Nassau County, FDNY 1960's & 1970's

[Guest]

A good friend of mine passed away last year and the family gave me his vast photo collection.  There are 1000's of images between photos he took and others he had collected through the years.  I am scanning negatives and will post on this thread from time to time. 

 

Some of you may have known him from SPAAMFAA meets.  Robert Ruggiero passed away from his battle with pancreatic cancer.  He was only in his 50s.  He was an active member and then an associate meber of the Elmont Fire Department Heavy Rescue co.#1. 

 

In the 90's he tracked down that companies 1957 Mack B model rescue, or should I say "Emergency" truck by putting a "WANTED" ad in an issue of Fire Apparatus Journal.  Amazingly someone knew where it was and the rig was returned to Elmont.  Unfortunately he never got around to restoring the rig, but from what I understand it is in good hands now by someone who will restore it. 

 

So the first pic here is a Charles Beckworth photo I believe, but it shows the progression of the Elmont Rescue truck.  The box was put originally on a 1947 E model Mack if I am correct.  Van Buren did the body work.  The weight was to much for the truck and in 1957 the exsiting box was mated to a B model.  The second pic is the rig Rob found years later after it was sold in 1975...of course not in that condition.  The second photo is from 1972.

 



 

 

[Guest]

legend had it the 57 mack after it left Elmont was used to transport illegal goods down south.  Here is a photo of it in better days in action in Elmont.

 

[Guest]

Valley Stream NY late 60's rescue truck, with a neat open jump seat ahead of the box.  Photo is at company quarters which it shared with Eng.1.  The Rockaway Ave firehouse is also the departments HQ.

 

[Guest]

Relatively simple front seat and controls of a 1953 Americam LaFrance 700 series Engine.  Elmont Engine 3.  Still at the same location to this day on Meacham Ave.

 



 

 

[Guest]

Manhasset lakeville 1960's Ward LaFrance.  They ran many Wards through the years.

 

[Guest]

West Hempstead B model on drill sunday circa 1968.  West Hempstead had B and C model macks running into the late 80's.

 

[Guest]

Elmont Engine 1, a 1960 C model.   The radio antenna in the back ground is that of WSHS..Sewanhaka High School had a radio course and broadcasting transmitter in the 50's and 60's.

 

[Guest]

East Meadow fire HQ with a cool 1968 Oldsmobile station wagon Chiefs car in front.  I'm sure that thing had a 455 in it.

 



 

[Guest]

Frankin Sq and Munson C model circa 1968.

 

[Guest]

Floral Park floodlight truck.  Rescue and Floodlight trucks from the 50s and 60s always looked cool.

 

[Guest]

Bellerose Terrace looks like a Hahn. 

 

Bellerose Terrace is one of 3 departments in Nassau County that still maintain an active Gamewell telegraph system. 

 

[Guest]

I doubt Rob knew the historical significance of this rig when he took it in 1968.  But this Roslyn Highlands Engine is one of the seven Ahrens Fox/Beck "knock offs" created by Approved Fire Equipment in Island Park NY before Mack bought the company.  A very good view of the front.

 

[Guest]

City of Glen Cove Maxim tiller.  Unique compartments on the trailer.  Gear was stored in the upper cabinets.

 

[Guest]

Bethpage Maxim tiller..or simply ladder 3 as they are known on nassau fire radio.

 

[paganores10cue]

I really hope there are 4 dozen Young photos...at least!

[Guest]

Elmont FD inspection in the Vilage Lumber yard parking lot before the Memorial Day parade 1969. 

 

The lumber yard would go on to burn to the ground on a cold Feb. morning in 1977.

 



 

 

[Guest]

New Hyde Park FD HQ.  Jericho Tpke.  Today the building is 3 times the size.

 

[Guest]

Later tonight I will post some FDNY late 60's stuff...including some Super Pumper drill pics.

[hondok]

Bethpage Maxim tiller..or simply ladder 3 as they are known on nassau fire radio.

 

This unit was eventually purchased by Anne Arundel County, MD (late 80's /early 90's I believe) and used as a reserve aerial. The attached photo (credit to the unknown photographer) shows the truck parked along the driveway at the County repair shop.

[DaveYoung]

Thanks for posting these! Awesome images.