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June 7, 2016
During the mid-1990s, the steadily growing number of hazardous materials incidents taking place often resulted in Haz-Mat 1 being committed, while several other simultaneous responses occurred, with no haz-mat capability to respond to them. It became necessary to have strategically located units that are properly trained […]
June 7, 2016
Throughout the 1970s, the Bronx experienced an incredible volume of fire duty. As the calendar turned to 1980, the heavy fire duty in the Bronx showed no signs of abating. The night tour of August 8, 1980, started as a typically busy one in the Bronx. […]
June 7, 2016
Editor’s Note: This column is the first in a series of columns that will be devoted to the seven tallest buildings currently in New York City. The author, Deputy Chief Nicholas Corrado, will advise members regarding oddities/dangers in each building and how to operate efficiently, effectively […]
June 7, 2016
The urban landscape in New York City doesn’t provide much room for children to play. The days of yore–with images of kids playing stickball on City streets–are sadly becoming less and less frequent. The plain truth is that families simply spend more time indoors. The streets […]
June 7, 2016
There is an old adage in the FDNY that if you want to know how many Firefighters there are on the stairs, all you have to do is count the steps and then add one. Stairwell management always has been a challenge for the FDNY. The […]
June 7, 2016
On Friday morning, October 23, 2015, FDNY units responded to a 20-inch water main break in the Elmhurst section of Queens. The rupture was the result of a worker using an auger to place retaining wall pilings. This main, which was cross-connected to a larger, 70-inch […]
June 7, 2016
The year 1977 was noteworthy on several fronts in New York City history: a heated mayoral race, a major electrical blackout, a World Series in the Bronx and a notorious serial killing spree by what came to be known as the “.44-caliber killer” (later dubbed the […]
June 7, 2016
In the late-morning hours of Monday, November 30, 2015, the weather was mild with very little wind. At 1148 hours, a telephone alarm was received for Box 2989, reporting a fire from the roof at 1750 Montgomery Avenue. This resulted in a stubborn cockloft fire, reminiscent […]
June 7, 2016
Rescue 1 had just finished operating at a multi-car accident with multiple injuries and was returning to quarters when a call came over the radio, redirecting members to a reported ceiling collapse. This collapse initially was designated as a minor incident, but soon was upgraded with […]
June 7, 2016
Manhattan Box 0751, transmitted on October 30, 2015, at 1028 hours, for a “ceiling fell down,” turned into a complicated and dangerous collapse rescue operation for FDNY companies. The buildings located at 25 and 27 West 38th Street were both in the process of demolition, making […]
November 4, 2016
Ladder Company 76 was one of seven 1951 Ward LaFrance 750-gpm Quads in FDNY service. These were the only actual FDNY Quads, because they had a pump, booster tank and hose-carrying capacity, as well as a full complement of ground ladders and ladder company tools. The […]
November 3, 2016
A packed house at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City was forced to evacuate after a man was spotted sprinkling a suspicious powder into the orchestra pit during an intermission of a Saturday afternoon performance, raising concerns of possible terrorism and prompting a police response. […]
November 2, 2016
Cast-iron columns supporting the first floor may be found in the cellar of taxpayers. These columns are unpredictable and fail, on average, about 30 minutes in fire endurance tests. Here are some other safety considerations for Cellar Fires… When advancing a hose-line into a store cellar, […]
October 31, 2016
his third and final article on energy storage systems (ESS) provides both firefighting and fire protection recommendations. It offers general guidelines, based upon research, comparative fire and emergency incidents, building inspections and dangers involving electricity and hazardous materials. Keep in mind that it is the responsibility […]
October 31, 2016
Located in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, 171 Adelphi Street is a four-story brownstone with a rear fire escape. The owner, who occupied both the first and second floor (parlor floor), smelled smoke and discovered a small flame at the bottom of the second- to […]
October 31, 2016
he Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) is the largest Fire Department in the United States, protecting a land area of 305 square miles and a resident civilian population of 8.5 million. On a typical weekday, there can be as many as four […]