Rescue Me, New Season (4 Viewers)

[kx1a]

One good thing about the "on demand" scotts was if you ran out of air, you could disconnect the hose from the regulator and stick it inside your coat under an armpit. That gave you a little bit of filtration to get out with. Our Mine Safety Appliance masks were of the oxygen rebreather type handed down from the Navy. Never saw one used. When I was forced to leave in 91 our dept still had not gone over to bunkerpants gear. Think I still have a pair of those old boots around here somewhere.

Bill W

 

[kx1a]

One thing about being around firemen was that most of them smoked cigarettes. I could never understand that. Didn,t they get enough smoke on the job?
Gary

Yeah that was the darndest thing but everyone did that. Step out on the fire escape and light up.

Lancer, "I always wanted something cold after a fire, to help cool off, regardless of weather. Gatorade, soda, or water, as long as it was cold."

Beer???

The movie Backdraft was right on in some of the anectdotes such as the smoking. The "dark' humor like stepping on someone and saying "Sorry kid I thought you was dead" to humor that was much darker. " I don't think Shannon would approve" The maniquin scene...I've seen a guy grab what he thought was a baby out of a crib only to find out at the door it was a doll. The following week or so he was greeted with chorus's of . Oh you beautiful doll, you great big beautiful doll........ Ah, the stories that could be told.
Biil W

 

[lancer]

One good thing about the "on demand" scotts was if you ran out of air, you could disconnect the hose from the regulator and stick it inside your coat under an armpit. That gave you a little bit of filtration to get out with. Our Mine Safety Appliance masks were of the oxygen rebreather type handed down from the Navy. Never saw one used. When I was forced to leave in 91 our dept still had not gone over to bunkerpants gear. Think I still have a pair of those old boots around here somewhere.

Bill W

Yeah, still have an old pair of them, too. Come in handy in a couple feet of snow. I remember that emergency breathing technique with the Scotts. Don't recall ever having to use it, myself. The SCBA's we were using when I retired did not have that low pressure hose to disconnect. They had high pressure lines that fed to the regulator on the face piece. If a problem occurred, there was a line for emergency breathing that was to be plugged into a buddies SCBA. If you were alone, you were screwed. But that's advanced equipment for you. Only problems I ever had was taking smoke through the "one size fits all" face pieces when the seal got sweaty, with the old demand Scotts. -- Al

 

[gk5717]

You old firemen talking about your old equipment. When I came on the PD we did not have portable radios. The only radio was attached inside the car. So when you were out of the car on a call you were on your own. As I look back now I can,t imagine being with out that radio, talk about dangerous!
However back then most cars were two man as opposed to now where a two man car is rare.
Gary

 

[kx1a]

!
However back then most cars were two man as opposed to now where a two man car is rare.
Gary

Ah yes..Budget cuts. Over time we went from 5/6 man engine companies to 4and 7 man truck companies to 4/5 depending on if the truck had a tillerman or not. I remember the beat men who if they didn't come in to the fire house to use the phone they had to rely on the corner call boxes. As a fireman I still have my box key
Of course those were the times when the beat cop received a little more respect, did I say little, I meant alot more respect from the public. Parents still had control over their kids. I think we both earned our pay
Bill W

 

[lancer]

You old firemen talking about your old equipment. When I came on the PD we did not have portable radios. The only radio was attached inside the car. So when you were out of the car on a call you were on your own. As I look back now I can,t imagine being with out that radio, talk about dangerous!
However back then most cars were two man as opposed to now where a two man car is rare.
Gary

I seen all that stuff on Adam-12. I don't know how the PD could operate w/o hand sets. Kinda scary. FD radio equipment is getting better, too. Sometimes the old days weren't best. -- Al