Department.
Each engineer so appointed shall receive for his service the sum of Fifty Dollars per month. Section 8 The engineer of any fire engine shall be at all times except when on duty in the immediate vicinity of the engine house and shall devote his entire time and attention to the duties of his office.
He shall be a sober practical mechanic and mechanical engineer and shall take care that the engine and hose under his charge are always in order and ready for instant use and shall make all necessary repairs to the same. Section 10 In addition to the duties heretofore prescribed each member of the Board of Fire Department shall acquaint himself with the place or places where supplies of water can be obtained in his ward for the extinguishment of fire therein and on alarm of fire he shall report himself to the Officer in Command and direct him to the nearest and most practicable place where water can be procured for that purpose. The Board of Fire Department shall also take care that all public cisterns are kept well supplied with water.

Section 14
In order to prevent injury to the hose from passing vehicles when necessarily laid across any street or alley it shall be the duty of the mechanical engineer of any steam fire engine to provide timbers or some other contrivance to protect the same.
Section 15
The driver of any vehicle who shall drive over any hose when necessarily laid across any street or alley except when the same is protected and covered as above provided shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction thereof be fined not less than fire nor more than one hundred dollars.
Section 18
The Fire Companies shall consist of not less than twenty nor more than thirty men for each fire engine including hose carriages but a greater number may be enrolled for instruction discipline and with a view of becoming members of a Fire Company whenever the Board of Fire Department shall determine that in the interest of the City such additional enrollment is necessary. Hook and Ladder Companies shall consist of not less than eight nor more than fifty members. .

A true copy of theOriginal Ordinance asPassed by the Boardof Aldermen July 14th, 1884

Section 5.
The members of said Fire Department shall receive as compensation for their services when in actual attendance upon a fire within said City of Marshall, assisting in the management of said fire apparatus and in extinguishing a fire under the directions of said Chief of Fire Department, the sum of Three Dollars for the Chief and Two Dollars and Fifty Cents each for the other members of said Fire Department for each and every day or part of a day so employed; provided the bill for such services shall first be endorsed as "Correct" by the Chief of said fire department who shall certify that the services were actually rendered by the members in whose favor said bill is presented.
Said members of said fire department shall be allowed per drill, above provided for, the sum of One Dollar per month provided that any member who shall neglect to drill shall receive no compensation under this ordinance.
Section 7.
The Chief of said fire department is hereby vested with police power to be exercised at a fire, and may arrest any person interfering in any manner with the use of said fire apparatus during a fire.
A true copy of the Original Ordinance as Passed by the Board of Aldermen November 8, 1889 FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 403

2006-10-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 403

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?
IT'S A "MUD PICK"

THIS TOOL WAS USED TO PICK CLAY FROM HORSES HOOFS.

THE HORSES WERE SHOD THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH.

DUE TO STANDING ON WOODEN FLOORS, THEIR HOOFS BECAME DRY AND HAD TO BE PACKED WITH "WET" CLAY FOR THREE OR FOUR NIGHTS.
"DRY" CLAY HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CRACKS IN THE HORSES HOOFS TO PREVENT SORE FEET

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 402

2006-10-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 402

DO YOU KNOW.

BEFORE WE HAD HEADLIGHTS, THE OLD TIME FIREMEN HAD LANTERNS TO LIGHT THEIR WAY AND AT THE FIRE SCENE.

ABOVE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF THE OLD FIRE LANTERNS

THE GLASS IN DIFFERENT LANTERNS , BESIDES BEING CLEAR,
WERE ALSO RED, GREEN AND BLUE

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 401

2006-10-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 401

DO YOU KNOW

THE ABOVE ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF THE STAFFS USED BACK IN THE EARLY TIMES.
A WHITE ONE WAS USED BY A "FIRE COMMISSIONER
A RED ONE WAS USED BY A FIRE WARDEN.

THEY WERE USED AS A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY AT THE FIRE SCENE AND ALSO, WHEN NECESSARY ,TO THUMP SOMEONE THAT GOT UNRULY.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 400

2006-10-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 400

DO YOU KNOW

THAT BACK IN THE EARLY TIMES, SOME OPERA HOUSES / PLAY HOUSES, DURING THEIR PERFORMANCES, HAD FIREMEN STAND BY AT THE NEAREST FIRE HYDRANT WITH HOSE AND NOZZLE

DO YOU KNOW

ORIGINALLY, WHEN THE CHURCH BELLS RANG FOR A FIRE, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS FIREMEN TURNED OUT. AS COMMUNITIES GREW , A CODE OF SIGNALS WAS ARRANGED WHERE ONLY THE FIREMEN IN THAT DISTRICT RESPONDED.
THE FIREMEN CARRIED A CARD WITH ALL THE CODES ON THEM.

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT CHANGED TO A PAID ONE, THE MEN WERE OFFERED EMPLOYMENT.
NATURALLY SOME WERE BUSINESSMEN, POLITICIANS OR HAD BETTER JOBS THEN THE ONE OFFERED. OTHERS ACCEPTED, AS IT WAS A MUCH BETTER OPPORTUNITY THEN WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

DO YOU KNOW

MANY EARLY VOLUNTEER COMPANIES WERE FORMED THROUGH A COMMON BOND. THE BOND BEING THE SAME POLITICAL VIEWS, BUSINESS ASSOCIATES, ETHIC BACKGROUND, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION, AND VARIOUS OTHER INTERESTS.

DO YOU KNOW

THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO A FIRE ENGINE THAT CARRIED "CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHING MATERIALS" AND THIS WAS LISTED AS "CARBON TETRACHLORIDE" (WHICH WAS POISONOUS)
NOTE: THE ONLY CARBON TETRACHLORIDE EXTINGUISHER I HAVE COME ACROSS IS JUST A SMALL ONE ( ABOUT A ONE TO TWO QUART SIZE)
THERE WASN'T ANY MENTION OF THE QUANTITY OF THE CHEMICAL THAT THIS RIG CARRIED, TO BE CLASSIFIED AS HAVING THEIR PRIMARY EXTINGUISHING AGENT "CARBON TETRACHLORIDE".

DO YOU KNOW

THE OLD TWO WHEEL HOSE CART, PULLED BY MEN, GRADUALLY CHANGED TO A FOUR WHEEL HOSE CART, WITH FOUR MEN RIDING, AND HORSES PULLING.

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE REFERENCE, I READ OF THE OFFICER OF THE ENGINE COMPANY, NOT ONLY WAS HE IN CHARGE OF HIS COMPANY, BUT ALSO OF THE MEN AND OFFICER OF THEIR ACCOMPANYING HOSE CART.

DO YOU REMEMBER

GOING TO THE TRAINING SCHOOL, WHEN YOU FIRST CAME ON THE JOB, AND THE CLASSROOM WAS ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

THE RULE WAS, YOU COULD USE THE STAIRS TO GO UPSTAIRS BUT THE STAIRS WERE "OFF LIMITS TO GO DOWN.YOU SLID THE "POLE".

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 399

2006-10-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 399

A rendering of the first fire engine manufactured in the U.S. - 18th century, from "Ye Olde Fire Laddies" by Herbert Asbury, 1930NOTE ; THERE WERE OTHER FIRE ENGINES IN THE U.S. PRIOR TO THIS BUT THEY WERE IMPORTED AND NOT BUILT HERE.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 398

2006-10-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 398

DO YOU KNOW

MANY EARLY "FIRE BRIGADES" WERE STARTED WITH JUST A FEW LADDERS, PAILS AND AN OLD STEEL TIRE FROM A TRAIN.
THIS WAS HUNG FROM A WOODEN FRAME FOR THEIR ALARM.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES IT WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FIRE WARDEN TO EXAMINE AND CLEAN THE CHIMNEYS ONCE A MONTH

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THEY HAD WATER RESERVOIRS THAT FED THE MAINS DURING THE NORMAL EVERYDAY FUNCTIONS.
WHEN THERE WAS A FIRE, A PUMP STATION WITH A STEAM BOILER PROVIDED HIGHER WATER PRESSURE.

DO YOU KNOW

DURING THE "BUCKET BRIGADE" ERA BESIDES USING BUCKETS, THEY USED COAL SCUTTLES, MILK CANS AND TUBS.

DO YOU KNOW

IN 1825 THERE WAS A MASK OF ASBESTOS THAT WAS WORN OVER THE HEAD FOLLOWED BY A WOVEN IRON WIRE MASK.

DO YOU KNOW

ONE OLD TIME MASK HAD AN ATTACHED WHISTLE IN CASE YOU NEEDED HELP

DO YOU KNOW

IN 1666 THE FIRE BRIGADE WAS FORMED IN LONDON, BUT IT TOOK 200 YEARS (1865) BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT GOT INVOLVED

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE UNITED STATES, MOST FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE CONTROLLED LOCALLY, WHILE IN SOME OTHER COUNTRIES THERE ARE CONTROLLED NATIONALLY

DO YOU KNOW

IN ANCIENT ROME, FIREMEN WERE CALLED "VIGILES"

DO YOU KNOW

ONE REASON THAT THE EARLY FIREHOUSES WERE JUST SHEDS IS THAT THEY WERE JUST USED TO STORE THE APPARATUS.
THE VOLUNTEERS HAD THEIR MEETING AT TAVERNS OR HALLS TO EAT AND DRINK. ONCE THE FIREMEN WANTED MORE OF A PRIVATE CLUB ATMOSPHERE THEY WENT TO THE BUILDING OF A FIREHOUSE.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 397

2006-09-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 397
DO YOU KNOW
THERE ARE STORIES OF THE PRE MASKS DAYS WHERE THE
FIREMEN SPENT MOST OF THE TIMES, AT SOME FIRES, ON
THEIR STOMACHS FIGHTING THOSE FIRES.

THIS IS WHERE THE AIR WAS THE BETTER THEN WHEN YOU
STOOD UP.

REMEMBER AND RESPECT THE REAL OLD TIMERS WHEN ALL
THEY HAD WAS OLD STIFF 2 1/2 " LINE , NO MASKS, AND
JUST GUTS TO PUT OUT A FIRE.

DO YOU REALIZE

THAT AN ENGINEER ,DURING THE HORSE ERA MAY HAVE BEEN
HIGHLY SKILLED AT RESPONDING WITH A ONE HORSE , TWO
OR EVEN A THREE HORSE TEAM, BUT WAS A NOVICE WHEN
THE MOTORIZED ERA CAME INTO BEING.

IN MANY CASES THEY WERE REPLACED BY SOMEONE THAT
WAS AN EXPERIENCED MOTORIZED VEHICLE DRIVER

DO YOU KNOW

MANY FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE OLDER THEN THE CITIES THAT THEY ARE LOCATED IN.
MANY STARTED IN AREAS THAT WERE JUST WHISTLE STOPS / TRAIN STATIONS THAT EVENTUALLY EXPANDED INTO COMMUNITIES AND THEN CITIES.

DO YOU KNOW

BESIDE USING AN OLD TRAIN TIRE TO STRIKE IN SOUNDING AN ALARM OF FIRE SOME COMMUNITIES USED THE TRAINS BRAKE SHOE AS THEIR "GONG"

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY, IF YOU WERE A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN YOU RECEIVED AN EXEMPT CERTIFICATE THAT NOT ONLY EXEMPTED YOU FROM JURY DUTY BUT ALSO FROM "POLL AND ROAD TAXES"

FIREFIGHTER
WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 396

2006-09-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 396

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THE FIRST MAN TO REACH THE FIREHOUSE UPON AN ALARM AND UNLOCK THE DOORS, GOT A TOKEN SUM.
THIS WAS TO PROVOKE THE FIREMEN TO RESPOND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, ONLY THE DRIVER OF THE HORSE / HORSES RESPONDED TO THE FIREHOUSE,
THE FIREMEN RESPONDED TO THE FIRE TO AWAIT HIS ARRIVAL

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THERE WAS A RELUCTANCE TO FORM A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THE TOWNSFOLK CONSIDERED FIRE AN ACT OF NATURE OR "GOD"

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, THEY HAD AN ORDER TO STOP THE CONSUMPTION OF WATER ONCE AN ALARM OF FIRE WAS SOUNDED.

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES,DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THE FIREMEN WERE ON A PATROLLING NIGHT WATCH AND ALSO SOME WERE ISSUED GUNS AND AMMO.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME COMMUNITIES HAD VERY HIGH WATER PRESSURE. IN SOME, THEY FOUND IT UNNECESSARY TO PURCHASE PUMPERS,
THEY JUST BOUGHT HOSE CARTS.
THEN THEY BUILT HOSE HOUSES (SHEDS) THROUGHOUT THEIR TOWN.

DO YOU KNOW
SOME COMMUNITIES STORED THEIR FIRST FIRE HAND PUMPER / HOSE CARTS IN THEIR LIVERY STABLE.

DO YOU KNOW

A RECORDED HOSECART RACE:

12 MEN PULLED A 1345 LB HOSECART
200 YDS
TO A HYDRANT
AND
LAID 100 YDS OF HOSE
AND
GOT WATERIN 58 SECONDS
THINK ABOUT THAT OLDTIMERS,
THAT'S TWO FOOTBALL FIELDS,

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 395

2006-09-25T07:47:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 395

FROM A WEB SITE

NOT DETROIT

The City's first overall pay structure for the Fire Department was established in 1889 to attract veteran talent from throughout the country.
The City Charter Amendment allowed for the payment of firemen then known as Foremen and Extramen:
Foremen received $12.50 per month
Extramen were paid $10.00 per month.
Engine Drivers and Hose Carriage Driver ($75.00 per month)
made considerably more because of their additional responsibilities.
But top pay was reserved for Engineers ($100 per month)
who had the duty of maintaining the fire steamers. As the fire team left its quarter to respond to an alarm, the Engineer rode on the rear step of the steamer.
His first job was to ignite the boiler.
A change in the work schedule.
Firemen went from working 24 hours a day 28 days in a row with one day off, to 12 hour rotating shifts on a 28 consecutive day schedule with two days off

.DO YOU KNOW
SOME EARLY FIRE TRUCKS WERE CALLED "FIRE ESCAPES"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 394

2006-09-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 394

FROM A WEB SITE
"Ran With the Old Machine"'
Twas old time rocks in the glorious days
When Saxie held the pipe,
With never a thought of pay or praise,
And for fracas or fire was ripe.

What tales that ancient house could tell
Which faced the village green
Where they came at the clang of the fire call
To run with the old machine.

They were strenuous men in the days of yore,
When the ploughman left his farm
And the grocer locked his little store
To get out on the first alarm.

The blacksmith leaves his unfinished job
When the first red gleam is seen,
And the mason drops his trowel and bob
To run with the old machine.

When the winter's nights were long and cold
And the winds blew shrill outside,
What songs "were sung" and stories told
Around the fireplace wide;

And they moistened their whistles now and then
With a swig from the same canteen
As they drank success to the red-shirt men
Who ran with the old machine.

The red-shirt man was a soldier, too,
And risked his life as well
As his comrade who wore the faded Blue
And faced the shot and shell.
When Gabriel's trump awakens them all,
Can you draw the line between
The man who tramped at his country's call
Or ran with the old machine

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 393

2006-09-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 393

FROM A WEB SITE
How The Steamer Worked

To put it simply, the steamer was a large tea kettle, in which the exhausting steam forced pistonsto turn a pump which increased the water pressure and propelled it out the hose to the nozzle.

While in the firehouse, the water in the boiler was kept just below the boiling point by a gas jet
on an arm which could be swung away. The fire box under the boiler held coal, kindling, and
wood shavings. An acid-filled bottle controlled by a series of chain and pulleys went to the
drivers seat.

The stalls in the firehouse did not have doors. The horses were so well trained that they just
stood in their stalls. Harness for the horses was suspended over the hitches in front of the
apparatus. When an alarm would come in, the engineer would ring a bell (now outside the
present alarm room). The horses would leave their stalls and go to their proper places.

Whenthe horses were in place, the engineer would pull a rip and the harness would fall into place on the horses back. It would be quickly buckled. The driver would swing the gas jet clear of the boiler jump in the seat and pull the chain which would spill the acid on the wood shavings
starting a fire in the fire box that ignited the coal.
As the rig was being driven to the fire a draft would be created and the boiler would have enough pumping steam pressure in 3-4 minutes.
At
the fire, the steamer would be hooked to the hydrant "steamer fitting" with suction hose. The
pump would start pumping, and the horses led away to a safe secure area. A disciplinary note
was given to one of the early Professionals because of his failure to lead the horses away. It
seems that either a spark from the steamer or from the fire landed on the horses rump, the
horse skittered and pulled the steamer off the hydrant.
FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 392

2006-09-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 392

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE OLD FIREMEN'S FIELD DAY TICKET STAND.
I JUST DREW THIS TO BRING BACK MEMORIES.
( I COULDN'T FIND ANY PICTURES OF ONE.)

NOTE : THAT TRIANGULAR TABLE TOP WAS ATTACHED BY HINGES , I SHOWED IT APART SO YOU COULD SEE THAT SMALL HARD SEAT WE SAT FOR HOURS ON.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 391

2006-09-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 391

DO YOU KNOW
WHILE THE EARLY STEAM ENGINES WERE PULLED BY HORSES, LATER SOME WERE ALSO DRIVEN BY STEAM.

THEY WERE BIG AND ALSO VERY HEAVY.

A PROBLEM AROSE, IN SOME COMMUNITIES, WHERE THEIR BRIDGES COULDN'T SUPPORT THE WEIGHT .
SOME WERE SO HARD TO STEER THAT IT TOOK TWO MEN TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.

DO YOU KNOW
HOW VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES CAME INTO BEING.
THE COMMUNITY WOULD PASS AN ORDNANCE THAT ALLOWED THE MEN TO ORGANIZE IN EACH DISTRICT / WARD.

UPON THE MEN ORGANIZING, THEY SUBMITTED THEIR LIST OF MEN FOR APPROVAL TO THE COMMUNITIES LEADERS

THEN A CONSTITUTION WAS SET UP WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND BYLAWS. THEN OFFICERS WERE CHOSEN.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT SOME COMMUNITIES IMPOSED A FINE FOR A FIRE VIOLATION AND IT WAS THEN DOUBLED IF THAT VIOLATION WAS NOT CORRECTED WITHIN 48 HOURS.

DO YOU KNOW
THAT PRIOR TO EXTENSION LADDERS, IF A LONGER LADDER WAS NEEDED AT A FIRE THE MEN JUST LASHED TWO LADDERS TOGETHER.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT SOME VOLUNTEERS WERE PAID A CERTAIN AMOUNT JUST FOR RESPONDING TO A FIRE RUN AND IF IT TURNED OUT TO BE A "WORKING FIRE" AN AMOUNT PER HOUR.

DO YOU KNOW

IN ONE COMMUNITY THE FIREMEN ALSO HAD THE JOB OF TRASH PICKUP AND RESPONDED TO FIRES FROM THOSE DUTIES.
IT'S SORT OF LIKE WE ALSO MAINTAIN HYDRANTS DID HOUSE INSPECTIONS INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS, SURVEY INTERIOR BUSINESS AND ABANDONED DWELLING, ETC.

FIREFIGHTER WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 390

2006-09-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 390

DO YOU KNOW
THAT FOR PARADES SOME FIREMEN HAD A TORCH ATTACHED TO THEIR HELMETS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 389

2006-09-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 389

DO YOU KNOW
THERE WERE WOODEN FIRE HYDRANTS BEFORE METAL ONES.
ABOVE IS AN EXAMPLE.
NOTE: THEY WERE FILLED WITH MANURE TO KEEP FROM FREEZING

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 388

2006-09-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 388

DO YOU KNOW
WHAT THESE ARE..
BACK IN THE 60s EVERY ENGINE HOUSE HAD THESE, EITHER IN THEIR BASEMENT OR ATTIC.
THEY ALSO HAD FIRE BOOTS. THE BOOTS WERE THE HIGH ONES, BUT VERY THINLY MADE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY LINING OR INSOLES.

I ONLY SAW A FEW OF THE WHITE HELMETS AS MOST OF THE EQUIPMENT CONSISTED OF THE BLACK HELMETS ,FIRE COATS. AND THE BOOTS

NOTE: I HAD TO CREATE THESE PICTURES AS I COULDN'T FIND ANY.

FROM WHAT I COULD FIND OUT, THESE WERE ISSUED DURING THE WORLD WAR TWO ERA.
LATER, DETROIT HAD A CITY DEPARTMENT GARAGE SALE.

THE APPARATUS DIVISION CAME AROUND WITH THEIR TRUCKS AND PICKED EVERYTHING UP.

POINT OF INFORMATION:

MANY OF US WORE THIS EQUIPMENT THAT WEEK IN JULY "1967"
DURING THE RECALL, WE WERE TOLD TO REPORT TO THE NEAREST COMMAND POST TO OUR ENGINE HOUSE .
I RAN AT ENGINE 31 AND OUR COMMAND POST WAS ENGINE 42.

NATURALLY WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR FIRE GEAR WITH US SO WE WENT TO THE BASEMENT AND GRABBED THE CIVIL DEFENSE STUFF.
FROM MANY OF THE PICTURES IN THE NEWSPAPERS PEOPLE SAW US IN THESE CLOTHES AND PROBABLY FIGURED WE WERE FROM THE CIVIL DEFENSE OR AUXILIARIES.
WHILE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME CIVILIANS, MOST WERE JUST REGULAR FIREMEN USING THIS FIRE GEAR UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR OWN.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 387

2006-09-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 387

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS TOOL IS
IT'S A TOOL USED BY FIREMEN IN THE FOREST SEVICE
FIREMAN ED PULASI INVENTED IT
IT'S HALF MATTOCK AND HALF AX

IN THE 1920s IT WAS RECOGNIZED AS A VERY USEFUL TOOL AND WAS WIDELY ACCEPTED

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 386

2006-09-16T23:30:00.000-07:00

“to see more depression scrip from Michigan, go to www.depressionscrip.com”.

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 386

DO YOU KNOW
WHEN I CAME ON THE JOB (IN 1962) I HAD HEARD FROM REAL OLD TIMERS ABOUT THE CITY OF DETROIT AND THE ISSUANCE OF "SCRIP" ,DURING THE DEPRESSION YEARS.
MOST OTHER CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES ALSO ISSUED SCRIP.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD, THE FIREMEN WERE PAID IN SCRIP.
BEING A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER" I JUST OVERHEARD THE CONVERSATION AND DIDN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
AT THAT STAGE OF MY CAREER I WAS :"LOWER THEN WHALE SHIT"

FROM VARIOUS WEB SITES
ABOVE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF DETROIT SCRIP.

DEPRESSION SCRIP
History has shown time and again, that people will turn to money substitutes whenever official money of the realm disappears from commerce. The Great Depression was certainly no exception. Depression scrip offers a colorful and enriching look at this sad time in our history.
Scrip became necessary during the Great Depression because legal tender was simply in short supply. This was caused by a variety of factors including widespread bank failures, President Roosevelt’s declaring a banking holiday which shut down many banks at least temporarily in response to the failures, delinquent taxes at the local level, and a general unwillingness by those in possession of currency to spend it.Scrip was the solution for many local governments that still had bills and employees to pay and merchants who needed to keep the wheels of commerce grinding along.

Depression scrip was used in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Mexico.
Scrip was issued by city and county governments, school districts, private merchants and
merchant associations, and various unemployment relief organizations. Scrip was printed on paper, wood, leather, rubber, fishskin, and even shells!_________________________________________________
Most depression scrip was issued between 1931 and 1934. The issue was normally backed by deposits in a bank or by anticipated tax receipts. The success of an issue depended primarily upon the willingness of merchants and the public to accept it. As you can imagine, scrip may not have always spent at its face value when legal tender was available as an alternative.Its use declined in the mid-1930’s as the government was able to get more legal tender into circulation._____________________________________________scrip, temporary substitute for money, securities, or other valuable claims. Business enterprises and municipalities have at times, especially when short of cash, paid employees in scrip, and communities have facilitated trade by using it. Various devices have made it acceptable, e.g., a store that would receive it in exchange for goods. The term scrip has also been applied to money of fractional denominations, and to gift certificates and the like that can be used to pay for purchases from stores, restaurants, and other businesses.___________________________________________

The Depression of 1929 was a hard time for the residents of the Grand Traverse region.
Banks were closed for a while, money was in short supply, and many people lost their jobs. Scrip “money” issued by the City of Traverse City attempted to propel the economy. Directions on the scrip “this certificate must be exchanged at least once a week” indicate that officials were fearful the scrip would be put away and not spent. Presumably the scrip was to be accepted by local merchants, the success of this program is not known. The Grand Traverse area was fortunate because there were many nearby farms to supply food and most people had relatives or friends who were still farming and could share meat, vegetables, and fruit. While jobs were scarce, the Oval Wood Dish Factory employed many people (including the editor’s grandfather Harold Feiger, who made 11 cents an hour). The Depression lingered in the area into the late 1930s. Many men headed south to the automobile plants near Detroit, which began to increase production as the build-up to World War II began.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 385

2006-09-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 385

DO YOU KNOW
WHILE MOST CITIES HAVE FIRE HYDRANTS THAT THEY MAINTAIN , THERE ARE ALSO SOME PRIVATE ONES THAT THE VARIOUS COMPANIES MAINTAIN ON THEIR PROPERTY

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES, A FIRE ASSOCIATION FORMED AMONG A SELECT NUMBER OF "MEMBERS" ,WITH THEM ONLY RESPONDING TO A FELLOW MEMBERS HOUSE FIRE..
IT APPEARS, THAT ONCE THE REALIZATION OF A FIRE SPREADING FROM NON MEMBERS TO MEMBERS HOUSES BECAME APPARENT, THIS FORM OF FIRE ASSOCIATION WAS ABANDONED.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT THE EXPRESSION "LIGHT EARLY" WAS
IT WAS IN REFERENCE TO WHEN YOU LIT THE FIRE IN THE STEAMER TOO SOON, BEFORE THE MEN AND HORSES WERE READY TO RESPOND.

WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE SMOKE FILLED THE ENGINE HOUSE, NECESSITATING THE WASHING OF THE WALL UPON RETURNING.
YOU TRIED TO LIGHT THE FIRE JUST AS YOU WOULD BE EXITING THE DOORS

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT A LUNGMOTOR WAS.

IT WAS AN EARLY RESUSCITATOR.

DO YOU REALIZE

THAT THE EARLY STREETS, WHILE HAVING NAMES , DIDN'T HAVE A STREET SIGN ON EVERY CORNER.
THEREFORE, THE FIREMEN HAD TO REALLY KNOW THEIR DISTRICT

DO YOU KNOW

THE REASON FOR THE HIGH MANPOWER ( 9 TO 11 FIREMEN ) ON THE OLD NON AERIAL LADDER TRUCKS WAS IT TOOK THAT MANY MEN TO RAISE THE HEAVY GROUND LADDERS

DO YOU KNOW

SOME OLD LADDER COMPANIES HAD A HOSE CART ASSIGNED TO THEM, FOR RUNS ,IN CASE AN ENGINE DIDN'T ARRIVE FAST ENOUGH.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 384

2006-09-13T07:51:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 384

DO YOU KNOW
SOME OF THE OLD LONG NOZZLES WERE COVERED IN STRING.
FROM WHAT I CAN SURMISE, IT WAS TO INSULATE AGAINST THE HOLDING OF A COLD PIPE.
ALSO IT PROVIDED A BETTER SURFACE TO GRIP, VERSES METAL.
WHEN THE STRING WORE OFF, IT WAS A SIMPLE MATTER OF REPLACEMENT .
DO YOU KNOW
WHAT TYPE OF DOORS, AND THEIR FORCIBLE ENTRY, DID US OLD TIMERS LEARN ABOUT IN THE TRAINING SCHOOL THAT , I DON'T THINK, THE YOUNG WHIPPER SNAPPERS DON'T LEARN ABOUT TODAY.

I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I DON'T THINK THESE DOORS ARE DISCUSSED, AS THERE AREN'T MANY AROUND ANYMORE.
THINK OLDTIMER, THINK

REVOLVING DOORS
SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN STORES HAD THEM AND TO GET A LINE THROUGH THEM THEY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED.

THEY WERE VERY EXPENSIVE DOORS AND FROM WHAT WE LEARNED THE "CURVED GLASS" SURROUNDING THE DOORS WERE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, SO YOU DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT BREAKING THE GLASS

AS I CAN RECALL, THE FOUR SECTIONS OF A SET OF REVOLVING DOORS WERE TIED TOGETHER AND WE, SOMEHOW, WERE ABLE TO BREAK THEM INTO TWO PAIRS. THEN RATHER HAVING FOUR DOORS, 90 DEGREES FROM EACH OTHER WE GOT TWO PAIRS, PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER..

I CAN'T RECALL EXACTLY HOW WE DISCONNECTED THEM.
IT WAS 42 YEARS AGO AND AFTER LEARNING IT AT SCHOOL I NEVER HAD TO DO IT.

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE THEY USED LARGE PILLOWS FOR A LIFE NET FOR THE PEOPLE TO JUMP INTO.

DO YOU KNOW
IN THE EARLY COLONIAL TIMES, THERE WAS A FIRE FIGHTING FORCE PRIOR TO A POLICE FORCE.

DO YOU KNOW

WHY A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO YOU HEARD ABOUT "HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS" AND NOW YOU DON'T.

IT WAS FOUND, IN ITS PRODUCTION, TO HARM THE EARTHS OZONE LAYER.

FIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 383

2006-09-10T08:37:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 383

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS
IT'S A "DETROIT DOOR OPENER"
I COULDN'T FIND ANY INFORMATION ON IT, OTHER THEN THE NAME AND PICTURE.
I NEVER SAW IT ON ANY RIG IN THE 6Os
LIKE ANY TOOL, ONE CAN USE THEIR INGENUITY TO FIGURE OUT VARIOUS WAYS TO UTILIZE IT.
YOU COULD FORCE THE TWO SIDE JAMS APART TO CLEAR THE BOLT (THROW)

IF THERE WAS ANY BLOCK , GRATE TO HOOK THE PRY BAR INTO, YOU COULD EITHER FORCE THE DOOR IN OR BY HOOKING THAT BRACKET ON THE END, TO THE DOOR HANDLES, PULL THE DOOR OUT, BOTH TO JUST CLEAR THE BOLT AND NOT WREAK THE DOOR.

NOTE: THERE IS A BUTTON ON THE BRACKETED PART OF THE TOOL, THIS WAS PROBABLY TO ADJUST THE LENGTH.
I SAW ONE PICTURE OF IT'S USE AND IT WAS ON A BUSINESS DOOR.
I HAVE AN INCLINATION THAT THIS TOOL WAS USED ON HEAVY COMMERCIAL DOORS THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO HEAVY DAMAGE TO BY USING A BATTERING RAM
BACK IN THE 60s, WE COULD HAVE USED THIS TOOL TO "BORROW" THE "OFU'S" STAPLES FROM THEIR CUPBOARD RATHER THEN PULLING THE HINGE PINS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 382

2006-09-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 382

"THE OLD SLOP SINK"
HOW COULD ANYONE FORGET THIS.
I DON'T RECALL WHERE THIS ONE WAS BUT IT LOOKS IN REASONABLY GOOD CONDITION.
AT THE ENGINE HOUSE I STARTED AT (ENGINE 31) IT WAS PITTED, WORN, GOUGED, SCRAPPED CHIPPED AND CHUNKED.
I NEVER HEARD OF A SLOP SINK BEING REPLACED. BACK THEN OUR JOB AS A TRIALMAN WAS TO KEEP IT CLEAN, REMEMBER THOSE DAYS.
YOU WOULD SCRUB AND SCRUB AND SCRUB SOME MORE AND NEVER BE ABLE TO GET IT TO LOOK GOOD.
YOU DID CLEAN IT THE BEST YOU COULD AND THEN WHEN YOU WALKED AWAY ONE OF THE REGULAR GUYS WOULD DUMP A BUCKET OF DIRTY WATER IN IT.
YOU SAID #@$%&*%$
NOTE YOU DIDN'T SAY IT TOO LOUD AS YOU WERE JUST A TRIALMAN AND YOU KNOW WHAT TRIALMAN WERE DON'T YOU

"LOWER THEN WHALE SHIT"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 381

2006-09-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 381

FROM A WEB SITE
The Fire Horse's Prayer
To thee, my Firefighter Master, I offer my prayer.
Feed me, water and care for me, and, when the fire is put out, provide me with shelter, a clean, dry bed and stall wide enough for me to lie down in comfort.
Always be kind to me.
Your voice often means as much to me as the reins.
Pet me often, so that I may serve you the more gladly and learn to love you.
Do not jerk the reins, and do not whip me when going uphill.
Never strike, beat, or kick me when I do not understand what you want, but give me a chance to understand you.
Teach me gently not to fear the smoke and flames and clanging of the fire bells.
Watch me, and if I fail to do your bidding, see if something is not wrong with my harness or feet. Do not check me so that I cannot have free use of my head.
If you insist that I wear blinders, so that I cannot see behind me as it was intended I should, I pray you be careful that the blinders stand well out of my eyes.
Do not overload me, or hitch me where water will drip on me.
Keep me well shod.
Examine my teeth when I do not eat; I may have an ulcerated tooth, and that, you know, is very painful.
Do not tie my head in an unnatural position, or take away my best defense against flies and mosquitoes by cutting off my tail.
I cannot tell you when I am thirsty, so give me clean, cool water often.
Save me, by all means in your power from that fatal disease - the glanders.
I cannot tell you in words when I am sick, so watch me, that by signs you may know my condition.
Give me all possible shelter from the hot sun, and put a blanket on me, not when I am working, but when I am standing in the cold.
Never put a frosty bit in my mouth; first warm it by holding it a moment in your hands.
I will pull the steamer or hose wagon without a murmur, and wait patiently for you long hours of the day or night as you save lives.
Without the power to choose my shoes or path, I sometimes fall on hard pavement which I have often prayed might not be of wood or brick, but of such a nature as to give me safe and sure footing.
Remember that I am ready at any moment to lose my life in your service, for I now am also firefighter.
And finally, OH MY FIREFIGHTER FRIEND, when my useful strength is gone, do not turn me out to starve or freeze, or sell me to some cruel owner, to be slowly tortured and starved to death; but do thou, My Friend, take my life in the kindest way, and your God will reward you here and hereafter.
You will not consider me irreverent if I ask this in the name of Him who was also born in a stable.
AMEN--
Author Unknown

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 380

2006-09-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 380

DO YOU KNOWTHIS WAS ANOTHER METHOD OF PUTTING THE HARD SUCTION ON THE RIG
NOTICE IT IS A ONE PIECE SUCTION.
TWO OTHER METHODS WERE
HOOKED TO THE REAR AND DRAPED TO THE FRONT
HOOKED TO THE FRONT AND DRAPED TO THE REAR

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 379

2006-09-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 379

DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT BADGES, THE NUMBER OF TRUMPETS AND THEIR DESIGNATIONS.
BATTALION CHIEF.................. 2 TRUMPETS
ASSISTANT CHIEF.....................3 TRUMPETS
DEPUTY CHIEF..........................4
TRUMPETS CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT......... 5 TRUMPETS
NOTE; IN THE FIREFIGHTING DIVISION THE BACKGROUND IS WHITE FOR BATTALION CHIEF,
THEN THE REST ARE BLUE
IN THE OTHER DIVISIONS THE BACKGROUND IS RED

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 378

2006-09-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 378

DO YOU KNOW
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPERS" , WE JUST HAD THAT LONG BAR TO HOLD ON DURING A RUN.
SOME RIGS ( NOT HERE IN DETROIT) HAD THESE "IRON STRAPS" FOR THE GUYS.
I CAN SEE WHERE IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER WHEN PUTTING ON YOUR MASK HARNESS AS YOU COULD SLIP AN ARM THROUGH THE STRAP WHILE PUTTING IT ON.
WITH THE BAR, AT TIMES, (NOT AT THE "BAD BUMPS " OR TURNING CORNERS) YOU WOULD HAVE TO LET GO OF EVERYTHING JUST STANDING THERE ON THE REAR PLATFORM OF YOUR SPEEDING RIG AND STRAP YOUR HARNESS ON.
REMEMBER WHEN THEY CHANGED FROM THOSE SMALL MSA CANISTERS AND WENT TO THE HEAVY STEEL AIR TANKS .
IF YOU WERE "SLINGING IT ON YOUR BACK JUST AS YOUR RIG WAS TURNING A CORNER YOU ALMOST FELL OFF.........................
THE GOOD OLD DAYS......YEAH ....RIGHT
NOTE: THE STRAPS ARE CALLED "SUBWAY STRAPS"
THEY WERE CALLED THAT AS THE COMPANY THAT MADE THEM MADE THEM FOR SUBWAYS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 377

2006-09-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 377

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE OLD OUTRIGGERS,
NOT THE NEWER OUTRIGGERS THAT YOU JUST PUSH A BUTTON AND THEY GO DOWN.
YOU REMEMBER, OLD TIMER,
THESE YOU HAD TO WORK TO GET DOWN.
REMEMBER, FIRST YOU:UNHOOKED THAT CHAIN ( AT TIMES THE OUTRIGGER SWUNG AND BASHED YOUR SHINS)
THEN YOU:PULLED THAT HANDLE, WITH ONE HAND WHILE PULLING THE BEAM TO CLEAR THE PIN HOLE SO THE HANDLE WOULDN'T RESET IN THE PILOT HOLE
THEN:YOU PULLED THE BEAM ALL THE WAY OUT
FINALLY YOU TURNED THE TWO HANDLES ON THE OUTRIGGER SHAFT TO SET THE PLATFORM ON THE GROUND.
THEN YOU RAN AROUND THE OTHER SIDE AND DID THE SAME OPERATION TO THAT OUTRIGGER .
OK, OLD TIMER, NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE OUTRIGGERS SET,
RAISE THE STICK,
GRAB AN AX AND CHOP A HOLE IN THE ROOF.
OUR GUYS ARE BAKING IN THERE

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 376

2006-09-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 376

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

.FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 375

2006-09-02T06:15:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 375

DO YOU REMEMBER
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

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 374

2006-09-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 374

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 STATE 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 HOSES 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.

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 YOU WERE ABLE 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 ENGINE 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

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 373

2006-08-31T07:51:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 373

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

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 372

2006-08-30T08:43:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 372

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

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 371

2006-08-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 371

DO YOU KNOW

ON ONE VERSION OF THE MALTESE CROSS THERE ARE 5 FIRE RELATED ITEMS IN THE CENTER.
WHAT ARE THEY ,OLD TIMER. DO NOT LOOK AT THE ABOVE PICTURE
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 ABOVE.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 370

2006-08-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 370

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"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 369

2006-08-26T07:11:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 369

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 HAS 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"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 368

2006-08-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 368

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
ABOUT BADGES, AND: THE NUMBER OF TRUMPETS AND THEIR DESIGNATIONS.
BATTALION CHIEF.................. 2 TRUMPETS
DEPUTY CHIEF.......................... 3 TRUMPETS
ASSISTANT CHIEF..................... 4 TRUMPETS
CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT......... 5 TRUMPETS

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

EVERY BADGE NUMBER OF THE FIREMEN KILLED
ON
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001
WAS RETIRED, NEVER TO BE ISSUED AGAIN.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 367

2006-08-23T07:20:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 367

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 POINT 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, 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 YORKMAKE

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 366

2006-08-22T07:14:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 366

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 THEIR 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.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 365

2006-08-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 365

DO YOU KNOWWHY FIRE PREVENTION WEEK IS OBSERVED IN OCTOBER?"

REPRINTED FROM A WEB SITE"
Fire Prevention History

The history of National Fire Prevention Week has it roots in the Great Chicago Fire, which occurred on October 9, 1871. This tragic conflagration killed some 300 people, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,000 structures. The origin of the fire has generated speculation since its occurrence, with the fact and fiction becoming blurred over the years. One popular legend has it that Mrs O'Leary was milking her cow when the animal kicked over a lamp, setting the O'Leary barn on fire and starting the spectacular blaze. How ever the massive fire began, it swiftly took its toll, burning more than 2000 acres in 27 hours. The city of Chicago quickly rebuilt, however, and within a couple of years residents began celebrating their successful restoration to memorialize the anniversary of the fire with festivities.
Intending to observe the fire's anniversary with a more serious commemoration, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (FMANA), the oldest membership section of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), decided that the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire should be observed not with festivities, but in a way that would keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention.
When President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire PreventionWeek, October 4 - 10 1925, he noted that in the previous year some 15,000 lives were lost to fire in the United States. Calling the loss "startling", President Coolidge's proclamation stated, "This waste results from the conditions which justify a sense of shame and horror; for the greater part of it could and ought to be prevented... It is highly desirable that every effort be made to reform the conditions which have made possible so vast a destruction of the national wealth".
NFPA continues today to make National Fire Prevention Week a priority and counts on the participation and efforts of tens of thousands of fire and safety professionals, emergency volunteers, and other individuals working to reduce the risk of fire and the toll it takes on our society.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 364

2006-08-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 364

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 YOU 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 HAPPEN 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 SO 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.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 363

2006-08-18T06:56:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 363

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

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

(3) 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"

(4) 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"

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 362

2006-08-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 362

DO YOU KNOW

WAY BACK THEN ,IN HIGH BUSINESS DISTRICTS, TWO INSURANCE PATROL WAGONS RESPONDED

DO YOU KNOW

SALVAGE COVERS, SIZE AND WEIGHT
EARLY COVERS 20' X 20' 40 LBS
LATER COVERS 20' X 20' 27 LBS

DO YOU REMEMBER

BEING TAUGHT TO FUNNEL WATER OUT OF A WINDOW USING ONE SALVAGE COVER AND ONE LADDER?
YOU ROLLED UP TWO SIDES OF THE COVER AND LAID IT ON THE LADDER.YOU FORMED A CHUTE TO FUNNEL POURING WATER FROM AN ABOVE FLOOR OUT OF A WINDOW.

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE PORTABLE CISTERN WE LEARNED HOW TO MAKE AT THE TRAINING ACADEMY.
YOU REMEMBER WE USED ONE SALVAGE COVER , DRAPED IT OVER A SPLIT 20' EXTENSION LADDER AND ONE STRAIGHT BEAM LADDER ON THEIR EDGE .

THEY WERE CONNECTED WITH SPANNER BELTS TO FORM A TRIANGLE

COME ON OLD TIMER , THINK
NO, NOT "TARP COVERED LADDERS"
CATCH ALL, OLD TIMER, CATCH ALL
DO YOU KNOW
WHY THE SALVAGE COMPANIES CARRIED SAWDUST ?
THEY USED IT TO: PREVENT THE SPREAD OF WATER AND SOAK IT UPALSO TO DIVERT THE WATER FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER.

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHEN ONE OF OUR FIREMEN GOT INJURED AND WAS HOSPITALIZED AT OLD RECEIVING HOSPITAL.
SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN ENGINE HOUSES WOULD TAKE AN ENGINE HOUSE MEAL TO THEM AT CHOW TIME TO SHOW THEM OUR SUPPORT.

DO YOU KNOW

BEFORE THE "QUICK HITCH" THE HORSES HAD TO WEAR THEIR HARNESSES ALL DAY FOR A FAST GET OUT.

DO YOU KNOW

THE CENTER HORSE, IN A THREE HORSE HITCH, WAS RELEASED FROM HIS STALL, A FEW SECONDS PRIOR TO THE RELEASING OF THE OTHER TWO HORSES..

THIS WAS TO ALLOW HIM TO GET INTO POSITION AND NOT INTERFERE WITH THE TWO OUTSIDE HORSES.

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT WAS THE "OFFICIAL NAME OF OUR "LIME GREEN COLOR "
"NATIONAL SAFETY YELLOW"

DO YOU KNOW

THERE ARE PICTURES OF FIRE ENGINES WITH:SNOW PLOWS MOUNTED ON THEIR FRONT AND DUEL TIRES ON THEIR FRONT AS WELL AS THEIR BACK

DO YOU KNOW
IN SOME SMALL COMMUNITIES YOU COULD BE FINED IF YOU USED WATER FOR HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES DURING A FIRE.
THIS WAS DUE TO LOW WATER PRESSURE. AND PUTTING OUT A FIRE WAS DEEMED MORE IMPORTANT THEN HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 361

2006-08-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 361
DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN 1868 THERE WAS A UNION GENERAL THAT ORGANIZED THE NEW YORK FIRE DEPARTMENT ALONG THE LINE OF A MILITARY UNIT, WITH BATTALIONS AND DIVISIONS.

FROM THIS IT SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE STATES TO WHERE NOW ALL ARE MILITARY FASHION ORGANIZATIONS.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT IT APPEARS THAT WHEN TWO COMPANIES REACHED A CORNER FROM OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AND NOW WERE RACING DOWN THAT SAME STREET IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT THERE WAS NO
"STATE OF BEING PASSED"

BEING PASSED AND THE HUMILIATION ONLY CAME WHEN ONE COMPANY WAS AHEAD OF ANOTHER AND WAS TRULY PASSED BY ANOTHER.

A "TRICK" USED TO PASS ANOTHER COMPANY WENT LIKE THIS.

ENGINE # 2 WANTED TO HUMILIATE ENGINE # 1
ENGINE # 2 HAD A GROUP OF THEIR MEN HIDING AT ABOUT THE HALFWAY POINT OF A SMALL FIRE THAT THEY STARTED.
THEY LET ENGINE # 1 GAIN THE LEAD.
AT THAT HALFWAY POINT THE FRESH NEW CREW FROM ENGINE # 2 JUMPED OUT FROM HIDING AND NOW "PASSED" ENGINE # 1s EXHAUSTED CREW.

DO YOU KNOW
THAT BACK THEN THEY HAD WASHING CONTESTS.

EACH ENGINE HAD 15 MINUTES TO TRY TO WASH THE OTHER ENGINE ( HAND PUMP MORE WATER THEN THE OTHER ENGINE COULD PUMP OUT

TRICKS THEY USED

ENGINE # 1 WOULD HAVE THE LINE STRETCHED TO ENGINE # 2 AND BE READY TO HAND HOLD IT INTO THEIR TUB

REMEMBER THERE WAS NO INLET TO THE ENGINE, THE RELAYING ENGINE JUST HELD IT IN THE TUB.

ENGINE # 1 WOULD FOLD THE END OF THEIR LINE AND THEN PUMP A NUMBER OF STROKES TO FILL THE LINE.
WHEN THE LINE WAS FILLED IS WHEN THEY WOULD STICK IT IN ENGINES # 2s TUB.

THE RIGHT WAY WAS TO START WITH A COMPLETELY EMPTY LINE STUCK IN THE TUB.

ANOTHER TRICK WAS ENGINE # 2 WOULD HAVE HOLES DRILLED IN THE BOTTOM OF THEIR TUB AND THESE HAD PLUGS IN THEM.
IF IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO WASHED

( WATER SPILLING OVER THE TOP)

THEY WOULD PULL A COUPLE OF PLUGS AND HAVE SOME WATER SPILL FROM THE BOTTOM, THEREBY NOT BEING WASHED
SEE, OLD TIMERS, EVEN WAY BACK THE THEY HAD A CONNIVING "OFU"

DO YOU KNOW
THAT BACK THEN THEY HAD A CODE OF HONOR THAT NO LARGER CLASS HANDPUMPER WOULD TRY TO "WASH" A LOWER CLASS HANDPUMPER. THEY CHALLENGED WITHIN THE SAME CLASS.

DO YOU KNOW

THESE 4 NAMES OF OLD BREATHING APPARATUS

PRONTO RESPIRATOR
DRAEGER RESPIRATOR
LUNGMOTOR
GIBB'S PACTYPE BREATHING APPARATUS

DO YOU KNOW

WHAT IS A "SACK COMPANY" ?
A SALVAGE PATROL OR INSURANCE PATROL

WHAT IS A "CANVASMAN" ?

A SALVAGE PATROL MAN ON THE BACK

DO YOU KNOW

IT APPEARS THE SALVAGE PATROL DID BUILDING INSPECTIONS BACK THEN, LIKE OUR FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU.
SOME EARLY FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAD THE ENGINE HOUSE CAPTAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING INSPECTIONS IN THEIR OFF DUTY HOURS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 360

2006-08-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 360

DO YOU KNOW

THERE WAS ANOTHER OLD BREATHING DEVICE USED IN DETROIT, BESIDES THE CHEMOX AND MSA SMOKE MASKS.
I COULDN'T FIND ANY PICTURES OF ONE BUT SOME OF THE OLDER RETIREES DESCRIBED IT.
IT CONSISTED OFA SET OF GOGGLES,NOSE CLIPS,MOUTH PIECE THAT WAS ATTACHED TO A SMALL AIR TANK
THERE WAS ONLY ONE AND THE LADDER TRUCK CARRIED THEM .
ALSO, THE GUYS THAT I TALKED TO WENT THEIR WHOLE CAREERS AND NEVER WORE IT.
REMEMBER, BACK THEN THEY WERE TRULY "LEATHER LUNG GUYS" AND YOU IRON MANNED IT AND ATE SMOKE, A WHOLE LOT OF SMOKE.
DO YOU REMEMBER
WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU DID WHEN YOU GOT BACK FROM A FIRE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW ZERO .
POUR HOT WATER ON THE SNAPS OF YOUR FIRE COAT SO YOU COULD GET IT OFF.
IF YOU HAD TO "TAKE A LEAK" YOU POURED THAT HOT WATER REALLY FAST.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE REAL OLD FIREHOUSES RATHER THEN BEING DRAB DORMITORIES HAD CARPETING , CARVED AND UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE AND SOME EVEN HAD EXTENSIVE LIBRARIES

DO YOU KNOW
SOME OLD CALLS THROUGH THE TRUMPET
"HUMP IT TO ER"
"FIRST STREAM ON"
"SNAKE ER UP ON THE SIDEWALK, BOYS

DO YOU KNOW

LOCAL WOMEN WOULD BRING HOT COFFEE TO THE FIRE AND THE FIREHOUSE AFTER A FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME LARGE BUCKETS HAD "EARS" ON THEM THAT THE MEN USED TO PASS POLES THROUGH TO CARRY TO THE FIRE

DO YOU REMEMBER

BEING PUSHED OFF YOUR PIPE AS A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER"
REMEMBER BEING ON THE PIPE, IT WAS YOUR FIRE AND THE PIPE WAS ALL YOURS.

BUT WHEN ANOTHER COMPANY'S MEN WERE SECOND AND THIRD ON THE LINE IS WHEN YOU FELT THE EVER SO SLOWLY LEANING INTO YOUR BACK .

AT FIRST YOU HAD THE PIPE AND 2 TO 3 FEET OF LINE LOCKED IN YOUR HANDS AND ARMS. THEN WITH THE LEANING INTO YOUR BACK YOU LOST INCHES AT A TIME OF THE LINE UNTIL YOU JUST HAD THE PIPE..

THEN ONE FAST JERK AND YOU LOST YOUR LINE. ANOTHER COMPANY HAD YOUR COMPANY'S LINE. YOU HAD NO PIPE , NO LINE AND NO TOOL.

( AS THE SAYING GOES

"HE STOOD THERE WITH HIS "D--K "IN HIS HANDS:.

IF YOU WENT BACK TO YOUR RIG FOR A TOOL YOU HAD TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU LOST YOUR COMPANY'S LINE REMEMBER "OLD TIMER" WHEN THE FIRE WAS OUT AND THE OTHER COMPANY FOUND YOU .

THEY DUMPED THE LINE AT YOUR FEET AND SAID.

"HERE'S YOUR LINE KID, WE PUT YOUR FIRE OUT FOR YOU"

THEN THEY GAVE YOU THE "SHIT EATING GRINS"

WHERE WAS THAT HOLE TO CRAWL INTO.

AH YES, OLD TIMER IT ONLY HAPPENED ONCE WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER" BUT ONCE WAS MORE THEN ENOUGH.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 359

2006-08-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 359

THE DETROIT FIREFIGHTER'S DETROIT RECEIVING HOSPITAL
AND UNIVERSITY HEALTH CENTER HYPERBARIC CENTER
FROM :THEIR WEB SITE
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a non-invasive, painless, high-oxygen-pressure course of treatment offered at Detroit Receiving Hospital's Burn Center. A leader in health care, Detroit Receiving was the first hospital to offer HBOT as an effective treatment for burns, smoke inhalation and a variety of medical conditions and diseases.
While the average daily atmosphere is approximately 20% oxygen, hyperbaric oxygen therapy provides a 100% oxygen atmosphere. Inside the clear acrylic pressure chamber, pure oxygen is administered at an air pressure 2 to 3 times higher than that of the atmosphere. As the patient breathes normally, this higher pressure forces pure oxygen into the bloodstream, as well as any exposed wounds.
This increased oxygen delivery to all tissues improves the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria, fosters the growth of new blood vessels for better circulation, and helps boost the body's own natural healing process.
Detroit Receiving's hyperbaric oxygen therapy program is staffed by highly skilled physicians, nurses and technicians who are experienced in HBOT. Throughout the treatment session, staff members are in ongoing contact with patients, via the HBOT chamber intercom. Patients are also able to watch television or nap during treatment.
Fewer than 5% of patients experience side effects, including minor ear or sinus discomfort (similar to ascending or descending in a plane), oxygen toxicity or mild visual changes, which usually resolve within a few weeks after treatment has ended.
Children can be treated in the Detroit Receiving HBOT chambers on an outpatient basis, with overnight accommodations available within walking distance of the hospital, at the International Center (we should link to a map here).
HBOT is successful as an adjunctive treatment for many medical conditions, and is recognized as such by the American Medical Association, Medicare, and many commercial insurers. HBOT is used in the management plan for disorders associated with various medical conditions.
HBOT is an effective treatment for:
Actinomycosis
Acute carbon monoxide poisoning
Acute peripheral arterial insufficiency
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Crush injuries
Cyanide poisoning
Diabetic ulcers
Gas embolisms
Gas gangrene
Necrosis of soft tissue and bone due to cancer radiation treatments
Non-healing amputation stumps
Non-healing sores and wounds
Post surgical procedures
Preservation of compromised skin grafts
Rapid ascent disease ("the bends")
Suturing of severed limbs

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 358

2006-08-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 358

DO YOU KNOW

PRIOR TO TRAINING ACADEMY'S, EACH FIRE COMPANY WAS, IN A SENSE, AN INDEPENDENT FIRE DEPARTMENT.

THEY ALL HAD THEIR OWN METHODS.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT BURNING COAL IN A STEAMER PRODUCED A HOTTER FIRE THEN BURNING WOOD.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT IN SOME COMMUNITIES THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED THE FIRE BUREAU

DO YOU KNOW

THE OLD TILLER STEERING WHEEL WAS SET HORIZONTAL ON THE STEERING SHAFT. THEN THROUGH OUT THE YEARS IT WENT TO THE SAME ANGLE AS THE FRONT STEERING WHEEL.

DO YOU KNOW

MOST EARLY FIREHOUSES WERE PAINTED "WHITE"

DO YOU REMEMBER

"RETCHING"

I KNOW YOU REMEMBER THOSE DAYS.AS A YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPER"

YOU TRIED TO "EAT AS MUCH SMOKE" AS THE OLD "LEATHER LUNG GUYS".
WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEIR MASK ON YOU WERE INTIMIDATED TO NOT PUT YOURS ON. SO YOU JUST SUCKED IN ALL THE SMOKE TO BE ONE OF THE GUYS.

SOME OF THOSE OLD TIMERS COULD REALLY EAT AN AWFUL LOT OF SMOKE.
THEY ATE SMOKE LIKE YOU ATE FOOD.YOU KNEW IF YOU PUKED, AS A TRIALMAN ,THEY WOULD SAY
"CAN'T TAKE IT, EH, KID" MAYBE YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO BE A FIREMAN.YOU COULD ALWAYS SELL WOMEN'S SHOES AT SEARS FOR A LIVING.

IF YOU HAD THE PIPE YOU JUST PUKED INTO THE WATER WHILE IT WAS ON FOG. THE SOUND OF WATER DROWNED OUT THE RETCHING AND THE WATER CARRIED AWAY YOUR FOOD.

THE PROBLEM AROSE WHEN YOU WEREN'T ON THE PIPE BUT JUST IN THE SMOKE FILLED ROOM WITH THE "LEATHER LUNG GUYS" WATCHING YOU.

THEN YOU TRIED TO HOLD THE FOOD DOWN, BUT SOMETIMES IT JUST WASN'T GOING TO STAY THERE. ALL YOU KNEW WAS, THE GUYS WEREN'T GOING TO SEE THAT YOU COULDN'T HACK IT

YOU HELD IT DOWN TILL YOU WERE ABLE TO GET TO A ROOM BY YOURSELF, EVEN IF YOU HAD TO HIDE IN A CLOSET TO RELEASE THE FOOD.

LATER AS YOU GOT SOME TIME ON THE JOB YOU JUST PUKED WHEN YOU WANTED TO.
IT WAS VERY COMMON FOR MANY OF THE GUYS THAT COULDN'T EAT A LOT OF SMOKE TO "TOSS THEIR COOKIES", AH YES 'REMEMBER THOSE DAYS.

IT WAS TRULY AMAZING HOW MUCH SMOKE SOME OF THOSE REAL OLD "LEATHER LUNG GUYS" COULD EAT. YOU WOULD BE GASPING , COUGHING , CHOKING AND RETCHING AND THEY JUST SUCKED IT UP.

THEN THEY GAVE YOU ONE OF THOSE "SHIT EATING GRINS"REMEMBER CLINCHING YOUR TEETH AND BREATHING OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, HOPING THE AIR WOULD SOMEHOW GET FILTERED BY JUST PASSING BETWEEN YOUR CLINCHED TEETH.. AH YES INDEED, DO YOU REMEMBER., WHO CAN FORGET.

NOTE: I SAID I WASN'T GOING TO WRITE ABOUT THE BAD STUFF BUT I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE "GROSS STUFF""RETCHING" IS TRULY GROSS.

BUT I WOULD RATHER RETCH AND TOSS MY COOKIES THEN SELL WOMEN'S SHOES AT SEARS FOR A LIVING.

NOTE : TO ANYONE THAT HAS HAD A FIRE AND SAW A PILE OF "USED FOOD" IN THEIR CLOSET, NOW YOU KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 357

2006-08-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 357

DO YOU KNOW

IN DETROIT IN THE EARLY 1800s

THERE WERE AXEMEN, LADDER MEN AND BATTERING RAM MEN THAT FOUGHT FIRES
ANOTHER ARTICLE STATED ON SEPT. 23 1818 DETROIT HAD :

AXMEN, FIRE ENGINE MEN, BAGMEN

DO YOU REMEMBER

AFTER THE REGISTER SYSTEM WAS TAKEN OUT AND WE WENT TO THE PRINTERS, THE VARIOUS WAYS THE GUYS THOUGHT UP TO HAVE THE PRINTER ALERT US WHEN A RUN CAME IN.

SOME HOUSES TOOK A SMALL PIPE THAT THEY PLACED ON THE PRINTER PAPER.
WHEN A RUN CAME IN AND THE PAPER ROLLED, THE PIPE FELL TO THE FLOOR, ALERTING US..

SOME STATIONS HAD A PA SYSTEM OR USED BABY MONITORS. ONE MONITOR WAS BY THE PRINTER AND THE OTHER IN THE KITCHEN.

THERE WERE ALSO HOMEMADE ALARM DEVICES WITH A SET OF CONTACTS CLIPPED ON THE COMPUTER PAPER. WHEN THE PRINTER PAPER MOVED IT CAME OUT FROM THE CONTACTS AND TRIGGERED AN ALARM..

SOME ENGINE HOUSES HAD MOTION DETECTORS SET TO MONITOR THE PRINTER PAPER

DO YOU KNOW

IN THE EARLY DAYS IN SEATTLE ONE FIRE STATION HAD A SPIRAL SLIDE CHUTE INSTEAD OF A POLE.

DO YOU KNOW

PRIOR TO 1936 ALL NOZZLES WERE STRAIGHT STREAM. A LOS ANGELES FIREMAN INVENTED A FOG NOZZLE..

DO YOU REMEMBER

AS A TRIALMAN, YOU COULDN'T WATCH TELEVISION, READ THE PAPER OR ANY BOOKS UNLESS IT WAS PERTAINING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND HAD TO EAT BY YOURSELF AT THE WATCH DESK.

THEN THERE WERE SOME OF THE REAL CROTCHETY OLD-TIMERS THAT SAID " I DON'T TALK TO TRIALMEN." AND THEY DIDN'T .

FIREFIGHTER

.WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 356

2006-08-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 356

DO YOU KNOW

WHILE OUR POLE HOLE TRAP DOORS OPERATED BY KICKING THAT FOOT LEVER TO FLIP OPEN THE TWO DOORS THERE WERE OTHER TYPES.

THERE WAS ONE THAT OPENED AUTOMATICALLY BY ELECTRICITY WHEN THE ALARM RANG.

ANOTHER HAD A FLAT CIRCULAR COVER THAT SPRANG UP TO THE CEILING WHEN RELEASED.

DO YOU KNOW

AT TIMES SOME HORSES BECAME SO EXCITED UPON AN ALARM THAT IF THE ENGINE HOUSE DOORS WERE OPEN THEY TOOK OFF BEFORE BEING HITCHED.

THAT'S WHY ON SOME OLD ENGINE HOUSE PICTURES YOU SEE A CHAIN ACROSS THE DOOR OPENING.

DO YOU KNOW

THE MAJORITY OF HOSE TOWERS WERE IN THE REAR OF THE FIREHOUSES FOR EASIER LOADING AND UNLOADING OF THE LINE TO HANG UP.

SOME HOSE TOWERS WERE BUILT IN THE FRONT OF THE FIREHOUSES EVEN THOUGH IT MADE IT INCONVENIENT TO DRAG THE LINE FROM THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AND UP FRONT TO THE HOSE TOWER.

THE REASON FOR THIS IS THE ARCHITECT LIKED THE DESIGN AND CONVINCED THE COMMUNITIES TO BUILD IT THIS WAY.

THE POLITICIANS DIDN'T HAVE TO HANG THE LINE, THE FIREMEN DID.

THERE IS ANOTHER HOSE TOWER THAT IS HALF THE HEIGHT OF OURS.

OURS STARTED AT THE FIRST FLOOR AND WENT TO THE ROOF.

WELL THEY HAVE ONE THAT HALF THE TOWER GOES TO THE BASEMENT , UP THROUGH THE FIRST FLOOR AND UP TO THE ROOF, YOU LOADED THE LINE FROM THE FIRST FLOOR TO THE ROOF AND THEN JUST FLIPPED THE REST OF THE LINE IN THE "TOWER SHAFT"

DO YOU REMEMBER

GETTING "STOVE BLACK" TO POLISH THE STOVE GRATES FOR INSPECTION.IT WAS LIKE A SMALL BOTTLE OF BLACK SHOE DYE.

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHY IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO SHOVEL THE SNOW ON THE FRONT APRON OF THE ENGINE HOUSE BACK IN THE 60s THEN IT IS IN TODAY'S FIREHOUSE????

COME ON OLD TIMER THINK....................DOUBLE THINK....................TRIPLE THINK

THE OLD DOORS WERE ALL SWING OUT MANUAL DOORS.

WHEN SNOW PILED UP (EVEN A COUPLE OF INCHES ) THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS.

LATER ALL THE DOORS WERE ELECTRIC ROLLUPS AND THE SNOW WOULDN'T IMPEDE THE OPERATION.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 355

2006-08-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 355

DO YOU REMEMBER
THE CIRCUIT TESTER BLOCKS

ABOVE ARE A BANK OF 10 THAT WERE ABOVE THE BIG BELL.

I JUST ENLARGED ONE TO GIVE YOU A BETTER PICTURE.

REMEMBER ON SUNDAY MORNINGS FROM 8:30 AM TO 9:00 AM CENTRAL OFFICE WOULD CALL THE COMPANIES AND TELL YOU TO PUT PIN NUMBER _ IN HOLE NUMBER _ AND GIVE A COUNT OF EIGHT BY TAPING THE KEY EIGHT TIMES.

OFFICIALLY, THE BOSS WAS SUPPOSED TO TEST THE CIRCUIT ACCORDING TO THE REAL OLD RULE BOOK, BUT AS TIME PASSED IT WAS THE MAN ON WATCH THAT DID IT.

ALSO IF THEY HAD PROBLEMS ON THE LINE, CENTRAL WOULD HAVE YOU CHANGE PIN POSITIONS.

NOTE I WROTE 8:00 AM & 9:00 AM RATHER THEN 0830 HRS & 0900 HRS AS THAT'S THE TERMINOLOGY WE USED BACK THEN.

NOTE 2. THIS ONE IS CLEANED AND POLISHED UP BUT THAT'S NOT HOW THE REAL ONES LOOKED .

THEY WERE ALWAYS COVERED IN COBWEBS, LOTS OF COBWEBS..

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 354

2006-08-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 354

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE SPRINKLER HEAD SHUTOFF TOOL.

1 TOOL CLOSED SO YOU CAN INSERT IT IN THE SPRINKLER HEAD AFTER THE WATER STOPPING DEVICE HAS MELTED AWAY DUE TO THE HEAT OF A FIRE.

2 TOOL OPEN TO THE WATER STOPPING POSITION

3 SPRINKLER HEAD WITH THE WATER STOPPING DEVICE INTACT.

4 SPRINKLER HEAD WITH THE WATER STOPPING DEVICE MELTED AND THE SHUTOFF TOOL INSERTED STOPPING THE FLOW OF WATER..

NOTICE, YOU SLID THAT RING BACK TO LOCK THE TOOL IN THE OPEN POSITION

THE BLACK PIECE ON THE TOOL IS A HALF RUBBER BALL TO STOP THE WATER

THERE WERE A LARGE VARIETY OF WATER STOPPING DEVICES, GLASS BULBS, AND MANY DIFFERENT MELTING LINKS.THEY ALL HAD A TEMPERATURE RATING STAMPED ON THEM AND YOU HAD TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE WITH THE SAME TEMPERATURE NEW SPRINKLER HEAD.

GUESS WHOSE JOB IT WAS TO CLIMB ON A LADDER GETTING SOAKING WET AND INSERT THE TOOL?
NO, NOT THE DRIVER
NO, NOT THE BOSS
AND ESPECIALLY NOT THE SENIOR MAN
IT WAS THE YOUNG" WHIPPER SNAPPERS" JOB

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 353

2006-08-08T06:02:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 353

DO YOU REALIZE

THE DIFFERENCE IN MOVING OUR RIG, DUE TO IT GETTING TOO HOT, AND A STEAMER TO A NEW POSITION.

ON OUR RIG YOU WOULD JUST JUMP IN THE SEAT AND DRIVE AWAY

ON THE STEAMER YOU WOULD TRY TO GET THE HORSES BACK FROM A SAFE AREA INTO THE HOT FIRE SCENE,
HOOK THEM BACK UP AND THEN PULL TO A NEW LOCATION.
AT TIMES IT WAS TOO HOT FOR THE HORSES TO GET RE-HITCHED AND THE STEAMER WAS TOO HEAVY TO MANUALLY PUSH SO IN SOME CASES IT BURNED UP.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT WHEN THEY BLEW UP A HOUSE / BUILDING FOR A FIRE BREAK THERE WERE, AT TIMES, PROBLEMS.

MANY TIMES THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT WERE WELL VERSED IN THE USE OF GUNPOWDER FOR THIS TASK.

WHEN THE BUILDING DIDN'T COMPLETELY BLOW UP, AT TIMES JUST THE WINDOWS BLEW OUT, NOW VENTILATING IT .

ALSO THE PLASTER WOULD BLOW OFF THE WALLS EXPOSING THE WOODEN LATH FOR MORE FIRE FUEL.
THEN THERE WAS THE FACT IF THE BUILDING DID COLLAPSE, IT WOULD FALL IN THE STREETS .IT BLOCKED THE FIRE APPARATUS FROM EXTINGUISHING IT, IF AND WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE.

THERE WASN'T A CONTROLLED BLOWING UP OF BUILDINGS AS WE HAVE TODAY.

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST AERIAL TRUCK WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1870, HAYES AERIAL

THE FIRST AERIALS TRUCKS WERE RAISED BY TWO MEN, HAND CRANKING IT UP.
THEN THE RAISING WAS DONE WITH A SET OF SPRINGS INSIDE CYLINDERS.
WHEN RELEASED THE SPRING RAISED THE LADDER.THE FLY HAD TO BE HAND RAISED.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT WATER TOWERS NOT ONLY HAD NOZZLES ON THE END OF THEIR TOWER FOR THE UPPER FLOORS BUT THERE ARE PICTURES OF THEM WITH DECK GUNS FOR THE LOWER FLOORS.

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN THE HOSE WAGON STRETCHED FROM THE ENGINE TO THE FIRE , THE FIREMEN WRAPPED THE LINE AROUND ONE OF THE ENGINES WHEELS SO IT WOULDN'T BE DRAGGED WITH THE WAGON.

DO YOU KNOW

PRIOR TO THE "QUICK HITCH" THE HORSES ALWAYS WORE THEIR HARNESS. WHEN BEING CLEANED, ONLY ONE HORSE WAS UNHARNESSED AT A TIME

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 352

2006-08-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 352

DO YOU KNOW
THERE WAS A PRACTICE , IN LONDON, OF "BOUNCING CARS THAT BLOCKED THEIR NARROW STREETS"

HERE'S HOW IT WORKED.

A BUNCH OF FIREMEN WOULD START BOUNCING THE CAR AND AT A CERTAIN ARRANGED BOUNCE WOULD PUSH SIDEWAYS AT THE UPSTROKE .

THEY KEPT DOING THIS UNTIL THE CAR CLEARED ENOUGH OF THE STREET SO THEY COULD PASS WITH THEIR RIG.

DO YOU KNOW

IN LONDON, HAVING THE LINE IS WORKING WITH A JET.

DO YOU KNOW

WASHING DOWN AND PICKING UP IN LONDON IS
DAMPING DOWN AND MAKING UP.

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN STEAMERS FIRST CAME IN TO BEING THERE WAS THE NEED FOR SOMEONE TO OPERATE IT (ENGINEER) AND A DRIVER OF THE TEAM OF HORSES. SINCE MANY TOWNS HAD RULES AGAINST A PAID DEPARTMENT THEY GOT AROUND THIS BY HIRING THEM UNDER THE TITLE OF "POLICEMEN"

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHENEVER A BOX NUMBER CAME OVER THE REGISTER IT WAS AN ACTUAL BOX LOCATION EXCEPT FOR ONE SERIES OF NUMBERS BEGINNING WITH THE NUMBER 7

WHAT WHERE THESE NUMBERS AND IF NOT A BOX LOCATION WHAT WERE THEY?THINK, OLD TIMER, THINK
HINT, THE FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH ONE OF THE "BOXES" CAME OVER THE REGISTER

.777 WAR SIGNAL___ PRELIMINARY ATTACK___ALERT SIGNAL
2-777 WAR SIGNAL ___(DISPERSAL SIGNAL) ATTACK___ALERT SIGNAL
3-777 FIRE DEPT. SIGNAL___RECALL MEN ON LEAVE
4-777 FIRE DEPT. SIGNAL___CALL AUXILIARY FIRE FIGHTERS
7777 WAR SIGNAL___ATTACK___ALERT (EVACUATION SIGNAL)
2-7777 FIRE DEPT.___RELEASE MEN ON LEAVE
3-7777 FIRE DEPT.___RELEASE AUXILIARY FIRE FIGHTERS
4-7777 FIRE DEPT.___AIR RAID SIREN TEST
7-7777 WAR SIGNAL___"TAKE COVER" WARNING (PUBLIC)

NOTE: BOX 4-7777 FIRE DEPT.___AIR RAID SIREN TEST CAME IN ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH

BOX 3-777 FIRE DEPT. SIGNAL___RECALL MEN ON LEAVE
&
BOX 2-7777 FIRE DEPT.___RELEASE MEN ON LEAVE CAME IN ON THE YEARS 1967 & 1968

FIREFIGHTER"

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 351

2006-08-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 351

DO YOU KNOW
IN SOME COMMUNITIES, BEFORE RUNNING CARDS, LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA WAS KEPT IN A JOURNAL AND THE VARIOUS FIRE COMPANIES RESPONDING.

DO YOU KNOW

ACCORDING TO ONE ARTICLE, THE NOZZLES ON A STEAMER COULDN'T COMPLETELY SHUT OFF AS IF YOU DID IT WOULD DAMAGE THE PUMPS. IT HAD TO DO WITH THE HAVING A POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP RATHER THEN A CENTRIFUGAL ONE.

THERE WAS JUST ONE REFERENCE TO THIS THAT I FOUND.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME FIRE DEPARTMENTS CALL A "SUPER KELLY" A DOUBLE KELLY , OR DOUBLE APPLES OR DOUBLE BUBBLES

DO YOU KNOW

IT APPEARS, THAT PRIOR TO THE SWING HITCH, THE HORSES HAD TO SLEEP IN THEIR HARNESSES.

DO YOU KNOW

WHEN THE HORSES WERE BEING HITCHES UP TO A 3 HORSE HITCH THE CENTER HORSE WAS LET OUT OF HIS STALL JUST A BIT BEFORE THE OTHER TWO.

THIS WAS TO ALLOW HIM TO GET TO HIS CENTER POSITION BEFORE THE OTHER TWO GOT IN HIS WAY.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT YOU DIDN'T LIGHT THE STEAMERS FIRE UNTIL YOU WERE JUST ABOUT OUT OF THE ENGINE HOUSE DOORS.
OTHERWISE THE SMOKE WOULD PERMEATE THE APPARATUS ROOM AND UPSTAIRS DORMITORY.

DO YOU REMEMBER

GETTING A RUN AT NIGHT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE HOUSES WERE REAL CLOSE TOGETHER, NO ADDRESS, JUST A REPORT OF SMOKE IN THE AREA. SMOKE FILLED THE BLOCK AND YOU HAD TO RUN HOUSE TO HOUSE TO FIND THE ONE THAT WAS ON FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

THAT INITIALLY SPRINKLERS WERE HOOKED UP TO THE NEAREST FIRE BOX. THE WATER FLOW ACTED AS A BOX PULLED.
LATER THE WATER FLOW WAS HOOKED TO PRIVATE COMPANIES AND THEY THEN SENT OUT THE ALARM.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 350

2006-08-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 350

DO YOU KNOW

SOME INFORMATION ABOUT CISTERNS

THIS ISN'T SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DETROIT CISTERNS AS TO SIZE AND STYLE BUT RATHER A GENERAL IDEA.

THEY WERE ABOUT 8' DEEP BY 5' IN DIA.THEY HAD BOTH A FILL AND DRAIN VALVE.

THEY DRAFTED FROM A CISTERN MORE THEN PUMPING FROM A HYDRANT.

WHILE WE HAD TO PUMP OUR HYDRANTS IN THE WINTERTIME, THEY HAD TO ADD SALT TO THE CISTERN SO THEY WOULDN'T FREEZE UP..
AGAIN THIS IS JUST A GENERAL IDEA AS I READ OF VARIOUS SIZES AND NO FILL OR DRAIN VALVES.

DO YOU KNOW

SOME ARTICLES STATED THAT THE SAND, DIRT, AND GRIT IN THE WATER USED FROM PONDS, RIVERS, HYDRANTS ,AND CISTERNS HAS MORE DAMAGING EFFECT ON A PISTON PUMP VERSES A CENTRIFUGAL PUMP.

THE PUMP PISTONS AND CYLINDERS WERE DAMAGED

DO YOU KNOW

IN SOME COMMUNITIES , WHEN THEY FIRST INSTALLED THE GAMEWELL SYSTEM, RATHER THEN GOING TO THE EXPENSE OF INSTALLING POLES TO HANG THE WIRING, THEY JUST STRUNG THE WIRE ON HOUSES AND BUILDINGS.

DO YOU KNOW

WE HAD BOX ALARMS, STILL ALARMS, SPECIAL ALARMS, WATER FLOW ALARMS BUT WHAT IS A " TOWER ALARM"?

IT WAS AN ALARM, TURNED IN BY THE WATCHMAN IN THE FIREHOUSE WATCH TOWER, UPON SPOTTING A FIRE.

DO YOU KNOW

ANOTHER NAME FOR A STOKER IS ASSISTANT ENGINEER .

DO YOU KNOW
IN THE EARLY DAYS, VOLUNTEER FIREMEN HAD TO KEEP HOLES CHOPPED IN THE RIVER, AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 349

2006-08-04T06:25:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 349

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.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 348

2006-08-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 348

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

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 347

2006-08-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 347

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 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.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 346

2006-07-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 346

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.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 345

2006-07-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 345

DO YOU REMEMBER

THE OLD BED KEY
NO , I DON'T EITHER. THIS WAS WAY BEFORE OUR TIME.

BACK IN THE EARLY TIMES ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT POSSESSIONS PEOPLE OWNED WAS A BED .
IN MOST CASES THEY WERE BORN, LIVED AND DIED WITH THE SAME BED.

THE EARLY FIREMEN CARRIED THIS TOOL ,ALONG WITH A SCREWDRIVER, LIKE WE CARRIED A PAIR OF PLIERS.

WITH A "BED KEY AND SCREWDRIVER" THEY COULD DISSEMBLE ANY BED THAT WAS MADE.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 344

2006-07-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 344

JUST A PICTURE OF THE OLD LIQUID FOAM NOZZLE WITH THE SHAPER ATTATCHED TO BRING BACK MEMORIES.

FIREFIGHTER
WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 343

2006-07-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

DO

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 342

DO YOU REMEMBER

WHAT WAS WRITTEN ON THE FRONT AND BACK OF THE OLD MSA SMOKE MASK CANISTER
CHECKOUT ABOVE

I RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION FROM AN OLD CLASSMATE OF MINE ABOUT A HINT ON USING THIS CANISTER.

YOU STAYED LOW SINCE THERE WAS MORE OXYGEN CLOSEST TO THE FLOOR, ESPECIALLY IN AN UNVENTILATED ATTIC.

THE BOTTOM OF THE CANISTER WAS ABOUT BELT LEVEL SO IF YOU WERE ON YOUR KNEES CRAWLING IT WAS 12 TO 14 INCHES FROM THE FLOOR.

IT WAS IN A CANVAS HOLDER THAT HAD TWO STRAPS, ONE AROUND YOUR NECK AND THE OTHER AROUND YOUR WAIST.

"THE HINT"

I HADN'T LEARNED ABOUT DOING THIS, I JUST SUCKED IN ALL THE GASSES

HE UNDID THE STRAP AROUND HIS WAIST AND THE HOLDER WITH THE CANISTER

NOW DRAGGED ON THE FLOOR AS HE CRAWLED.

THERE WAS THAT 12 TO 14 INCHES OF A LITTLE BIT OF BETTER AIR TO BREATH.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 342

2006-07-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 342

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.

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 CEILING 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 # 5 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

IT DIDN'T GO OVER TOO WELL

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 341

2006-07-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 341

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.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 340

2006-07-24T07:52:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 340

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

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 339

2006-07-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 339

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

THEN 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 BALLMAKE

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 338

2006-07-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 338

DO YOU KNOW

THAT SOME COMPANY TRIED TO SELL A PAINT THAT "IN A FEW MONTHS TURNS TO SLATE OR STONE" (THIRD LINE UNDER "FIRE-PROOF PAINT)

NOTE: THE "OFU" BOUGHT THIS COMPANY OUT AND IS TRYING TO SELL THE STUFF TO THE YOUNG "WHIPPER SNAPPERS ON THEIR UNIT.

OUR UNIT IS TOO SMART TO FALL FOR THIS .

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 337

2006-07-21T07:21:00.000-07:00

FIREFIGHTER HISTORY ,STORIES AND MEMORIES 337

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST FIREMEN TO WEAR THE RED SHIRT WAS NEW YORK, HONEY BEE, ENGINE 5, IN THE 1780s

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST FIRE JOURNAL WAS KEPT BY NEW YORK, ENGINE 13, IN 1791

DO YOU KNOW

ANOTHER EARLY NAME FOR A HOSE NOZZLE WAS"BRANCH-PIPE"

DO YOU KNOW

THE FIRST HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY JUST HAD MEN AND EQUIPMENT,
THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN APPARATUS.

THE FIREMEN ASSIGNED TO THE HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY HAD TO RUN TO CITY HALL TO GET THE LADDERS, IRON HOOKS, ROPES AND ANY OTHER EQUIPMENT AND RUN TO THE FIRE CARRYING THESE ITEMS.

DO YOU KNOW

AT FIRST, TO BRING THEIR HOSE TO A FIRE, THE MEN CARRIED A ROLLED UP LENGTH OF HOSE ON THEIR SHOULDERS AND RAN WITH THEM.

THEY WEIGHTED 70 TO 90 LBS.

DO YOU KNOW

A CONFLICT AROSE IF A HOSE COMPANY ARRIVED AT A FIRE BEFORE A HAND PUMPER.

THE HOSE COMPANY WOULD HOOK UP TO A HYDRANT TO HAVE "FIRST WATER".

WHEN THE HAND PUMPER ARRIVED THEY WANTED THE HOSE COMPANY TO PUT THEIR HOSE INTO THEM SO THEY COULD HAND PUMP THE WATER ON THE FIRE..

PRIDE WOULD NOW BE AT STAKE AS THE HOSE COMPANY WOULD NOW BE RELEGATED TO A SECONDARY SOURCE OF EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE AND NOT THE PRIMARY.

AT TIMES THIS ACTUALLY LED TO FIGHTS.

DO YOU KNOW

SUCTIONS WERE ALSO CALLED "WASSERSCHLANGE" (WATER SNAKE) AND WAS MADE OF SAILCLOTH,
COATED WITH STIFF PAINT
OR CEMENT
AND REINFORCED WITH METAL RINGS.

FIREFIGHTER

WAYNE