ptwatson

Yonkers Engine 306, a 1992 Mack CF, the actual last one to be produced by Mack, has returned to Yonkers after a spa treatment, and it's looking good! It currently holds the designation Engine 298, and is a reserve piece.
For those Mack fans keeping track, it is chasis # CF688FC 1460. Delivered August 1992 from Mack's Allentown, PA plant.
Photo by me, taken this morning. A very special thanks to ALL those on duty at YFD Station 8.

Good thing that fire commissioners are sworn in to protect the community.

Hi! I am actually the owner of the old 34th st firehouse in Bayonne. I came across this board while i was doing some research on my building. The firehouse was sold by the city at a public auction and a local guy had bought it and told everyone he was going to restore it and got everyone all excited, he then immediately turned around and put it up for sale and thats when I came across it and purchased it about 2 years ago
From the moment I stepped inside I thought it was so cool, nobody had touched it yet, and it was still in the condition it had been when they shut it down back in 2008 and locked it up and moved out. So it still had/has all of the original elements inside. I was really lucky that nobody had started doing any renovations on it and ruining it. Theres paint peeling off the walls, plaster coming down, urinals in the bathrooms, stall showers, 26 original chestnut lockers still with a lot of the old fireman's stuff hanging inside them like tatoo parlor cards they went to, and old p**** mags and old school original subway tiles in the kitchen and baths. The original tin ceilings are still intact, all of the old garment and hose racks and features of the place. Theres also a whole slew of hand painted murals on a lot of the walls with the engine company and their old mascot which was a bulldog with a fire helmet on. Theres a 7 ft mural of this staring you in the face in the back room that will ultimately be the master bedroom. Theres also a list of about 300 names of all of the officers and chiefs who have retired over the years on the bulkhead above the kitchen cabinets. I plan on keeping all of it as original as I can. I respect the history of the place and what it stood for for the city and I dont mind the roughness around the edges of the place....it adds character and I dont want to erase it.
I do plan at some point to have the mural in the kitchen with all the names of the retired duplicated on a big plate of brass and mount it outside on the garage door along the bottom like a giant brass kick plate so that people around town can appreciate those who have served here. That may take a while though since a) it will be pretty expensive to have made, and I have a list of about 800 other things I plan to address with the place as well.
The place is pretty bitchin though, its about 5000 sq ft and has plenty of room, I wash my car inside my house while its parked next to my living room haha. It is a b**** to heat and cool, but its super solid and has stood for the past 130 years and I plan to do my best to preserve it and have it stand for another 130 more.
A number of the old firemen who worked here that I have met at first thought I was some douchebag condo developer who was going to tear the place down or make it into apartments, I told them I planned on keeping it as the original firehouse and they were welcome to come by anytime they liked, and they seemed to appreciate that.
I have plans for the place that center around keeping it as original as possible, I like the quirks and imperfections of the building, it tells its story. I cant tell you how much wood floors and trim i have to strip of paint, adhesive, linoleum etc. hiding under all that is gorgeous chestnut and oak and old heart pine. thats going to be a b****, but itll be worth it.
But rest assured, I plan to keep the place intact as the spirit of the place alive. No hokey HGTV style renovations with modern finishes and sheetrock...If I had wanted that I could have bought a condo, I really admire the old buildings and craftsmanship that went into them. So if it matters to any of you, old E5 in bayonne is in good hands. Itll prob take me 10 years to finish the place, but Im in no rush hahaha.
What I would like to ask, in case anyone knows or could help, is, I am trying to find 2 old brass firepoles for the building. Originally there was one in the front, and one in the back. Both had been removed and they were given back to the guy who bought the property from the city. The bayonne fire museum had given him two brass poles to put back in when they found out he had bought the place, in good faith. They were here and promised to me when i was buying the building. Well a day or two before I closed on the place, he took both poles and probably scrapped them for the brass, who knows....I thought it was a shitty thing to do, and the fire museum agreed. Point is I never got any poles, but I have the two openings, just nothing to slide down. EVERY SINGLE person I meet, the first question they ask is always "Do you have a pole?"
Id love to put the two poles back in so if any of you happens to know of any old poles not in use, or a place that makes them, or a station thats being decommissioned etc, please let me know! It would be sweet if I could get some brass poles back in here. I have tried calling places, go go dance suppliers, railing companies etc. they have brass poles, but when I tell them i need 23 ft long they are like ohhhhhh, we dont have that long. So the poles that were in here were 2.5 inch OD x @23 ft long. Just figured it couldnt hurt to put it out there in case any of you happens to know of some old firepoles laying around.
Thanks!

Monday evening the city of Prescott, Ariz. released the names of the 19 Brothers: Anthony Rose, 23; Eric Marsh, 43; Robert Caldwell, 23; Clayton Whitted , 28; Scott Norris, 28; Dustin Deford, 24; Sean Misner, 26; Garret Zuppiger, 27; Travis Carter, 31; Grant McKee, 21; Travis Turbyfill, 27; Jesse Steed, 36; Wade Parker, 22; Joe Thurston, 32; William Warneke, 25; John Percin, 24; Kevin Woyjeck 21; Chris MacKenzie 30; and Andrew Ashcraft 29.
Rest Easy Brothers.......

What happened to the good old days within FDMV, when you had Fire Houses that were kept up to date and functional, apparatus were up to date and ample functional spares were available (ie: 1960 and Early 1970's when you had Engine 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6, Snorkel 1, Ladder 2, Ladder 3, & Ladder 4, Rescue 1, and Foam 1) and both a Paid/Professional Staff supplimented by a Volunteer Staff (who did allot of work at the various stations on their own time and in many cases on their own dime). Ah, to have those great days gone by to return !!!

Your statements are on base. TL -17 sat outside in the elements for approx. 2 years and they scratch there heads why it needed such major expensive repairs. As for firehouse repairs most likely the biggest government disaster ever to occur.

I believe that TL 17 is out for repair in PA. The 1987 Seagrave L-15 stick has been fixed to a point. Can only put it up at certain angles or it tips. The repair/renovation of station 5 on Wilmont road has been a debacle!!!

I believe that TL 17 is out for repair in PA. The 1987 Seagrave L-15 stick has been fixed to a point. Can only put it up at certain angles or it tips. The repair/renovation of station 5 on Wilmont road has been a debacle!!!

http://greenburgh.dailyvoice.com/news/westchester-special-response-team-earns-nys-criminal-justice-certification

They also do not fill the basin any more. I haven't seen water in it in a while. The Westchester Parks Dept run the Kensico Park. I would give them a call to see what could be done/allowed etc.... I think that it is a fantastic idea! Also, Kensico is a great location in that The Rising the Westchester Co. 9/11 memorial is located there.

Well said, Officer!

Here is a copy of a letter I just sent to Governor Cuomo:
Dear Governor Cuomo,
I am appalled by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s decision to go forward with ING New York City Marathon just 6 days after the worst hurricane in over 100 years, which has decimated parts of New York State, New York City, and parts of the east coast of the United States. Bloomberg's claim that it will not impact rescue and recovery efforts one bit, is laughable at best. I am a New York City Police officer, and since the day that Hurricane Sandy hit New York I have worked twelve hours day. I have put aside my life and my families problems in order to maintain law and order in the City of New York, and was fully aware that situations like this would occur when I signed up to take the exam to become a police officer. I am one of the more fortunate ones, I only lost food in the refrigerator, some of my coworkers were not as fortunate. Several have lost their entire possessions, one, Artur Kasprzak, gave his life while off duty to save 7 lives. In addition, I have worked the Marathon in years past, and can tell you from firsthand experience it takes a lot of police officers to staff this event. In Manhattan, there are often anywhere from 8 to 12 police officers per block to keep the crowds back, and prevent them from crossing into the path of marathon runners. Just where does the city get all the officers to staff this event, and continue to provide enough officers to patrol the rest of the city? It orders a large number of officers, and supervisors to come in and work their day off. Most years this is not a problem, but due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, and resulting problems, police officers are now handling additional duties such as traffic in intersections with no traffic lights, additional patrols in areas with no power, and providing security to gas stations to prevent the outbreak of violence as stations run out of gas with the earliest possible deliveries to be on Saturday. Tensions are running high in some parts of the city, as some people no longer have electricity, food, gas, and even running water in some cases. Bodies are still being recovered as I write this. Mass Transit has not been fully restored, mandatory carpooling to enter Manhattan has been instituted to lessen the effects of bridges and tunnels that remain closed. Now we are going to close more roads, and take more police officers off the street to protect a marathon? People are fighting over gasoline in parts of the city, does the Mayor think that some of these same people who are stressed over getting the basic necessities are going to stop their fighting and applaud the marathon as it closes more streets, stores, and places a greater burden on them so that the city can make some money from the Marathon. Some people will point out that just ten days after 9/11 Major League Baseball was playing games at Shea and Yankee Stadiums which became a source of hope. While the effects of 9/11 were widespread, and in some cases still felt today, the physical damage was confined to the World Trade Center. People could go to a place where they felt safe, their homes, have something to eat, go to the store and buy items they needed and travel pretty much as they pleased. Today in some areas of the State, and New York City, these same people no longer have homes, are wondering where there next meal will come from, and be able to take a hot shower in a place they feel secure in. I am not saying to cancel the Marathon, but perhaps this is not the right time to hold this event, and it should be rescheduled into the future. How can you justify the large number of road closures, police officers reassigned, and basic items such as bottled water, high calorie snacks, and other supplies such as blankets when some many of our fellow New Yorkers are lacking these basic items? Members of the New York National Guard, and other states National Guards are working to bring vital supplies to New York, to help stabilize and eventually recover from what the worst natural disasters to ever impact the State of New York. Many New Yorkers are working with their insurance companies and FEMA to begin the recovery process, and now Mayor Bloomberg’s actions are telling the people of New York, that money from tourists running in a marathon is more important to the city (and State) than they are. Please, use your power as governor to implore Mayor Bloomberg to reschedule the marathon. The impact from the marathon is just too much at this fragile time.
Sincerely,
Kurt Von Dietsch

Found some info on the VMFD web site.....


Hook and Ladder received another new truck in 1927. It was a Seagrave tractor-drawn 75-foot aerial ladder truck, with tiller, and it cost the village $17,500. Its turntable, manually turned, was five feet in diameter and was located at the front of the rear section behind the tractor. It carried 12 ground ladders, one of them a wall ladder that was 32 feet straight.Additional Equipment on board this apparatus, which had an open cab and was painted red, included a life net, which is still kept on the truck floor for use when needed, and a 40-gallon chemical tank with a reel that was capable of holding 250 feet of hose. The truck's turning radius was 27-and-a-half-feet.



One of the most interesting features of the new truck was its 75-foot aerial ladder. The ladder was raised from bed to perpendicular by the expansion of spiral springs enclosed in steel tubes attached to the turntable. Made mostly of wood, the ladder was extended and retracted by a hand crank.A demonstration of the 75-foot aerial ladder truck's capabilities took place on the evening of May 19, 1931 when nearly 300 firemen from Mamaroneck Village, Larchmont and Mamaroneck Town participated in the first combined drill ever held by the three departments of the three municipalities. The drill was called by Chief Don C. Howe of the TMFD and it was held at the Chatsworth Gardens Apartment. Manned by a crew of eight men, the aerial ladder was raised and run up rapidly to the top of the building, and scaled by members of the crew. Chief George Towle headed the LFD and Chief Charles Perschke of Columbia led the MFD volunteers. The 1927 truck made its last run in 1965 when the new tractor-drawn truck arrived. After the 1927 truck was taken out of service it was sold to Eugene Warrington, a member of Hook and Ladder.

Found some info on the VMFD web site.....


Hook and Ladder received another new truck in 1927. It was a Seagrave tractor-drawn 75-foot aerial ladder truck, with tiller, and it cost the village $17,500. Its turntable, manually turned, was five feet in diameter and was located at the front of the rear section behind the tractor. It carried 12 ground ladders, one of them a wall ladder that was 32 feet straight.Additional Equipment on board this apparatus, which had an open cab and was painted red, included a life net, which is still kept on the truck floor for use when needed, and a 40-gallon chemical tank with a reel that was capable of holding 250 feet of hose. The truck's turning radius was 27-and-a-half-feet.



One of the most interesting features of the new truck was its 75-foot aerial ladder. The ladder was raised from bed to perpendicular by the expansion of spiral springs enclosed in steel tubes attached to the turntable. Made mostly of wood, the ladder was extended and retracted by a hand crank.A demonstration of the 75-foot aerial ladder truck's capabilities took place on the evening of May 19, 1931 when nearly 300 firemen from Mamaroneck Village, Larchmont and Mamaroneck Town participated in the first combined drill ever held by the three departments of the three municipalities. The drill was called by Chief Don C. Howe of the TMFD and it was held at the Chatsworth Gardens Apartment. Manned by a crew of eight men, the aerial ladder was raised and run up rapidly to the top of the building, and scaled by members of the crew. Chief George Towle headed the LFD and Chief Charles Perschke of Columbia led the MFD volunteers. The 1927 truck made its last run in 1965 when the new tractor-drawn truck arrived. After the 1927 truck was taken out of service it was sold to Eugene Warrington, a member of Hook and Ladder.

neeed to get a few "eastchester's" from pipers kilt sent down to help him deal......

The steel, which came from the North Tower, was escorted to Croton Landing from Continental Village FD. It is being used as part of the Croton/Cortlandt 9/11 Memorial currently being constructed.
Continental Village 2131 & E232, Peekskill R134, Verplanck E128, Buchanan E161, Croton EMS 55B1, Croton FD 2081, E118, E119, E120, TL44, T10 & R18 as well as police units from Croton PD, NYSP and WCPD participated in the escort.
Here's one quick photo I took with my iphone of it being placed. For anyone interested, this memorial is going at the far north end of Croton Landing Park.

Good luck! I like to see departments donating their trucks to departments in need HERE instead of other countries.

Finally got around in getting a good shot of them coming back from the intrepid.

Bogota FD should have been pulled over to the side of the road and sent home never to retun. How unprofessional and dangerous with members riding on top of the rig. Hands down they won the trophy for the biggest jackasses!

My humble opinion is that Pelham Manor and Pelham should combine, it should have been done a long time ago. They are too small to operate as two departments. It will be interesting where this will go if anywhere. I also think that the career depts of southern westchester should combine with one or two volunteer companies that are well trained and equiped. In my opinion it just makes sence. For example its stupid that if an Eastchester engine is sitting a few hundred yards from houses in Mt. Vernon that it not role in an emergency just because those residences are in "the Vern" and there are many more examples like this. You could also argue that this could be done in N. Westchester as well as mostly volunteer. This would create more man power and better training. Combination is the tax saving answer of the future...this could also be considered for the town and villages PD's as well as the town and villages DPW's/. I also think that the school disctircts could be consolidated as well. One school district per town and get rid of the village school districts.

My humble opinion is that Pelham Manor and Pelham should combine, it should have been done a long time ago. They are too small to operate as two departments. It will be interesting where this will go if anywhere. I also think that the career depts of southern westchester should combine with one or two volunteer companies that are well trained and equiped. In my opinion it just makes sence. For example its stupid that if an Eastchester engine is sitting a few hundred yards from houses in Mt. Vernon that it not role in an emergency just because those residences are in "the Vern" and there are many more examples like this. You could also argue that this could be done in N. Westchester as well as mostly volunteer. This would create more man power and better training. Combination is the tax saving answer of the future...this could also be considered for the town and villages PD's as well as the town and villages DPW's/. I also think that the school disctircts could be consolidated as well. One school district per town and get rid of the village school districts.

My humble opinion is that Pelham Manor and Pelham should combine, it should have been done a long time ago. They are too small to operate as two departments. It will be interesting where this will go if anywhere. I also think that the career depts of southern westchester should combine with one or two volunteer companies that are well trained and equiped. In my opinion it just makes sence. For example its stupid that if an Eastchester engine is sitting a few hundred yards from houses in Mt. Vernon that it not role in an emergency just because those residences are in "the Vern" and there are many more examples like this. You could also argue that this could be done in N. Westchester as well as mostly volunteer. This would create more man power and better training. Combination is the tax saving answer of the future...this could also be considered for the town and villages PD's as well as the town and villages DPW's/. I also think that the school disctircts could be consolidated as well. One school district per town and get rid of the village school districts.

Nick didn't "bail out": he resigned from the "company" which is actually a social services and benevolent organization. At the time he was told by the village that he could do so. After seeking additional legal opinions, however, the village later rescinded its original opinion and he was told that he would have to rejoin the social services organization to remain an active firefighter, and that is where the dispute took off. Nick has been afforded the opportunity to rejoin the "company" but Nick has refused to do so as it against his principles and he sees the company as a source of much of the hostility directed towards him.
Nick is an outstanding firefighter and has been an incredible asset to the community. He is well known to all of the instructors in our region thanks to his dedication to training and mastering all aspects of firefighting. And yes, he is also very principled and refuses to compromise those principles. While I do not always agree with Nick, I have enormous respect for him. It is a shame that this has transpired and I hope that resolution will take place.
This law cited requiring members of a village fire department to also be members of a non-firematic social services organization calling thmselves a fire company is most unfortunate, and it is archaic. 150 years ago there were legit reasons to force firefighters be members of a company. But in this day and age where you have a municipal fire department and the company is no more than a social services entity (as is the case in Irvington, where the company has ZERO fire or emergency services role), this needs to be changed. I hope that perhaps this situation will prove to be a positive catalyst and that it will push lawmakers to reexamine obsolete and meaningless laws like this one.

Outstanding pictures! Thanks for sharing...
but of course, i have a few comments;
Dude on the trike should be wearing a helmet - if for no other reason than public education. He has now said, look at me, I am a firefighter, I am above the law and do not need to wear a saftey helmet.
White Plains Fire girls - SKINNY JEANS WERE NEVER INTENDED TO BE PART OF A FIRE DEPARTMENT, OR FD SOCIAL DEPARTMENT, UNIFORM...IT IS NOT OK TO WEAR THEM AS SUCH...EVER....NEVER EVER. PERIOD.
And, lastly - the guys on top of the engine are jackasses. So is their Chief, and every officer of their department present.

In my opinion fire parades should not be about the trophy I mean who really cares about it. It should be for the enjoyment of the public especialy the kids. I think there should be a requirement that you must have your lights on. The trophy is nice for about a day then it does onto a shelf and is just another thing to dust. Put the lights on, give the siren an occasional yelp and a tug on the air horn. Seeing the wonderment and excitment on a kids face is enough trophy for me!