My parents found my great grandfathers fire helmet in storage

[u/found10mm]

He worked for the San Francisco fire department in the early 1900s, thought it was cool enough to share

[u/FloodedHoseBed]

That’s so fucking cool. It makes me laugh how massive shields used to be. Do you have any info on his career

[u/found10mm → u/FloodedHoseBed]

Only thing I see is a little paper with his initiation date that says 9/23/14 at the age of 33

[u/OneSplendidFellow → u/found10mm]

Guardiansofthecity.org has a research request tab,  though the form seems to be hidden from public view.  Might reach out to them, see what they might have.

[u/Think_Rub2459 → u/found10mm]

Oh man I'm 30 and was thinking of becoming a firefighter i thought I was too old.

[u/Local_Loss_1757 → u/Think_Rub2459]

I started at 32

[u/FloodedHoseBed → u/Think_Rub2459]

Oldest guy in my class was 44

[u/baldcatlikker → u/Think_Rub2459]

I would start acting on it. Harder after the age of 36 bc retirement but not impossible.

[u/fish1552 → u/Think_Rub2459]

The sooner you do it the easier it will be. Otherwise you might be trying to hit your 20 yr mark while your knees and back barely let you do the job. I used to laugh when I started around 34 at the guys saying it was hard, but being 54 now, I fully understand it. The job can be hard on the body and it only gets harder with age. Hopefully by the 20 yr mark you are an officer that doesn't have to do a lot of the backseat work and do more tactical stuff.

[u/bbmedic3195 → u/Think_Rub2459]

If you are in NYC you are too old. In NJ you have to be appointed before your 35th birthday. Other cities or states may have an age limit. It deals with pensions and in NJ mandatory retirement age is 65.

[u/diversmith → u/Think_Rub2459]

Lotsa guys getting picked up in their 30’s & 40’s

[u/Every_Iron_4494 → u/Think_Rub2459]

Started at 29

[u/Cixin97 → u/FloodedHoseBed]

Shields?

[u/FloodedHoseBed → u/Cixin97]

Yup that’s what I said

[u/The_Piloteer → u/Cixin97]

It's the plate on the front that tells you what company they're from

[u/bbmedic3195 → u/Cixin97]

The front piece on the helmet is referred to as a shield

[u/Valuable_Archer_3222]

Imagine living in San Francisco in that time and being a firefighter. Must have been so damn cool.

[u/946stockton]

If you stop by Station 17, they can probably look up in some of the old run books his name and some of the calls he went on.

[u/found10mm → u/946stockton]

That’s super cool, I’m close by

[u/Bionicfrog14432]

Station 17 bayview built in 1960. Helmet fits that period. Very very cool.

[u/OneSplendidFellow → u/Bionicfrog14432]

1906 maybe?

[u/Bionicfrog14432 → u/OneSplendidFellow]

I could not find any information earlier than 1960. And a picture from 1964 from SF archive of very similar helmets. I’m not an expert though. 1906 would have been an interesting time. The stories it could tell.

[u/OneSplendidFellow → u/Bionicfrog14432]

The high eagle era ended around the mid 30s, though nothing is ever really abrupt.  Afterward, it would most likely have been 5As with a shorter, non-eagle front holder and a 6" front instead of the 8" on this one.  guardiansofthecity.org has page with some dates on the various iterations of Eng. 17, but for some reason my phone freezes on the gallery, so I don't have anything more than that.

[u/Bionicfrog14432 → u/OneSplendidFellow]

Very interesting. I got a crash course of San Francisco FD history while trying to date it. The gallery fails to load for me also. This helmet could have survived the fire of 1906 potentially. That’s insane to think about.

[u/reddaddiction]

Yeah, that's cool as shit. The guys over at 17 would get a kick out of this.

[u/CraigwithaC1995]

That is an awesome find! You should see if you can find old pictures of him from his time in the department and mount them with a plaque into a shadow box or on a board. That's an awesome conversation piece!

[u/Jumpy_Secretary_1517]

That is fucking dope. I’d keep it off surfaces you eat from though, look at all that salt!

[u/found10mm → u/Jumpy_Secretary_1517]

You’re probably right lol I’ll make sure we clean off the counter

[u/DrChenLee]

Fightin 17th!!

[u/blitz350 → u/DrChenLee]

"YOU GO! WE GO!"

[u/epiclyjohn]

Engine co 17 used to be at 416 Jesse Street before the stations were recategorized. The old school journals may be at station 17 or still at station 1.

[u/Any_Program_2113]

If it only could talk!

[u/SnooLemons4344]

THATS sick God bless

[u/LtDangotnolegs92]

Fighting seven teeennnn god damnnnn!!!! I love it here!!!!

[u/testingground171]

That deserves an enclosed protective display case and a prominent display location in the house or apartment.

[u/63GBPackerfan]

Hell of a find!

[u/SanJOahu84]

Had a feeling it was an old SF lid even before reading the caption. 

[u/KGBspy]

I work in the same station as my paternal great grandfather did back in the 30’s, I asked my grandmother what she did with all his stuff when he died? She threw it out…..ugh. I do at least have his department I.d. I think he died in the 40’s, my dad born in 47’ doesn’t remember him.

[u/baldcatlikker]

Thats awesome. Family heirloom.

[u/WavyTsunamii]

Seriously awesome piece of history

[u/gen2600]

That chicken is so tall.. I'd love better/closer pics, thanx op!

[u/OneSplendidFellow]

Definitely cook enough to share.  That is beautiful.

[u/An10nee]

Very cool. I would get it a glass display case

[u/Ok-Buy-6748]

Priceless!

[u/Ruckit167]

That’s really cool! It needs to be mounted on a wall!

[u/kickdrumtx]

Too cool .. I wish that thing could talk? Think of the stories. Wow, be a cool talk. Don’t ever let that get out of our fire family, even if you just keep it. I would! Think of all the lives that helmet has saved? Countless!! Nice my friend. Thanks for the chance to get to see it ..

[u/Nticks]

Awesome, he must have been a salty dog from the looks of it. Do you know his experiences with the 1906 earthquake?

[u/found10mm → u/Nticks]

Looks like he was initiated in 1914 so he probably just missed the 1906 earthquake as an employed fireman, maybe he volunteered during that time but I have no idea

[u/Nticks → u/found10mm]

Ah ok. I heard early 1900s and got excited. He must have seen a lot of interesting stuff.

[u/found10mm → u/Nticks]

Yeah he was 33 at initiation so he was forsure around for the quake, hopefully I can find out more info

[u/Ashenfenix]

That's the most glorious chicken I've ever seen. Need more close ups.

[u/-How2savealife-]

That’s rad! I’d consider getting a protective case for that. What a special piece of history for your family.

[u/fish1552]

Beautiful. I am lucky to have my father's old metal helmet from around 1963 when he volunteered at the old Reily Hose Company Station 10 in Harrisburg, PA. That station is now the PA Firefighter Museum. I need to see about getting it back up there to donate to the museum so it can be enjoyed by more people than just the family.

[u/LAFD]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing.

[u/Big_Virgil]

This is super cool!

My lazy ChatGPT research says…

This is an authentic leather firefighter’s helmet from the late 1800s–early 1900s, most likely made by Cairns & Brother in Philadelphia, the premier helmet maker of the era. The front shield marked “Engine 17” ties it directly to San Francisco’s Engine Company 17, which was active during the 1906 earthquake and fire as well as major blazes throughout the early 20th century. Its tall crown, wide rear brim, and hand-painted shield are classic design features of working helmets of that time, making it not only a collectible but also a piece of San Francisco fire history.

[u/fdny40]

Salty mofo!