BOX 42NEWSLETTER

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May 2017 - (all images: click twice to enlarge)

"Serving the fire community since 1942"

MEETING INFORMATIONNormally meetings are held on Saturday late in the

month at various fire stations.

The May 20th photo tour takes place in lieuof the May meeting. See inside for details.

Rochester Muster May 21st

Rochester Fire Department working on a fire in a store at 630 Woodward, 9/12/2011 (photo by Mike Rosenblum)

The 33rd annual Great Lakes InternationalAntique Fire Apparatus Association muster,sponsored by the Rochester Fire Department,will be held on Sunday, May 21st. The event isa week earlier than past musters to coincide withthe bicentennial celebration of the City ofRochester, the first settlement in OaklandCounty, founded in May of 1817.The muster begins with a procession of par-ticipants from fire headquarters to the city park.This clip shows fire rigs "proceeding" to the eventof 25 years ago from headquarters, which wasthen at 129 E. University.

To view the clip [click here].In the clip you may notice the remains of thebuilding at 440 Main, which was destroyed in anexplosion four days earlier. The story of thatexplosion, along with some audio and video, wasincluded in our June 2015 issue.

To review that issue [click here].A Rochester firefighter, Atherium Bommarito,created this video which showcases the Roches-ter Fire Department and its personnel.

To view his video [click here].

Above: Attendees at Engine 42 (photo by Brian Rutkowski)

Below: Luncheon at Los Galanes followed the meeting (photo by Ted Main)

Box 42 Turns 75The 75th anniversary meeting of Box 42 was held atDFD's Engine 42 on April 22nd. A proud turnout ofmembers spent the morning catching up andswapping stories after a brief business meeting. Wethank firefighters Tim Healy and Brian Rutkowski forhosting the group.Member Anthony Rzucidlo distributed copies of hisnewly compiled club history. Anthony spent much ofthe past year doing research so as to inform today'sgeneration about where the club has been since itsfounding in 1942. Bill Rosenblum, now serving asclub president for his seventh year since 1974, hasbeen around for most of the club's existence, as hewas born on the day after the club was formed.Taking part in this historic meeting were theseatttendees:Henry F. Burger, Larry Cooper, Russell Dalziel, BlakeGovan, Bill Grimshaw, Anthony Isaac, Dan Jasina,Jerry Jenna, John Kaled, Mary Koehler, RalphKoehler, Kevin Leder, Nancy Lee, Michael O’Lear,Tim O’Lear, Walt McCall, Cathy Main, Ted Main,Sandy Roegner, John Reardon, Richard Reardon,Kelly Rice, Sherman Rice, Bill Rosenblum, Carol J.Rosenblum, Mike Rosenblum, Anthony J. Rzucidlo,Bryan Valrance, and Garry Watts.

The Box 42 Newsletter welcomes all ideas forinput and features and would be happy to hearfrom any interested persons who have jobstories, historical information, newspaperclippings, photos, or other material that youwould like to share with the Box 42community. Please send all news andinformation to the address on the front page.

Editors: Bill and Mike Rosenblum

The DFD Disaster RigsWe received a plethora of responses to last month's question from Bill Kobylarz,who asked about Disaster Rig 1, mentioned in a recording from the 1967 riot. Fortheir input we thank Richard Story, Jim Leininger, Keith Redlin, Greg Pearn, JohnReardon, and Walt McCall, who wrote:I think I can shed some light on the DFD Disaster Unit question Bill Kobylarz posedin the last Box 42 Newsletter. I took the attached photo of Disaster Unit #2 at theDitzler Paint Co. five-alarm fire in August, 1963. The rig is a ca. 1956 GMC -- oneof many heavy rescue units of this style provided by the Government to local andregional Civil Defense organizations during the cold war era. Painted in thestandard CD colors of white and blue, they were nicknamed Calamity Janes.Disaster Unit 1 was a 1952 Reo of the same style which was quartered with Engine6 and Ladder 5 in the DFD Shops complex. Disaster Unit 2 was at Engine 12 andLadder 9, according to the DFD Roster I compiled in 1971. Matt Lee notes thatthese two rescue units were ultimately turned over to the Detroit Police. Hopethis helps.

Disaster #1 - 1952 Reo

Right: Disaster #2 - 1956 GMC,at Ditzler Paint, 8/1/1964 (photo by Walt McCall)

Below: Disaster #2 at Usher Oil, 3/28/1975 (photo by Richard Story)

May Photo Tour Details

The photo tour stopped at Birmingham in 2014(photo from Anthony Rzucidlo collection)

The 10th Box 42 photo tour is scheduled for May20th, having become an annual May tradition.Arranged by members Anthony Rzucidlo andLarry Cooper, this year's event will cover the cityof Dearborn with its visit to six locations.Anthony has provided this list of the planned stops.Addresses are shown for those who wish to usea GPS to get around. The first stop is scheduledfor 10:00, and directions to the subsequent stopswill be provided there. The tour will wrap uparound 3:00. Anthony suggests car-pooling wherepossible to minimize parking issues.Those attending are requested to let Anthonyknow by May 12th at ajr107@peoplepc.com or byphone at 313-563-6065.1. Station 4, 6501 Schaefer n/o Haggerty2. Station 3, 3630 Wyoming s/o Mercier3. Station 5, 3160 Oakwood at Wall St., Melvindale4. Training, 2701 Greenfield at Butler5. Lunch - Senate, 3345 Greenfield n/o Rotunda6. Station 1, 3750 Greenfield n/o Commerce7. Station 2, 19800 W. Outer Drive n/o Garrison Place

Reader CommentsWe received some nice sentiments on our75th anniversary, including this nice cardfrom retired DFD Apparatus Chief TomKniaz.

To view his card [click here].Bill Kobylarz, past club president now livingin New Mexico, sent this:On the occasion of the club's 75th anniver-sary, I just wanted to wish the club, and it'smembers, the very best congratulations.Just wish that I could be there to celebratethis moment since a lot of fond memoriesexist from conventions, meetings, restora-tion projects, Central Office, and, some-times, just plain goofing around! BestWishes!From Jim Leininger:Wanted to go on Saturday but couldn't findsomeone in the family to drive me there. All3 grandsons were working. Any of the "olde"group show up? Hope you all had a greattime.From Brown City FD Chief Keith W. Redlin:I was hoping to attend, but I have to proctorthe state practical exam at the Lapeer Fireacademy that morning. If you have anyanniversary books left over, I would gladlypurchase one. Best wishes and hope to seeyou guys at some meetings soon.From Sharon Jeurgens:Wow, that video of the Hancock fire issomething else. Tough to watch. ... What asad day that was for the department.Thanks also to Steve Wilson, Ian Duke, andLen Williams for their thoughts and feedback.

Coming eventsSaturday, May 20, 9:00 Fire truck pull to benefit Special Olympics Brighton - For details [click here].Saturday, May 20, 10:00 - 3:00 Dearborn photo tour in lieu of regular meeting Details are to the leftSunday, May 21, 10:00 - 3:0033rd annual Rochester antique fire truck

parade and muster. 277 E. Second / 600 Pine For details [click here].Saturday, July 29, 10:00 GLIAFAA Frankenmuth flea market, parade, and muster. Heritage Park, 601 Weiss St., Frankenmuth Friday, August 18, 1:00 - 8:00 17th Annual Emergency Vehicle Show 9 Mile, e/o Woodward, Ferndale [click here]

Wallace Detroit Guitars builds and sells guitarsmade with wood from buildings in Detroit'shistory. Among their products is a seriesconstructed with wood reclaimed from theformer DFD headquarters at 250 W. Larned.To see their offerings [click here].

And speaking of the former Detroit fireheadquarters, the building at 250 W. Larnedwas vacated in 2013. The five story structurewas built in 1929 on the site used by DFDsince the 1840s.The building has now been repurposed into aboutique hotel, scheduled to open this month.The Detroit Foundation Hotel will offer 100rooms and suites, a ballroom, and a groundfloor restaurant.Their site gives a closer look: [Click here].

Something Different

Looking back ...2 Alarm Fire Strikes S.S. Kresge Headquarters

In 1927 a five-story building, designed by Detroit architect Albert Kahn, was constructed to house the headquarters of the rapidly growing S.S.Kresge company. The building is located at 2727 Second, adjacent to Cass Park. The art-deco architecture can be seen in this 2008 photo.The Kresge organization utilized the building for many decades until it moved to Troy in 1971.At that time the Second Avenue property was donated to the Detroit Institute of Technology,which used the building until the early 1980s. Now owned by Wayne State University, theproperty, designated in 1979 as a Michigan State Historic Site and listed on the NationalRegister of Historic Places, currently houses the Metropolitan Center for High Technology.The building's exterior may be seen in the Comedy Central TV show The Detroiters, as theoffice location for the main characters.A two alarm fire struck the Kresge headquarters on November 1, 1965. The first alarm wentout at 1608 hours on Box 649 (Third at Temple). This clip from the 1965 fire has a lot of DFDfaces from the day. Even though it's from over 50 years ago, some may be recognizable. Letus know if you can identify any of the players.

To view the 1965 video [click here].

Below: Dan Jasina sent this image of Farmington Hills' new Engine 5. It's a2017 Rosenbauer 1500 gpm pumper with a 500 gallon tank.Right: 35th at Michigan, April 24, 2017 (photos by Dan Jasina)