r/Firefighting • u/found10mm • 10d ago

Photos My parents found my great grandfathers fire helmet in storage

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Gallery image

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

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143

u/FloodedHoseBed career firefighter 10d ago

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

63

u/found10mm 10d ago

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

26

u/OneSplendidFellow 9d ago

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.

11

u/Think_Rub2459 9d ago

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

8

u/Local_Loss_1757 9d ago

I started at 32

7

u/FloodedHoseBed career firefighter 9d ago

Oldest guy in my class was 44

4

u/baldcatlikker 9d ago

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

2

u/fish1552 FF/EMT who thankfully doesn't have to do medical 6d ago

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.

1

u/bbmedic3195 9d ago

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.

1

u/diversmith 8d ago

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

1

u/Every_Iron_4494 7d ago

Started at 29

1

u/Cixin97 9d ago

Shields?

6

u/FloodedHoseBed career firefighter 9d ago

Yup that’s what I said

1

u/The_Piloteer Part-time Pete/Weekend Warrior 9d ago

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

1

u/bbmedic3195 9d ago

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