There was a time when the bicycle and the soda fountain ruled. This was Patricia “Patty” Baker and H. Thomas “Tom” Laun, Jr.’s childhood on Peck Avenue in Eastwood. Up the street on the corner of Peck Avenue and James Street stood the “corner store (s).” On one side was “Sabhas, James Street Market,” and on the other side was the “Galloway Pharmacy.” The drug store with its long soda fountain, was the local hangout. This is where Tom worked as a “soda clerk.” The pay was light, but the benefits great, as he made $1 per hour and all the ice cream and sweets he could eat. All the neighborhood kids hung out there, at least until dark. The girls seemed to like the cherry cokes and sit at the soda bar, while the guys spent time reading the comics, or perusing the latest Playboy. That was the daily routine with the guys; quickly go to the magazine section and check it out. “They never bought any magazines,” Tom said, “as there wasn’t a need to because they could read the magazines and view the pictures for free.” This was the case when Tom was working the soda fountain. Not so when the owner, a first class pharmacist, was on duty. He would instead chase the boys out if they were not buying anything, “this is no library,” he would say. “Little did he know...he was a fine man to work for and was very kind to all the kids,” Tom said. A bicycle not built for two Patty said, back then it was mostly the boys who had bicycles. Tom said it was only natural that he share, taking Patty for rides on the handlebars of his famous “spring fork” Schwin bicycle. This Schwin was the Cadillac of bikes in those days, especially in candy apple red with chrome fenders. Pat had a special stool at the soda fountain too. That is where, for the cost of a bottomless cherry coke, she did Tom’s homework every night. In later years Tom became the owner of a cherry red, bull nosed, 1950 Chevy convertible. Patty was treated to rides in this beauty as well. Growing up right next door to each other wasn’t close enough. As they eventually married and moved one street over to Paul Avenue where they raised their three children. Following a family tradition Tom, AKA Howard Thomas Laun Jr., was named after his father, Howard Thomas Laun Sr. Tom followed in dad’s profession as a city of Syracuse firefighter. Tom’s dad started in 1942, while Tom started 19 years later, at station 12 on West Genesee Street. Tom was also a member of the Air National Guard enlissting in 1956. When President Kennedy activated the 138th Fighter Squadron during the construction of the Berlin Wall, AKA “Berlin Crisis.” Tom was stationed in Phalzburg, France for about a year. This call-up occurred only weeks after the birth of their first child, a son, Timothy Thomas Laun. Patty stayed behind in Syracuse with their new baby. Tom came home from the service in the summer of 1962. Upon returning to work at the fire department, he was reassigned from Engine 12 to the Rescue Company. On Aug. 27, 1962 his very first night on duty with Rescue, there was a three-alarm fire at the Brown Jug Restaurant on South Salina Street. It was a cellar fire and Rescue went into the basement through a sidewalk grate. This is where he spent the entire night, with a hoseline of course. The next duty shift, Tom asked his partner if it was always this busy? He was given a definite, tongue in cheek, “yes.” It was only a short time until Tom realized that was a bit of an exaggeration, but suffice it to say, there was never a dull moment. Many city firehouses were the epicenter of neighborhood activity in those days. He was then stationed in the firehouse #1 at 106 Montgomery St., right next door to the Miss Syracuse Diner, that station is still directly across from City Hall. It was closed in the 1970’s, when a new station 6 was built. Rescue was then quartered at the new station 6. The old station 1 eventually became the Fire Barn Tavern for awhile. After several years at being occupied by various occupancies, it appears to be vacant once again. Tom always felt that this firehouse should be turned into a museum for the Syracuse fire department. It is ideal for such a purpose because it is already located in a historical museum district of sorts, with the Canal Museum and the Onondaga Historical Society well within walking distance. Old Fire Station 1 still has the original doors from the days when several pieces of horse drawn equipment responded from that station. “In the 1960s that was a busy place,” he added, “We saw everything.” The rescue company firefighters were the only firefighters required to use air masks at fire scenes in those days. Rescue was considered an elite company, expected to deliver that extra level of service. This company continues that tradition to this day. Tom said working there was often working with, “the best of the best.” In the 1950’s, during down time, the firefighters at station 1, took to cooking steak sandwiches in the tiny firehouse kitchen. Occasionally this fare drew people from city hall. Their interest in the good smells emanating from the firehouse kitchen. Soon this became a small enterprise for the firefighters, as for a small fee they too could have a steak sandwich. The proceeds from this endeavor were mainly used to purchase more steak for more sandwiches. There was no profit motive other than to keep the steak sandwiches grilling. Eventually the owner of the Miss Syracuse diner complained to city hall about the firefighters new enterprise. He rightfully felt this was unfair competition and it was cutting into the diner’s business. All good things seem to come to an end. That is what happens some time when you are too successful. But this situation and others speak to the community of city firehouses at that time. “The doors were always open and it was a welcoming atmosphere to all who stopped by, for what ever reason,” Tom said. “Some came to use the public rest rooms and others to just converse or hang out. These were very social places.” House cats abounded “House cats” were people from all walks of life, who came in just to hang around the action. Actual animals, such as the traditional Dalmatian or other pets, were in fact banned from firehouses by fire department regulations. The house cats sometimes consisted of politician’s sons who wanted to ride on the trucks, or neighbors who came to socialize or play cards. “And not to be forgotten, the ‘fire buffs’,” Tom said, “A fire buff is a person who has an affinity for firefighters, fire trucks and the action of fire fighting, but are not themselves firefighters. They may be office clerks, politicians, doctors or just your everyday-working guy. It was my experience all the social contacts and fire buffs were men, men of all ages.” Most of the time house cats wouldn’t get in the way and would also do small jobs at fire scenes, such as help load hose or clean up equipment once back at the fire station. “Not all fire buffs rode the rigs in those days, but some did. Others just stayed back at the firehouse and closed the doors after the trucks left. Many times they turned off the stove if we were cooking, or made a fresh pot of coffee for us upon our return to the firehouse,” he said. At Fire Station 1 there was a ‘character,’ named Clarence, who stood about 5’ 2.” He was a gnarled old figure, some said he had a face like a ripped sneaker, Tom recalled. Clarence worked in a slaughterhouse up Split Rock way. He was as strong as an ox. “He bragged about his job, he said he was the guy who hit the animals in the head with a sledgehammer,” before slaughter. I believed him, Tom said. In the 1950s, Clarence would ride to fires on the engine. “He had the propensity to be rather mouthy at times,” Tom said, “But he didn’t get in the way, and he would always help by rolling hoses after the fire. “Many times Clarence would come into Station 1 later in the evening, when all the firefighters were already down for the night. He would find a place to curl up and sleep. Sometimes it was said he slept on top of the hose load on the engine and other times in the back seat of the spare chief’s car. “All usually went well with his relationship with the firefighters at the station; that was until one night with a new chief in the spare car. Clarence decided to take a snooze in the backseat of that chief’s car, he snuggled under the rubber coat and stuff in the back seat.” When an alarm came in around 2 a.m. the chief hopped in his car to race along with the trucks - about half way there, Clarence popped up from the backseat and said, “Hey Chief, where’re we going?” It rather startled the heck out of the chief. Tom said after that episode Clarence’s welcome at Fire Station 1 was abbreviated and eventually terminated. Tom was promoted to Lieutenant and eventually was assigned to Engine 20 on Geddes Street. “It was only a three man house, and we were rather busy, by the standards of that day. Certainly not busy at all by today’s standards,” he said. In the early 1960s firefighters took home about $160 each month. This was after a biweekly house tax of $2, to buy kitchen essentials such as coffee and also, a monthly $20 fee for Blue Cross. “It was plenty in those days,” Tom said. “At Fire Station 1 on Montgomery Street, there was no place to park a car, so most of us who lived in the city, rode the bus to work.” In uniform you could ride the bus for free. Meanwhile, Patty was busy managing their home, as two daughters Linda and Jean had come along after their son Timothy. Tom’s next promotion was to Captain of Engine 7. He was placed in command of the first Mini-Maxi Company. “The mini-maxi concept was a two piece company configuration, consisting of a mini pumper and a maxi pumper,” Tom said. “Both units were staffed by one company. It was one of the many original concepts and procedures designed by the then fire chief Thomas Hanlon.” This concept of the two-piece company was the first of many mini-maxi configurations that were to follow nationwide. Justification for the mini was that 90 percent of alarm transactions were capable of being successfully handled by two firefighters in a mini pumper. “These figures were obtained by studying alarm responses and service rendered for a period of years prior to the formulation of the mini-maxi concept...excellent concept for the times,” he said. “The fire department continues to modify and grow that concept, and in many ways it remains valid to this day. “Today, the firefighter unions, and national fire protection association and fire underwriters call for larger strike forces on fire calls, and for that reason the mini never responds alone on a fire related alarm. The Syracuse Fire Department has a large response force assigned to building fire incidents. Today on a first alarm the basic assignment is three engine companies, two ladder (truck) companies and the Rescue Company. A district chief is also assigned to this response…a total of 27 firefighters. This heavy first alarm assignment has been especially beneficial in both saving lives and property. Also this heavy assignment of the first alarm, many times saves the need for a second alarm. There were some who felt it was like NIMO going to check a gas leak with a backhoe instead of a flashlight. In this business you can’t please everybody. You never know what awaits the most simple call, and realistically you try to provide an assignment of resources that is adequate to deal with the potential.” Special operations In 1973, as a captain, Tom was assigned to formulate and command a special manpower unit to augment the first alarm assignment. This was organized as the Syracuse Fire Department Squad Company, a special operations company that would go to all fires citywide. It was designed to augment the basic engine and ladder company’s operations. “These basic fire fighting companies were already on the scene,” Tom said. “The Squad Company had no unique mission of their own other than that of augmentation of the basic units already operating. When this company was organized in early 1973, the original roster was made up members of other city fire companies who had requested a reassignment to this new unit.” There was a requirement initially of 27, or so, were going to be needed to staff the company. There were over 40 interested members signed up. Tom requested the selection process was to accept the new company members on the basis of first come, first served. There was no culling or skipping of anyone who was interested. Tom took the first 27 in the order that they had applied. “Firemen can be made, they don’t have to be born,” he said. He felt they were taking a chance just by volunteering, which showed desire. So maybe this would be their chance to do something special. He in turn took a chance on them. It worked out in 99 percent of the assignees he said. The squad started operation April 1, 1973 and had a 25-year-run – “absolutely successful,” he said. The squad company concept was modified over time and eventually the company was disbanded due to budgetary limitations. “It was my feeling that the Squad Company was politically expendable as it was not part of a specific firehouse that was central to a specific neighborhood,” Tom said. “Neighborhood firehouses are like the Holy Grail. Closing a slower, neighborhood Fire Company, would have that neighborhood up in arms.” In 1974, Tom was promoted to District Chief. This is a part of department history, as his father was also a district chief (retiring in March of 1977). As a district Chief, “I enjoyed the battle, the command. Working the streets of Syracuse was an honor. I knew there was nothing wrong with getting dirty and having that good feeling when the job is done,” he said and as a chief officer, “I demanded excellence, and I was tough on any slacker, but I tried to be fair; and understanding. I had to be aware of, and accept the limitations of, the different individuals who I commanded. It was rewarding to see them enjoy the sense of accomplishment when the job was good. It was also necessary to share their sorrow when lives were lost or there were those we could not save. There was time for friendly camaraderie and some horseplay but when the ‘bell hit,’ it was all business.” In 1993 Tom became Deputy Chief in charge of training. “I retired in May of 1996, after 36 years, because my work was done and my duty had ended,” he said. Still at work in retirement Today, he and Patty run their own business, Little Century. They buy, sell and trade antiques, collectibles and operate estate sales ([email protected]). They still live in Syracuse, but also spend time up in Cape Vincent, where they have 80 acres. “I was very fortunate - enjoyed my work - my calling,” he said. And what of Patty? She looked at Tom and just smiled. They will celebrate 50 years together in 2010. With great love there can often be great sorrow. The Laun’s lost their son three years ago to a heart attack at the age of 44. He was a decorated city of Syracuse Police Captain. He was promoted posthumously to Deputy Chief of Police. His son, William Thomas Laun, survives him. There is now an annual award for excellance given by the Syracuse Police Department in honor of the Laun’s son, Timothy Thomas Laun. Whose nickname was “Mowdee” – for mow the lawn. It was the way he would explain how to pronounce his last name. This annual award has been presented by Tom, Pat and William, Tim’s son, upon two recipients to date.
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 21:14:52 +0000
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