O.K., there are pictures way down the page, but first you have to read the story behind them.
In the summer of 1980 my employer (I.R.S.) sent me on an all expenses paid 1 week vacation to our Nation's Capitol under the guise of assisting in the preparation of a fabulously improved Proceedures Manual for the area that I worked in at the time. It really was nice as I spent my lunch periods across the street in the Smithsonian and then after work I would walk through the monuments. Since I wanted to take pictures on the way up and heading back home I chose to drive instead of fly.
At the end of the week I elected to stay over on Friday night so that I could take the tour at the White House on Saturday morning. Since tickets for the tours were given out fairly early (8:00 or 9:00 a.m.) and were limited in quantity, I decided to arrive well before the ticket office opened. After getting my ticket I now had roughly an hour to an hour and a half to kill. I spent some time in the museum/display at the Treasury Department admiring the artwork on old currency.
I came outside and was sitting on the steps at the Treasury Building when I started hearing sirens. Lots of sirens. Not the kind of sirens that are on police cars either. Real sirens. I watched a couple of engine with wagon companies go by and a truck. O.K., so they had a run. Probably an alarm drop or something else that didn't amount to much. After a little while I realized that none of the apparatus had come back heading for home!
During the time frame when this happened (1980), I weighed half of what I do now (ouch) and I could run. Well, I started running. I mean I would have been an inspiration to Forest Gump. It's too hard to remember if I just had to go to Pennsylvania Avenue or the next street beyond, but when I made it to the corner and looked down the street I realized that I had waited too long to start moving my feet.
The fire was down 2-3 blocks in a 3-4 story building with a storefront on the first floor. By the time my tired little dogs had me on the scene the fire was knocked down and everyone was coming out and picking up (they're were a couple of lines stretched, so they had some fire). Anyway, I hung around for a while and took a few apparatus shots.
I really have to compliment the Battalion Chief on the scene. He saw me taking pictures, asked if I was a buff, and then stood and talked with me for 10-15 minutes. He invited me over to quarters and said that I would be welcome to photgraph apparatus anywhere in his Battalion. I will never forget his hospitality. He was a real credit to the DCFD.
Unfortunately I had to decline his offer. Once I went back to the White House for the tour it was time to get on the pony and start heading for Cincinnati.
So, here are a couple of shots from the fire scene. Engine 16 on the hydrant and the 23's in front of the building. I think that is Truck 3 with the aerial up.
Steve
Engine 16 - 1969 Ford/Pirsch 750-gpm
Engine 23 - 1980 Hahn 1250-gpm 500 Tank
In the summer of 1980 my employer (I.R.S.) sent me on an all expenses paid 1 week vacation to our Nation's Capitol under the guise of assisting in the preparation of a fabulously improved Proceedures Manual for the area that I worked in at the time. It really was nice as I spent my lunch periods across the street in the Smithsonian and then after work I would walk through the monuments. Since I wanted to take pictures on the way up and heading back home I chose to drive instead of fly.
At the end of the week I elected to stay over on Friday night so that I could take the tour at the White House on Saturday morning. Since tickets for the tours were given out fairly early (8:00 or 9:00 a.m.) and were limited in quantity, I decided to arrive well before the ticket office opened. After getting my ticket I now had roughly an hour to an hour and a half to kill. I spent some time in the museum/display at the Treasury Department admiring the artwork on old currency.
I came outside and was sitting on the steps at the Treasury Building when I started hearing sirens. Lots of sirens. Not the kind of sirens that are on police cars either. Real sirens. I watched a couple of engine with wagon companies go by and a truck. O.K., so they had a run. Probably an alarm drop or something else that didn't amount to much. After a little while I realized that none of the apparatus had come back heading for home!
During the time frame when this happened (1980), I weighed half of what I do now (ouch) and I could run. Well, I started running. I mean I would have been an inspiration to Forest Gump. It's too hard to remember if I just had to go to Pennsylvania Avenue or the next street beyond, but when I made it to the corner and looked down the street I realized that I had waited too long to start moving my feet.
The fire was down 2-3 blocks in a 3-4 story building with a storefront on the first floor. By the time my tired little dogs had me on the scene the fire was knocked down and everyone was coming out and picking up (they're were a couple of lines stretched, so they had some fire). Anyway, I hung around for a while and took a few apparatus shots.
I really have to compliment the Battalion Chief on the scene. He saw me taking pictures, asked if I was a buff, and then stood and talked with me for 10-15 minutes. He invited me over to quarters and said that I would be welcome to photgraph apparatus anywhere in his Battalion. I will never forget his hospitality. He was a real credit to the DCFD.
Unfortunately I had to decline his offer. Once I went back to the White House for the tour it was time to get on the pony and start heading for Cincinnati.
So, here are a couple of shots from the fire scene. Engine 16 on the hydrant and the 23's in front of the building. I think that is Truck 3 with the aerial up.
Steve
Engine 16 - 1969 Ford/Pirsch 750-gpm
Engine 23 - 1980 Hahn 1250-gpm 500 Tank
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