1st Responder FDNY February

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FEBRUARY, 2014

MANHATTAN 5TH ALARM DESTROYS BUSINESSES

BILL TOMPKINS

At about 7:48 p.m., Manhattan transmitted Box 1626 at 212 W. 145th St. for a report of a fire in a salon. First due units arrived minutes later to heavy fire in a hairdresser in a 100 x 100 taxpayer. “all hands” with an additional one and one was requested on arrival.

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February, 2014

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

JOSEPH EPSTEIN

School bus accident in Queens BILL TOMPKINS

On December 2, 2013, a school bus accident was reported at Cypress Avenue and Cypress Hill Street in Queens. FDNY crews arrived to find minor injuries to the bus driver as well as the matron. They were both removed from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital with with appeared to be minor injuries. Luckily, no children were on the bus at the time of the accident.

ALLEN EPSTEIN

Manhattan 5th alarm destroys businesses A five alarm fire tore through a row of stores in Upper Manhattan on December 13th, destroying five businesses, but causing no injuries and leaving none homeless.

At about 7:48 p.m., Manhattan transmitted Box 1626 at 212 W. 145th St. for a report of a fire in a salon. First due units arrived minutes later to heavy fire in a hairdresser in a 100 x 100 taxpayer. “all hands” with an additional one and one was requested on arrival.

Flames quickly spread into the cockloft and a second alarm was transmitted in less than five minutes.

JUMP TO FILE #121613114

By 8:15 p.m., conditions deteriorated and all firefighters were pulled out and a roll call performed.

Two handlines and two tower ladders were put into operation, but the fire continued to spread. Soon, fire was in all five of the businesses in the taxpayer. At 9:00, a third alarm was called for and a third tower was put into service and additional handlines were set up to cover the exposures, which were a six story OMD

on the B side, a row of attached five story OMD’s on the C side separated by an alley, and a two story attached taxpayer on the D side.

Eventually five alarms were transmitted (the fifth for relief) before the fire could be placed “probably will hold” at the six hour five minute mark.

Companies remained at the scene hitting hot spots, which lingered for hours under the collapsed roof. The cause is under investigation.

- BILL TOMPKINS

JOHN HOPPER

Elderly resident notices “fog” in house On December 5th, firefighters were alerted to a Bronx all hands at Box 3957, 315 East 236th Street. Crews arrived to find fire in the basement of a two story private dwelling. An elderly female caller stated that there was "fog" in her house and was having difficulty breathing. Bronx dispatchers filled out the assignment with three engines, two trucks, and one chief. Ladder 39 gave a 10-75 for a fire in the basement. The fire was placed under control within 20 minutes. Assigned were Engines 63, 62, 81, 79; Ladders 39, 32, 46; FAST Battalions 27 and 15; Division 7; Rescue 3; and Squad 61.

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

February, 2014

PAgE 3

ALLEN EPSTEIN

Second alarm in body shop STEVE WHITE

Second alarm in Staten Island

On November 30, 2013, FDNY crews were alerted to a fire at 150th Street and 14th Road in Queens. Crews arrived to find fire in the rear of a one brick Queens auto body shop. three hose lines were used to extinguish the fire.

On December 20th at approximately 5:00 p.m., firefighters were alerted to 2-2 Box 4517 at 161-163 Main Street in Tottenville, Staten Island. They arrived to find fire in a two story building with two commercial businesses and private apartments. At the height of the fire, five handlines were stretched and operating. Two members sustained minor injuries. It took almost two hours to bring the fire under control.

PATCHES If you have photos you would like to see in our Patches feature please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com.

STEVE SOLOMONSON

Overturned jeep on Avenue J in Brooklyn A woman escaped serious injury when her Jeep was T-boned, causing her Jeep to overturn in the intersection of Avenue J and Utica Avenue in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. The accident occured at approximately 6:00 p.m. at Utica Ave and Ave J. There was only one woman in the Jeep who was rescued by the FDNY. Members of the Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance responded and transported the woman, who sustained non-life threatening injuries to the Kings County Hospital Trauma Center.

RUSSELL CURLEY

Engine 274, Battalion 52 patch from Flushing, Queens

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February, 2014

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

STEVE SOLOMONSON RICHARD YORK

Additional truck needed FDNY Engine 315 and Ladder 125 make first due to all hands fire in a two story 20 x 30 and required an additional truck for window bars on all windows on November 23rd at 10:30 p.m.

Multi-car MVA in Flatbush sends van and car onto sidewalk At approximately 2:00 p.m., a multiple vehicle accident occured in the intersection of Ave I and E 32 St in Flatbush, Brooklyn. The vehicle accident sent two vehicles onto the sidewalk both crashed into the front of an apartment house. Several civilians were transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries as a result of the collision. The accident shut down Ave I at E 32 St for over an hour.

RICHARD YORK

Suspicious substance ALLEN EPSTEIN

FDNY Haz-Tac unit responded to a suspicious substance incident at the Hampton Hotel located at 144-02 135th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens on December 11th around 8:00 p.m.

Queens home catches fire On Christmas Day, firefighters were alerted to a fire at 61st Street and Grand Avenue in Queens.

They arrived to find heavy fire on the second floor. Two hose lines and one ladder were used to extinguish the fire.

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

February, 2014

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February, 2014

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

ALLEN EPSTEIN

All hands in Brooklyn On December 14, 2013, firefighters were alerted to a fire at Etna Street and Nichols Avenue in Brooklyn. They arrived to find fire in a three brick on the first floor. One hose line was used to extinguish the fire.

FRED BACCHI

Two alarms in Richmond Hill On December 21, 2013 at 11:30 p.m., FDNY units in Queens responded to a fire at 116-14 Myrtle Avenue in the Richmond Hills section of the boro.

Engine 270 transmitted the 1075 followed by a battalion requested for an additional engine and truck above the all hands. The fire building was a two and a half

JUMP TO FILE #122213104

story frame, 40 x 80 with a one story addition on the front of the building.

The building housed a radiology business on the first and second floors and file storage in the attic.

Division 13 arrived and transmitted the second alarm and reported heavy fire on the second floor and in the attic.

Three handlines were stretched and operated at this fire. The fire was declared under control at 12:45 a.m.

- FRED BACCHI

Two alarms in Elmhurst

STEVE SOLOMONSON

FDNY renders aid at head on collision On December 9th, 2013 at approximately 2:30 p.m., a headon collision occurred in the intersection of Gerritsen Ave and Ave U in the Marine Park section of Brooklyn. The two cars collided when one car attempted to make a left turn onto Gerritsen Ave from Ave U and his view was partially blocked by a 53 foot tractor trailer, who was also attempting a turn in the same intersection. The collision sent one woman to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Members of the FDNY Engine 309 and Ladder 159 responded within minutes to render aid to the victim as well as the FDNY EMS.

On December 4, 2013 at 2:30 a.m., FDNY units responded to a fire at 79-18 Roosevelt in the Elmhurst section of Queens.

JUMP TO FILE # Engine 307 120413104 transmitted the 1075 signal and reported fire on the second floor rear of a two brick mixed occupancy dwelling, 20 x 60.

Battalion 46 ordered an additional engine and truck followed by the transmission of a second alarm due to fire in the shaft and possible extension into exposure two.

Three lines operated at this fire, two on the fire floor and one to exposure two.

Two civilians and two firefighters were treated for minor injuries.

The fire was placed under control at 3:50 a.m.

- FRED BACCHI

FRED BACCHI

Exposure three in the rear

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

February, 2014

PAgE 7

STEVE SOLOMONSON

Six car pile up in Brooklyn injures six, one serious On December 6th, 2013 at approximately 7:45 p.m., a car traveling at a high rate of speed struck several other cars in the intersection of Utica Ave and Ave J in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn. The FDNY EMS reported there were six serious injuries at the scene including at least one red tag victim, who was transported to Kings County Hospital in serious condition. Members of the Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance as well as the FDNY EMS responded to assist.

ALLEN EPSTEIN

All hands in Queens Firefighters arrived on December 14th at a private home at 65th Place and Admiral Avenue in Queens to find fire in a private home. Crews found fire on the first floor and quickly used one hose line to knock it down.

RUSSELL CURLEY

Suspicious activity, hazmat call On October 17, 2013, FDNY units were alerted to suspicious activity/hazmat at 555 Kissena Blvd in Flushing. Responding to the scene were Engine 274, Engine 273, Ladder 129, Ladder 167 and Engine 324.

ALLEN EPSTEIN

All hands at Brooklyn laundry On December 20, 2013, firefighters were alerted to a fire at Moffat Street and Irving Avenue.

They arrived to find fire in a commercial laundry. Crews used one hose line to knock down the fire in a dryer. No injuries were reported.

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February, 2014

Squad 252 The name, Bushwick, is derived from “little town in the woodsâ€? by the Dutch, who ďŹ rst settled this neighborhood in Brooklyn in the mid 1600’s. The area remained as farms and woods until the late 1850’s, when the area began to develop.

Early Bushwick was known as an industrial hub, with many factories along metropolitan avenues and Grand Street. The area began as coal yards and tobacco plants and then progressed to chemical and glass manufacturers.

By the mid 1880’s, the neighborhood’s population was mainly German immigrants and the industry shifted to beer making. A considerable brewery operation had developed in the area by 1890.14 breweries were operating in a fourteen block area and became known as Brewer’s Row. It was dubbed as the beer capital of the northeast.

This remained until 1976, when the last brewery closed its doors.

Parts of the neighborhood became afuent with mansions owned by doctors and wealthy business owners. With the ďŹ rst elevated railway in 1885 and additional lines on Broadway and Myrtle Avenues, another wave of Italian immigrants steadily populated the neighborhood to the point that by the 1950’s Bushwick became New York City’s largest Italian American community.

As the area changed in the late 1960’s due to civil unrest along with drugs, overcrowded tenements and arson, Bushwick suffered dramatically.

The neighborhood lost over 50% of its buildings, but managed to survive and rebound.

One positive throughout the down-shift was Squad 252,â€?in squad we trustâ€? located at 617 Central Avenue. This is another gem of a ďŹ rehouse that has stood the test of time.

Built in 1896, it was designated a landmark building in 1995.

The ďŹ rehouse was built in the Southern section of the neighborhood at a time when the Brooklyn Fire Department was a symbol of importance to the community.

As rapid growth occurred and thousands of new residents moved to Brooklyn, so was the need to provide adequate ďŹ re protection. In the early 1880’s, the department realized the need for better living quarters for ďŹ remen as the priority.

Old houses contained poor ventilation and plumbing, as well as crowded sleeping areas that led to discontent among the ranks. The need for convenience and comfort was adopted as a more efďŹ cient way to run department.

The progression from the simple ďŹ rehouse designs to the more identiďŹ able and distinguished, ornate ďŹ rehouse became a necessity, much like you see with this ďŹ rehouse on Central Avenue.

Prior to the 1870’s, ďŹ rehouses in the urban areas were fairly simple in stature and looks. They were less expensive to build in midblock as corner sites were mainly used for prominent structures.

As time progressed and the tal-

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

FDNY HOUSES FDNY HOUSES by Larry Woodcock

ented architects with varying styles and ideas began to arrive from around the world, the thinking shifted to what you see in the ďŹ rehouses built in the nineteenth century.

The architects of this ďŹ rehouse, the ParďŹ tt brothers, were commissioned for the project after designmany buildings, both ing residential and public. This building was one of four designed for the ďŹ re department.

The brother’s trademark Queen Anne style was foregone and a more Dutch style was used to ďŹ t in with the history of the Dutch-settled Bushwick.

The three story red sandstone and terra-cotta look make it a unique looking ďŹ rehouse accented by its engraved BFD Engine 52 above the bay door.

Prior to 1898, Brooklyn was its own city with its own ďŹ re department and after being incorporated to become the New York City Fire Department, the problem was that companies from Manhattan and Queens had the same number designation. To promote order and eliminate confusion, all Brooklyn companies were given a 1 in front of the number. In 1913, that would be changed to a 2.

The birth of Engine 52 occurred on April 1, 1897. On October 1, 1899, it become Engine 152.

On January 13, 1913, it changed over to Engine 252. On July 1, 1998, Engine 252 became a squad along with six other engine companies across the city, with the rescue companies becoming part of special operations.

There are seven line of duty deaths in the history of Engine/Squad 252 to go along with many unit citations and medal winners.

LARRY WOODCOCK

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1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

February, 2014

PAgE 9

ALLEN EPSTEIN

All hands in Queens On December 3, 2013, firefighters were alerted to a fire in a two frame at 60th Street and 68th Avenue in Queens. Crews arrived to find fire on the first floor and used one hose line to extinguish it.

ALLEN EPSTEIN

Two alarms in Times Square On November 30th, FDNY firefighters were alerted to a fire at West 46th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan. They arrived to find fire in the duct work of a four brick. Firefighters quickly got a handle on the fire and no injuries were reported.

STEVE WHITE

Second alarm in Staten Island On December 3rd, firefighters were alerted to a fire in a two brick private dwelling at 290 Vail Avenue in Staten Island. Units responded to a fully involved private residence and transmitted a second alarm on arrival. It took over an hour to bring the fire under control. Six members sustained minor injuries.

ALLEN EPSTEIN

Second alarm in Brooklyn On December 1, 2013, the FDNY was alerted to a basement fire at Menahan Street and Evergreen Avenue in a four brick. Two hose lines were used to extinguish the fire.

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February, 2014

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

Vehicle News

JOHN HOPPER

In mid December 2013 Ladder 39 in the Bronx received their new rig, A 2013 Seagrave 100’ tiller.

JOHN HOPPER

Four alarm fire strikes Hunts Point Terminal Market On November 20, 2013, a four alarm fire blaze started at just after 11 a.m. and quickly spread, bringing almost 200 FDNY firefighters to the scene. The blaze broke out inside a merchant's area and quickly spread, eventually requiring four alarms at approximately 12:40 p.m. According to officials, the fire was under control around 3 p.m. One firefighter suffered serious injuries. At least eight others were reported with minor injuries.

JOHN HOPPER

In late November, Squad 288 received their new rig, a 2013 Seagrave 1000/500 rescue pumper.

JOHN HOPPER

Squad 41’s new rig, a 2013 Seagrave 2000/500 Rescue-Engine

JOHN HOPPER

George Morstatt Retirement George started as a dispatcher in the Bronx in 1984. He then became a supervisor also in Manhattan. He did training for short period of time and then became a supervising dispatcher in the Bronx, Dispatcher #25.

RICHARD YORK

The West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department received two new ambulances on December 12, 2013. The two vehicles, "Twins" are AEV Ford F550 Power-Strokes and were purchased by the department to aid the fleet.

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY

February, 2014

PAGE 11

RICHIE YORK

A White Christmas tree lighting Saturday December 14th, the West Hamilton Beach held its 2nd annual Christmas Tree Lighting hosting the neighborhood to enjoy the spirit of Christmas as a whole. Neighbors came by the groups for the Lighting and ceremony and joined inside for some pastry's and hot chocolate.

RICHIE YORK

Manhole vault fire on 34th Street near Queens Blvd.

Battalion 45 had companies stand fast until ConEd could respond to an actively burning manhole on 34th Street near Queens Blvd on December 17, 2013. Initially companies searched for extension in surrounding properties and set up a perimeter.

STEVE SOLOMONSON

Midwood Ambulance crash mishap in Brooklyn At Approximately 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 2nd, a Midwood private ambulance was involved in a motor vehicle accident with a civilian auto in the intersection of the always dangerous Ocean Pkwy and Ave Z in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn. It was unclear if the Midwood Private Ambulance was transporting a patient or not, but the ambulance personel sustained non-life threatening injuries. It appeared that although the civilian auto sustained heavy front end damage, there were no civilian injuries.

RICHIE YORK

Numerous units search for accident On December 15, 2013 at 12:30 a.m., DNY and NYPD units were assigned to respond to a motor vehicle accident with pin and multiple incorrect locations were given.

ESU 9 responded to Laurelton Parkway at the N. Conduit exit with negative results while FDNY units searched the Belt Parkway at North and South Conduit Avenues.

JUMP TO FILE #122513102

Engine 331 eventually came across the MVA on the Nassau Express Way (a location not given) right under the Cohancy Street overpass.

They immediately requested an ambulance on rush for a patient

with a serious limb injury and two other patients with minor injuries.

A JHMC bus took the serious aided and a minor injury patient while arriving WHBVFD took the second minor injury patent, who was an on duty DSNY supervisor.

Heavy rain and snow were a factor in this collision.

- RICHIE YORK

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February, 2014

1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY