My Father's Foray Into Writing...

Above top to bottom My Dad's Firehouse Magazine article, My Dad's WNYF article and Charter Issue of Firehouse Magazine

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Here's a photo of an article by my Dad in the 1st Quarter Issue of WNYF in 1972, titled, "Let Safety go to Your Head," about the ongoing controversy, at the time over leather helmets.

My father spent a couple of years in the Safety Battalion before getting a spot in the 44th Battalion, where he'd been Captain of 107 Truck from 1965 to 1970.

In this article he defended the traditional leather helmets, despite the city's no longer wanting to deal with the measuring and expense.

The most difficult article he wrote was for the Charter Issue (September/October, 1976) of Dennis Smith's "Firehouse Magazine," in which he also defended the traditional leather helmets, in an article titled, "Traditional Fire Helmets, How Safe Are They?"

He'd never dealt with an active, hands-on editor before and like many writers, he balked at any changes to his initial work. Like anything else, collaboration can be difficult, especially if you've never engaged in it before.

Looking through that issue, there was also an article on the now, late, great John Goss, also pictured.

It was a great comfort seeing that.

Two of my favorite people, one, my Dad, the other my mentor in the SAME issue of the SAME magazine.

John Goss, FDNY 1962 - 1994, firefighter and artist

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This was a painting I commissioned from John Goss, a firefighter who worked in Engine 35 in East Harlem (3rd Avenue & 125th Street) for over thirty years, all of them on "the backstep." I was fortunate to have worked with John from May of 1986 to April of 1987. There wasn't a better man to learn the job from.

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John wasn't only a firefighter's firefighter, but a great artist, a kind and exceedingly humble man and one of the many FDNY firefighters I've been honored to have worked with over the years.

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The above painting tracks my father's career from firefighter in Engine Company 201 (Brooklyn - 1953 - 1960), to Lieutenant in Engine 7 and Ladder 6 (Lower Manhattan - 1960 - 1965), to Captain of Ladder-107 (East New York/Brownsville, Brooklyn - 1965 - 1970), L-107, whose bucket is at the window, was a single Truck Company back then, to Battalion Chief in the Safety Division and then the 44th Battalion, Brownsville, Brooklyn (1970 - 1978), to Deputy Chief in the 4th Division (Harlem) to the 5th Division (Harlem), to DAC in Staten Island and then Manhattan (1978 - 1990).

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In the above picture, John's likeness is that 4th Division Chief with his arm around that 5th Division Chief which is his rendition of my Dad's likeness. John said my Dad reminded him of Jimmy Cagney. I thought that was funny, considering my Dad was also a very quiet, humble man.

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Both my Dad and John Goss died of cancer the same year, 1997. John died on the 11th anniversary of my appointment date, March 15th. Both men went from full-time firefighters to full-time cancer patients within a year of leaving the FDNY.

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I think of them both every day.