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September 30, 2010

33rd Street Fire and Collapse: Hidden Structural Defects Lead to Near-Disastrous Collapse of Second Floor

On a clear, early evening in February 2009, Manhattan units responded to a phone alarm for a fire in a laundromat. On arrival, units encountered a four-story, non-fireproof, 20- by 40-foot multiple dwelling with a 25-foot first-floor setback in the rear. The first floor contained a laundromat. Floors two through four contained apartments. Fire and […]

September 30, 2010

Scooped-out Living Space: New Challenge for Operations

Anyone living or working in New York City in the past 10 years knows there has been a building boom not seen since World War II. Changes in building materials and practices, building codes and new living arrangements are evident everywhere. Some examples: factory conversions, penthouse rooms in tenements and now, something new–scooped-out living space […]

September 30, 2010

Firefighters Must Distinguish Between Rabies Fact and Fiction

Rabies is not something that Firefighters worry about when performing their jobs. There has not been a case of human rabies in New York City since 1953. In the six years preceding 2009, only one rabid animal was found in the City.  However, that record was shattered in 2009 when numerous rabid animals were discovered […]

September 30, 2010

A Unique Roof — The Sawtooth Part I, Construction Features

In Part I of this article on sawtooth roofs, the reader will be introduced to their construction, components and characteristics. In Part II, which will appear in the 4th/2010 issue of WNYF, the focus will be on firefighting operations in structures that feature sawtooth roofs. Design Sawtooth roofs can be found in many areas of […]

September 30, 2010

Fourth on Findlay

  Units responded rapidly for reports of a fire at 1308 Findlay Avenue. Engine 92 arrived at this address at 2122 hours on Sunday, November 22, 2009. They immediately transmitted a 10-75 and, accompanied by Ladder 44 members, went to work. The fire address was a two-story frame, measuring 30- by 50-feet, part of a […]

June 30, 2010

Manhattan Top-Floor Fire, Plus

The value of real estate throughout New York City has surged during the past 15 years as the demand for housing has increased. In order to maximize their rental income, more and more landlords have been building penthouse additions on the roofs of their tenements and brownstones. Under fire conditions, these penthouse additions–whether legally or […]

June 30, 2010

Implementing the Command Channel for a More Efficient Operation

By the time the Command Chief, Deputy Assistant Chief John Sudnik, Queens Borough Commander, arrived at the scene of this Bronx fire, Acting Deputy Chief Christopher Rearer already had committed to an exterior operation. After a quick briefing at the transfer of command, one of the first orders of business was establishing a Command Channel. […]

June 30, 2010

Fast-Moving Cockloft Fire Forces Outside Operations at Bronx Fifth Alarm

At 0304 hours on Saturday, October 31, 2009, Bronx fire units received a phone alarm for a fire in a Mexican restaurant located at 3105 Bainbridge Avenue. One minute later, at 0305 hours, a second source was received, reporting smoke in a bakery located at 3101 Bainbridge Avenue. This brought the alarm assignment to three […]

September 30, 2010

33rd Street Fire and Collapse: Hidden Structural Defects Lead to Near-Disastrous Collapse of Second Floor

On a clear, early evening in February 2009, Manhattan units responded to a phone alarm for a fire in a laundromat. On arrival, units encountered a four-story, non-fireproof, 20- by 40-foot multiple dwelling with a 25-foot first-floor setback in the rear. The first floor contained a laundromat. Floors two through four contained apartments. Fire and […]

September 30, 2010

Scooped-out Living Space: New Challenge for Operations

Anyone living or working in New York City in the past 10 years knows there has been a building boom not seen since World War II. Changes in building materials and practices, building codes and new living arrangements are evident everywhere. Some examples: factory conversions, penthouse rooms in tenements and now, something new–scooped-out living space […]

September 30, 2010

Firefighters Must Distinguish Between Rabies Fact and Fiction

Rabies is not something that Firefighters worry about when performing their jobs. There has not been a case of human rabies in New York City since 1953. In the six years preceding 2009, only one rabid animal was found in the City.  However, that record was shattered in 2009 when numerous rabid animals were discovered […]

September 30, 2010

A Unique Roof — The Sawtooth Part I, Construction Features

In Part I of this article on sawtooth roofs, the reader will be introduced to their construction, components and characteristics. In Part II, which will appear in the 4th/2010 issue of WNYF, the focus will be on firefighting operations in structures that feature sawtooth roofs. Design Sawtooth roofs can be found in many areas of […]

September 30, 2010

Fourth on Findlay

  Units responded rapidly for reports of a fire at 1308 Findlay Avenue. Engine 92 arrived at this address at 2122 hours on Sunday, November 22, 2009. They immediately transmitted a 10-75 and, accompanied by Ladder 44 members, went to work. The fire address was a two-story frame, measuring 30- by 50-feet, part of a […]

June 30, 2010

Manhattan Top-Floor Fire, Plus

The value of real estate throughout New York City has surged during the past 15 years as the demand for housing has increased. In order to maximize their rental income, more and more landlords have been building penthouse additions on the roofs of their tenements and brownstones. Under fire conditions, these penthouse additions–whether legally or […]

June 30, 2010

Implementing the Command Channel for a More Efficient Operation

By the time the Command Chief, Deputy Assistant Chief John Sudnik, Queens Borough Commander, arrived at the scene of this Bronx fire, Acting Deputy Chief Christopher Rearer already had committed to an exterior operation. After a quick briefing at the transfer of command, one of the first orders of business was establishing a Command Channel. […]

June 30, 2010

Fast-Moving Cockloft Fire Forces Outside Operations at Bronx Fifth Alarm

At 0304 hours on Saturday, October 31, 2009, Bronx fire units received a phone alarm for a fire in a Mexican restaurant located at 3105 Bainbridge Avenue. One minute later, at 0305 hours, a second source was received, reporting smoke in a bakery located at 3101 Bainbridge Avenue. This brought the alarm assignment to three […]