And Smithtown is Home
Back in the 1960’s almost every boy in every neighborhood hoped to find a toy fire-truck wrapped under the Christmas tree with their name on it. Firemen were heroes, they were up there with astronauts and police officers, many little boys dreamed of one being a fire fighter one day, of being a hero.
Today boys get digital toys, pretend interpretations of life. However, for the two sons of James Thomas Finnell, Sr. there were no pretend toys. For Jimmy and Steven Finnell of Howard Beach, there were toy fire trucks underneath their beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The fire-themes toys could be found side by side with the neatly wrapped baby dolls and girls toys for theiryounger sisters Kim and Ann Margaret (nicknamed Gidgette).
“I remember one metal fire truck in particular and it had a bell on it,” we loved that truck,” said Steven. For the young Finnell boys that toy truck had a different meaning because their father James Finnell was a FDNY – one of New York’s bravest. To them their father was a hero. Both boys would someday wear that title as well as his grandson who carried his name.
“Oh yeah he missed many Christmas days because of the job,” Steven shared. They had one neighbor who often commented how much time their father was off so one year the Senior Finnell went over and knocked on the neighbor’s door on Christmas morning, wished him Merry Christmas and told him he was off to fire fires, he was off to work. Steven laughed telling that story.
A MORE DANGEROUS JOB BACK THEN
James Thomas Finnell, SR. got on job in 1964 with Engine Company 225 East New York. It was a busy house – East New York was a dangerous neighborhood and much like the Bronx, the fires never seemed to wane. “When I was a kid I would cry at night for him, I would say the word Daddeo and shake my leg to pacify myself until I fell asleep,” lamented Steven.
He says many many times his father would come home hurt or burnt. “The Equipment was different, there was no bunker gear, the boots were open, they would wear jeans with their boots, the boots will fill up with hot water and embers,” he explained.
Bunker Gear (protective gear) was not even introduced until 1994. There were no masks in the days the Senior Finnell fought fires, he told his boys they would lower the hoses for a second and put their faces close to get a little oxygen.
THIRD GENERATION
Steven’s twenty-nine year old son, James Finnell, III listened closely with great intent as his father told the stories of his grandfather’s days on the job decades ago. You see Steven is a firefighter and his son James, III just got on the job in November, he’s what the department calls a PROBEE – short for probationary.
What type of work does a probe do. “Anything and everything, they mop the floor, check the rigs, make sure everything is on the rig, they make sure the rigs and the house is ready to go on the next run,” said James, III. Steven explained you also step up for anyone who needs a holiday off, someone who needs off because their kid or wife is sick. He said it brings you in the right way into the department.
“ I graduated 18 novemer 2014, it was one of the proudest moments of my life becoming an FDNY, “says James III. He spent 7 years EMT in EAST NY FDY EMS. “ I was in a bad neighborhood in Bronxville learning the job,” explained James III.
Before his grandfather died, he told him a great many firefighter stories. The combination of a good fire fighter story told from the tongue of an Irishman makes it even twice an interesting. “My son was more interested in the job than my brother and I – even as 7 – I would have to light fires in the yard and he would put calls out, putting fires out with hoses, him and his cousin, they had hooks. They were little kids; they used the family tractor and turned it into a fire trucker”, Steven laughed.
“My grandfather told me a lot of stories, I carry them with me,” he added. Today the grandson that bears his names wears his jacket. “If that jacket of his could talk I can’t imagine the stories it would tell,” said, James, IIII.
EAST NEW YORK WAS ON FIRE – IT WAS A BUSY PLACE TO BE A FIRE FIGHTER
“My dad fell through a few floors back in the day, I was very cognizant of the dangers he faced,” shared Steven. However, it was a given that actually fighting a fire was dangerous but in 225 in East New York, it was actually dangerous getting to a fire. Steven said at the time East New York was not the easiest place to be a fire fighter. The fires were daily; much like most of the Bronx.
“I remember the stories of my grandfather and the guys he worked with had chain link fences on the tops of their rigs because residents would be throwing bricks at them; they had to be escorted to fight fire by the cops,” said the probe.
Being a firefighter has historically been a dangerous occupation, however, in NYC during the 60’s an 70’s, there was massive backlash against the fire fighters; it was an enormously turbulent time, many, firefighters, cops and plain old residents look back and say it was madness, it was like the whole damn city was on fire.
A MOVE TO THE COUNTRY, KINGS PARK NEW YORK
When the Senior Finnell’s boys were about to head off to a questionable public high school he decided it was time to gt them out of the city. Bucolic Kings Park became the Finnell’s new home. “He wanted good schools for us, he wanted us to experience the country life,” said Steven. The year was 1972 and both Steven and James, Jr. were in heaven. They rode their bikes all over Kings Park – down by the water, through the many woods which are now developments. It was a very Huck Finn life – a carefree life for young boys with unlimited fishing; they would leave in the morning and be gone exploring the woods for hours on end.
“We were in God’s country, my father bought me a little twelve foot boat with a little motor, it was the best childhood,” said Steven.
BEING A FIRE FIGHTER WAS A GIVEN
“From time I was a young kid I just thought I was going to do what my father did,” said his son James. He would take his son James to his firehouse. One of the greatest excitements for Steven and his brother James who is retired FDNY was when their dad would bring the rig over to Howard Beach and they would get to see their dad and wave to their dad on the truck in their own neighborhood. They were the envy of other neighborhood boys.
“We would go to the house (his father’s fire house) on holidays and for parties, it was amazing,” said Steven. Both agreed it was like being in a very large family. However, as a small boy the danger of the job was never lost on him, he was always worried about his father, more so than his three siblings. “He came hurt a lot, his ears would be burnt or his legs were burnt a lot of the times,” he explained.
The Senior Finnell ended his career on a house off Main Street in Queens. Ironically it’s the how Steven works in and his son the Probee James, III got assigned to.
Looking back at the last days of his father’s career are sad for Steve and his son James who was actually on the job at the time. James was the first son on the job. Like his father, James Jr. went on an historic number of Hail Mary Saves – he put his life on the line more times that can be counted.
When talking about their dad’s last days get solemn. “There was a back draft and he got blown back, he was an officer in the house, his ears were really burnt, he snapped vertebrae in his neck,” Steven explained. Steven was not on the job yet; he was in his late teens early 20’s but said that injury is what ended his pops career. He had to be placed in halo for months. After a long and successful career James Sr. retired 1993. Steven believes he retired too late, he was too hurt and it was too late to enjoy himself. James Jr. was till on the job.
The Boys Were Born for It
Steven went on the job in 1994 with Engine 273. “ I wound up in the same house as my pop, It was called pop time, said Steven.
Jimmy says some of his father’s buddies are still around, Sal Sansone and Jimmy McMahon. James says he looks forward to sharing this story with them.
Much like their father and grandfather, all three Finnell boys loved the job as much as James Sr.
“I loved helping people I love driving the fire truck; it was an honorable job. I never took advantage of my status as a public servant, I took it seriously,” said Steven.
His son shared his dream and ironically ended up in the house his grandfather retired out of in Flushing and the house his father Steven worked in. “It was completely a dream come true becoming a fire fighter – nothing I wanted more in my life than a wife, a house and be a firefighter”, says James III.
James, II said being a firefighter such a big thing for the entire family growing up. His father was very involved in the Emerald Society and they took trips and vacations with the other families; families of firemen and cops. James and Steven agreed they have great memories of those days decades ago. It was James who took care of his father in the final days of his life at his home.
James Finnell, II retired 2005. “After 9/1 1 a lot of talent and experience was lost, that experience was irreplaceable,” he said. He says the department is still trying to come back from 9/11. “A lot of the firehouses don’t have that senior man who would teach the new guys,” said Finnelll. He does say however, there is more opportunity for growth.
James Finnell, II, doesn’t regret his retirement. “It gave me a good life – you still miss it to this day, but now I am into the Fire Riders,” said James Finnell. It’s Motorcycle Club that was established in January of 1985, at the quarters of Engine Company 263, in the 49 Battalion, Queens, New York. The late Battalion Chief Junius Rahn created the club to unite firefighters, have a good time and promote safe motorcycling. The original group consisted of 16 members and has grown to over 300 members today! There is now also a chapter in Nassau County.
James says it’s so much fun but in addition keeps his deep connection to the department.“We meet once a month and have a dinner, it’s like being in the fire house, it’s the closest thing again riding with the guys” says James Jr.
James the III, is married to a gorgeous girl and has a beautiful daughter. Stephen Finnell is still on the job and has two beautiful children. James Jr. recently married a beautiful girl Michelle and together they of gaggle of daughters.
All four Finnell siblings stayed enormously close throughout their lives and all stayed in Kings Park. James and Steven can be found back and forth at each other houses helping each other build things, fix things. They lost their father about a decade or so back and their mother a year later. Both their parents would be enormously proud of how close all four of their kids stayed as well as how close their grand-children stayed. You rarely see one Finnell at a time – they generally come in multiples!
As far as the Department, there were many great families who had multiple generations of firemen. But the Finnells are Kings Park’s great fire fighter family. The Finnell men worked hard and saved many lives. James Finnell, II of Ladder Co. 136 out of Corona was awarded The Thomnas E. Crimmons Medal. He was honoed for saving a disabled woman from a sixth-flor fire at Lefrak City on a cold January day. James ended up in a Rescue company at the end of his career, there was one for each borough. “We didn’t just sit around waiting for a fire, we did scuba diving runs, practiced our taining if someone was trapped under a train,” he added. In addition they practiced high-angle rescues – like the Twin Towers. “I think my father was so proud us boys went on the job, he’s be so excited Steven’s son James in on the job now,” said James, II.
Finnell crawled into a burning apartment and carried the woman, who had fallen from her wheelchair, he carried her through the apartment and down six flight six stairs. The Finnells may have produced three generations of great fire men but they all produced three generations of great men.