Joined my local FD in 1981, at age 15, and stayed for the next four years. Our first-up engine was a 1968 unit, and our aerial unit was from 1941. We were kings of improvisation. We stopped riding tailboards and runners after a crash involving one of our engines (which, fortunately, had no such riders on board at the time.) Definitely learned some great life lessons there. Went on into law enforcement for the next few years, then into EMS, where I've been since. Too old to roll hose now. ;-)
I just commented the same thing but deleted it when I saw your comment. When my mother was a child during WW2 all the kids in the neighbourhood were staked with leashes to their front lawns. 1 mother who didn’t work would watch all the kids. No thought was ever given to having a child stolen. It just didn’t happen.
too bad they usually stay in their windows for longer than the tot is a tot, and usually after that tot has gone off to college and the room becomes storage
I REMEMBER THOSE PARTICULAR STICKERS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP MY GRANDPADENTS HAD THE RED STAR OF LIFE IN THE WINDOW FOR ME THAT WAS MY MEDICAL ALERT STICKER
Hell yea nothing like responding to a fire alarm riding backwards when its 30 degrees. Or when its raining. Or when its 103 degrees outside Nostalgia bruh
Better built engines, better hose evolutions then. Hose beds were laid out better and the plugs were caught easier. However the firemen are better physically now, they don't light up a cigarette at the fire or after a run. Things do change some for the better some not.
Black Spider I remember riding my bike down there after hearing a bunch of sirens. We lived only a mile and a half away. I’ll never forget it; people coming home early and a lot of people trying to haul furniture out. That thing sure spread fast! The beginning of the end of shake shingle roofs
This is several departments in NE Kansas....Topeka, Lawrence (the lime green rigs) and Kansas City, Kansas. The opening shot is of former station #3 in downtown Topeka...1st station I ever visited. Funny...some of the gear has definitely changed, but some, like the quickie saw, are still being used today.
According to the roman numeral date at the beginning of the video (MCMLXXX) this was made in 1980. Also this is KCKFD, Kansas City is two different cities, in two different states. There is KCMO (Missouri) and KCK (Kansas). Regardless this video is a gem, and thank you for such a good quality version! If you have more, please share.
The bowling balls were leftover cop riot helmets, from the 60's. Bell put the neck flaps on them and called them fire helmets. The black ones were just Plectrons or MSAs hard hats. Nothing inside but the suspension. We wore the winter construction liners with the silver gray vinyl and the red flannel, that came off on sweaty ears as red fuzz.
Fritzy NH Interesting to hear. The first firefighter helmets in Germany after WW2 were literally Wehrmacht helmets with the swastika painted over, since there was not much money for fancy new helmets. Later this design was made out of aluminum rather than steel, got slight design changes (a bit smaller, more fitting for civilian use), a leather neck flap and neon yellow paint. This design is often used even today. Now they are made out of some kind of plastic composite material, since aluminum tended to deform and shatter on impact.
You only had to remember once to not pull up your old style hip boots. We had volunteers that wore them. Doing strictly rescue bought my own full bunker gear. Don’t miss 30 minute steel scott pals on my back
Oh yeah that classic porno music. Hellyeah this is legit. I dont know why but these videos of the old school firefighters is just so fascinating. Thanks for uploading this!
I wish fire drills where still a firefighter saying "Now kids imagine there is a fire, Ready? Go!" Now there is no form of instruction, its just a 200 decibel electric alarm that scares the piss out of you in the middle of class, and then you just follow the teacher out. In some schools the teachers are not suposed to tell the class about a fire drill, or where to exit, but they do anyways because they understand that in a real emergency that they have to know how to get out.
My guess is that this was a generic film with a few minutes added for each local department to screen locally. I don't see any KCMO FD. I saw a couple shots of KCKS, but saw several names that I don't recognize as being from the KC area.
The days when men were brave and got right in there and blasted that fire right out! Nowa days ten other departments have to show up and just stand around wondering what do and watch the fire burn or spray water in the sky to put the sparks out.
@@wesleymay602 Separates the dedicated-probies, from the one's who just wanna "be a hero", in professional-title/name ONLY! (Sorry for the caps, but it just seems like the title of hero is sometimes thrown-about quite loosely nowadays?)
Obviously you've never been on a tailboard during a response. Putting your gear on while the other two fire fighters locked arms around you to help keep you from falling off in the rain, snow, sleet, high heat, below freezing conditions, as well as people throwing rocks, bricks, snow balls, etc trying to off the back.
Chad is tripping trust and believe he would be crying like a bitch if he needed them even if it was a political tool speaking of tools I'm going to assume he knows all about tools
As starting my career in firefighting at age 20, I applaud these guys for paving the way to get us where we are today
Joined my local FD in 1981, at age 15, and stayed for the next four years. Our first-up engine was a 1968 unit, and our aerial unit was from 1941. We were kings of improvisation.
We stopped riding tailboards and runners after a crash involving one of our engines (which, fortunately, had no such riders on board at the time.)
Definitely learned some great life lessons there. Went on into law enforcement for the next few years, then into EMS, where I've been since. Too old to roll hose now. ;-)
Thanks for the story - love to hear about folks' careers :)
The Tot Finder: proof of a simpler time where identifying your child's the bedroom to the outside could only be used for good.
I just commented the same thing but deleted it when I saw your comment.
When my mother was a child during WW2 all the kids in the neighbourhood were staked with leashes to their front lawns. 1 mother who didn’t work would watch all the kids. No thought was ever given to having a child stolen. It just didn’t happen.
too bad they usually stay in their windows for longer than the tot is a tot, and usually after that tot has gone off to college and the room becomes storage
Is the program still being used?
I REMEMBER THOSE PARTICULAR STICKERS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP MY GRANDPADENTS HAD THE RED STAR OF LIFE IN THE WINDOW FOR ME THAT WAS MY MEDICAL ALERT STICKER
No AC no power windows no on board computer , yes the good ol days. 72 Seagrave.
Hell yea nothing like responding to a fire alarm riding backwards when its 30 degrees. Or when its raining. Or when its 103 degrees outside
Nostalgia bruh
Love Segraves!
Better built engines, better hose evolutions then. Hose beds were laid out better and the plugs were caught easier. However the firemen are better physically now, they don't light up a cigarette at the fire or after a run. Things do change some for the better some not.
@@Weimar893 never smoked, drank stayed in shape. 30 years in a city. Cheers.
Amazing how much as change in 50 years and yet how much has stayed the same.
Absolutely - we still just have phones, cars, and TV - that's it. Just improvements on inventions
Yep. It all still pretty much boils down to "put the wet stuff on the red stuff", as my chief used to say back in the early eighties.
@@Just1American1966 "Put the wet stuff on the red stuff" is still used today!
@@jamesslick4790
Good to hear that!
@@jamesslick4790 Nope. These days they use digital hoses and digital virtual water. Works great!
At 4: 50... beautiful mack B series 🎉🎉
I grew up in the 70's down here in Houston. We had Ward and American Lafrance apparatus. Also Mack's. What a time!
Black Spider I was there in the mid to late 70s. Do you remember the Woodway Square complex fire?
@@Ken-lp9qt Yes. That was a 7 alarm fire. Wooden shingles was the culprit.
Black Spider I remember riding my bike down there after hearing a bunch of sirens. We lived only a mile and a half away. I’ll never forget it; people coming home early and a lot of people trying to haul furniture out. That thing sure spread fast! The beginning of the end of shake shingle roofs
@@Ken-lp9qt We learned a lot since then. High winds helped fan the flames also
This is several departments in NE Kansas....Topeka, Lawrence (the lime green rigs) and Kansas City, Kansas. The opening shot is of former station #3 in downtown Topeka...1st station I ever visited. Funny...some of the gear has definitely changed, but some, like the quickie saw, are still being used today.
Open cab B model Mack ! Awesome video
Thanks - glad I found it and held on to it - lots of folks enjoyed it.
'
my favor watched on TV show in old time...
'' EMERGENCY-51 ''
I HAVE THE DVD SET OF EMERGENCY
@@lindathrall5133
hi L T...
'
that is a great film in old time...
how about ADAM-12
Remember the old Snorkel ladder?
Great video showing three great departments Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas!
Tail board riding! I wish I could of experienced that.
fire drills then: kids nice and quiet.
Fire drills now: YOOO SCHOOLS ON FIRE LOL I AINT WALKING IN A FIRE IMA RUN (8tons of kids talking and yelling)
According to the roman numeral date at the beginning of the video (MCMLXXX) this was made in 1980. Also this is KCKFD, Kansas City is two different cities, in two different states. There is KCMO (Missouri) and KCK (Kansas). Regardless this video is a gem, and thank you for such a good quality version! If you have more, please share.
I will keep my eyes open for more films like this. Glad you enjoyed the better version
Wonderful. Started my career in 1977
Those helmets were the one we wore when I first start and riding the tail
The bowling balls were leftover cop riot helmets, from the 60's. Bell put the neck flaps on them and called them fire helmets. The black ones were just Plectrons or MSAs hard hats. Nothing inside but the suspension. We wore the winter construction liners with the silver gray vinyl and the red flannel, that came off on sweaty ears as red fuzz.
@@fritzynh1905 thanks for the info , I have both the yellow and the black.
Very European
Fritzy NH Interesting to hear. The first firefighter helmets in Germany after WW2 were literally Wehrmacht helmets with the swastika painted over, since there was not much money for fancy new helmets. Later this design was made out of aluminum rather than steel, got slight design changes (a bit smaller, more fitting for civilian use), a leather neck flap and neon yellow paint. This design is often used even today. Now they are made out of some kind of plastic composite material, since aluminum tended to deform and shatter on impact.
@@TheStevenp851 Jesus, I hope not! Oops!
You only had to remember once to not pull up your old style hip boots. We had volunteers that wore them. Doing strictly rescue bought my own full bunker gear. Don’t miss 30 minute steel scott pals on my back
Ah, the time of the Fire Ball orange gloves that melted on contact with heat. Also smelled to high-heaven because they never dried properly!
Midwest version of "Emergency!"
No doctors solving medical mysteries, however.
Oh yeah that classic porno music. Hellyeah this is legit. I dont know why but these videos of the old school firefighters is just so fascinating. Thanks for uploading this!
You're welcome - it is an entertaining film for sure
3:35 Nice going, Andy! ;D
I wish fire drills where still a firefighter saying "Now kids imagine there is a fire, Ready? Go!" Now there is no form of instruction, its just a 200 decibel electric alarm that scares the piss out of you in the middle of class, and then you just follow the teacher out. In some schools the teachers are not suposed to tell the class about a fire drill, or where to exit, but they do anyways because they understand that in a real emergency that they have to know how to get out.
Sweet!
I wonder how the radios look back then, and there means communication
Wow 1870 whè had a fire station right across the street as a kid we had them at school also don't know if they still do or not
Sorry ment 1970
My guess is that this was a generic film with a few minutes added for each local department to screen locally. I don't see any KCMO FD. I saw a couple shots of KCKS, but saw several names that I don't recognize as being from the KC area.
kcgunesq that’s because it was filmed all in Kansas, a few scenes actually showed departments in Topeka as well.
This was showing lawrence fire and Topeka through lot of it. At around 1:30 that’s lawrence fire station one.
22nd & Lombardy is in KCKS.
this can be used for current training in most stations because Tradition is better than progress
Title card has the film dated at 1980
I'm pretty sure I watched this film in the 2ed or 3ed grade
Old
i thought that bike tag thing was more of a police issue then a FD issue
Chicago Mark Luckily thieves are honest, they never rip the label off.
"Bicycle Fire" is a good name for a band.
You're right :)
The days when men were brave and got right in there and blasted that fire right out! Nowa days ten other departments have to show up and just stand around wondering what do and watch the fire burn or spray water in the sky to put the sparks out.
Clean audio of Centron Films 🤩
Helllllllza ya! GO GET EM BROTHERS!
JAWS OF LIFE AKA MUSCLEHEAD IS ON THE JOB
bumper pumpers and federal helmets
copyrights say 1980
Old school !!!
❤🔥
I wanna hear bout the fireman strike after this 1980s? The governor had pardoned 70 80 firemen from jail from some mayor?
Oh they won't talk about that.
I want to know too now.
I'll bet that kid saw Pennywise down that sewer . . .
I read that as "I'll bet that kid saw Pennsylvania down that sewer" and got a good chuckle.
KCKFD
*Detroit diesel scream intensifies*
I’m disappointed that there wasn’t one and no Crown fire coaches to be seen!
That 70s music
Firemen should be commanded to ride on the back of the truck.
what
Yes even in winter
@@wesleymay602 Separates the dedicated-probies, from the one's who just wanna "be a hero", in professional-title/name ONLY! (Sorry for the caps, but it just seems like the title of hero is sometimes thrown-about quite loosely nowadays?)
Obviously you've never been on a tailboard during a response. Putting your gear on while the other two fire fighters locked arms around you to help keep you from falling off in the rain, snow, sleet, high heat, below freezing conditions, as well as people throwing rocks, bricks, snow balls, etc trying to off the back.
The fire service is a political tool, not a benifit for the community.
❔ curious explained?
But your mom is
Dude... what??
Jim Moon you beat me to it 😂
Chad is tripping trust and believe he would be crying like a bitch if he needed them even if it was a political tool speaking of tools I'm going to assume he knows all about tools
What a joke!!
Joke what? Read your history armchair warrior.
@@stupullenchannel3525 Chad is just jealous that he can only cut it as a key board warrior. 😂😂