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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
The scene is intense and dramatic: three horses pulling a steam fire engine, a driver leaning forward holding the reins, two helmeted fireman on the back. Smoke and a hint of flame rise out of the boiler. There is a sense of dynamic action. They are on their way to a fire. The name on the mug is George P. McKenna. Beside the name are the initials, N.Y. F. D. - the New York Fire Department.
The New York Fire Department is one of the oldest in the country, tracing its beginnings as far back as 1648. From a brief mention in the Fire Protection Service, Volume 79, 1920 , George P. McKenna worked as a Battalion Chief for the Fire Department in the 1920s. And seeing as The New York City Fire Museum states that "the last horse-drawn engine was put out of service in December of 1922," this dates the mug accurately.
It is one of the finest mugs in the collection, not only for the quality of its craftsmanship, but for its prestigious history.
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
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| Engine No. 8 Horse-drawn Steam Fire Engine for the New York Fire Department |
"Until the mid-19th century, most fire engines were maneuvered by men, but the introduction of horse-drawn fire engines considerably improved the response time to incidents. The first self-propelled steam-driven fire engine was built in New York in 1841. It was the target of sabotage by firefighters and its use was discontinued, and motorized fire engines did not become commonplace until the early 20th century."
- Wikipedia: Fire Engine
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| source |
"The 20th century saw a change in how the FDNY fought fire. When New York City was consolidated in 1898, the Department went from being led by three commissioners, to one, John J. Scannell, and the incumbent Chief of Department, Hugh Bonner. These two men took command of 989 paid firefighters from Brooklyn and Long Island City, 3,687 volunteers from Queens and Staten Island, and controlled 121 engines, forty-six trucks, a hose wagon, and a water tower.
"With a greater number of people and square mileage to protect, the FDNY had to adapt new firefighting strategies. The Croton Aqueduct had provided New Yorkers with plenty of water for drinking and bathing, but there wasn’t enough pressure for the demands of high-rise firefighting. During the first decades of the 1900s, the city built four high-pressure pumping stations. As technology improved, these stations were replaced, during the 1950s, by apparatus that could pump 1000 gpm of water.
"After the tragic Triangle and Equitable building fires in 1911 and 1912, the Department aggressively inspected buildings, enforced fire codes, and investigated arson through the Bureaus of Fire Prevention and Fire Investigation. This also marked the time when the FDNY recognized the equal importance of fire prevention and suppression.
"Just as the volunteers were slow to give up their hand-drawn pumpers, the paid department was slow to make the transition from horses to the internal combustion engine. Motorization of the department began in 1911 and the last horse-drawn engine was put out of service in December of 1922. This, like many other department changes, was necessary to keep up with the demands of the growing city."
- The New York City Fire Museum
Source: Public Domain Review
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| Fire Protection Service, Volume 79, 1920 |
"RANK OF ACTING CHIEFS
Proposed Alteration in Organization of New York Fire Department
A committee of battalion chiefs and captains of the New York Fire Department called on Commissioner Drennan recently to place before him the proposition of abolishing the Acting Chiefs Battalion, in the interests of uniformity and permanent rand and also to show Mr. Drennan how it can be done economically.
The committee consisted of the following: Battalion Chiefs James W Hefferman, Patrick Walsh, Richard Marshall, Luke Flanagan and George McKenna, and Captains John J. T. Waldron, Edward Flaherty, Ferdinand Buetenerhorn and James Purdy. The committee was told the matter “would receive due consideration at the proper time.”
- Fire Protection Service, Volume 79, 1920
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
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| Occupational Shaving Mug: George P. McKenna N.Y.F.D. |
I also discovered this for a younger McKenna, perhaps a son?
"First Grade Fireman George McKenna receives the William H. Todd memorial medial of valor from James Herbert Todd, Jr., grandson of the founder of the Todd Shipyards Corporation, for his heroism in attempting to frustrate the suicide leap of John Warde from the Hotel Gotham, Manhattan, last July. Fireman McKenna was lowered by ropes from the 18th floor in an effort to catch Warde. The presentation was one of many made at the World's Fair to members of the Police and Fire Department who performed conspicuous acts of bravery during 1938."
- Brooklyn Eagle, June 2, 1939