This post appeared in a previous blog and is here for posterity’s sake.
fire patrol, originally uploaded by niznoz
As reported by the NY Times (and linked by Gothamist), the New York Fire Patrol – which I previously wrote about might be no more:
While the Fire Department puts out fires, the patrol works in its wake, salvaging property and limiting the damage at commercial blazes. The patrolmen — no women are now on the force — do not bring hoses. They bring pumps for getting rid of the water. They do not break windows to vent heat. They bring protective canvas tarps to throw atop computers or retail goods.
However, this may be the last year that the “Patrolios,” as the units refer to themselves, roam the streets of New York in their distinctive red helmets.
The insurance industry has decided that the old way of doing things may not be the best way, that the property salvaged by the 98-member force is not worth its $8.5 million budget, which is financed by an annual assessment on fire insurers.
It would be a shame if this quirky New York institution would slip away into history – like so much of New York City.
If you pay ins. find out the cost of replacing all that you once owned , when destroyed by water damage from Fire/Broken Pipe or Sprinkler discharge.Have a nice day !!
as a former member of the fire patrol its said (sic) to see it go. I was at the happy land social club fire,the empire state building and so on.I don’t recall us doing much good. By the time the firei departmenr would let us in all the property was alrteady damaged. as far as the 1000+ runs a year nonsense. We would stay in quarters and then listen for the officer in the f.d. to call in the i.e.”10-35″, defective alarm and record in the book under then seargent Leonard that we responded. If my word is not sufficent check the logs they were always, the book runs, for 30 mins
Robert, thank you for commenting. The Fire Patrol is one of the vestiges of old New York which will unfortunately fall by the wayside, out of a need for “progress.”
The closure of the FPNY is a terrible loss to the City of New York! Most of the comments that I read praise the job they have done for the past 200+ years.One bothers me in that it say’s that the writer was on the Patrol but doesn’t think they did much good. I too was on the Patrol. While I didn’t think much of the NYBFU supervision
as they were always downing us and threatening closure even back in the 60’s and 70’s.The men came to work and did our jobs to the best of our ability.By NYS law all fire companies 1st duty is saving lives.The Fire Patrol did just that. It had members given awards on Medal Day by the FDNY for individual acts of bravery, as well as many unit citations. I remember one member who when the drop ladder on a fire escape didn’t work and the was a family trapped he took a pike pole hooked on the escape and pulled himself up hand over hand to effect a rescue.At a fire near the Pan Am building the FDNY Chief asked for our assistance in stretching a handline up several floors on a fire escape ( The Chief is incharge even over the Patrol at alarms). John Cavanaugh was Secretary on Fire Patrol at the time. He appeared on scene and asked why we were on the fire escape and made the comment ” if you want to be firemen go take the test and get on the City Fire Dept.” There was never any praise from 85 John St. Cavanaugh liked attention to himself and the authority he had over us( see an old copy of the New York State Industrial Bulletin 1967? with an article Unsung Heroes of a Dangerous Proffession). It doesn’t take a degree in mathmatics to calculate that at todays real estate cost, costs of opening business’s, stocking it with supplies,furnishing it,and storing product that at any one alarm the Fire Patrol save many thousands if not millions of dollars in property. If a business could re-open due to the FPNY, then future insurance premiums can be paid. Eighty percent of businesses who close after a fire never re-open. So in closing It would appear that Ms. Melchionne, Mr. Serio and Mr. D’Amato along with the ex patrolman have flawed opinions.Too bad that the first three though were able to DESTROY an historic,valuable organization. Mr. Serio and Mr.D’Amato have both claimed to be brother firefighters I know Mr. D’Amato ( Island Park,L.I. V.F.D.,Nassau Co. 2nd Battalion) I have been a volley for 40 years, part in the the 2nd Batt. You guys aren’t any brother of mine.