It was just prior to roll call on a night tour at Engine 231, Ladder 120 and Battalion 44, also known as "Watkins Street". It was right around Halloween in the mid-1980's.

Mike Hyland from 120 was on housewatch and answered the phone. It was John O'Rourke, the Chief of Department. The Chief asked Mike if we had gasoline because he was in the area and needed gas. Mike told him we did. Well we didn't, we only had diesel.

Mike told Lt. Eddie Ireland that the Chief of Department was on his way over to get gas. Lt. Ireland was furious because we didn't have gas.

The lieutenant didn't have too much time to dwell on the situation, because just then a gorilla came running down the stairs. It was Bruce Blakeslee, 231's ECC for the night.

The gorilla ran past Lt. Ireland, jumping up and down, then ran onto Watkins Street and into the bodega on the corner of Pitkin Avenue and Watkins Street. The occupants of the bodega probably figured out that it wasn't a real gorilla, but they none-the-less quickly exited the bodega.

Just then a box came in, and Mike yells out: "everybody goes!! and at the same time Chief O'Rourke pulls up.

Mike Hyland starts waving his hands at the Chief and says: "Chief we don't have gas and we have a run - get out of the way!"

The Chief gets out of the car and enters the firehouse as his driver moves the car.

Right on cue the gorilla comes running back into the firehouse, jumping up and down, stops in front of Chief O'Rourke, salutes him, jumps into the chauffer seat, and off we go.

I can't remember if it was a 10-92 or what, but on the return ride Lt. Ireland rips into Bruce, telling him what he was going to tell Chief O'Rourke when we got back to quarters.

When we got back the Chief was gone. As we all stood on the apparatus floor everyone was laughing, except Lt. Ireland.

We're still laughing as the houswatch phone rings. It's the Chief, and he asks to speak to Lt. Ireland. The Chief yells at him: "Lieutenant, what are you running there, a Circus!! You tell your chauffer to put on the proper uniform!!" and slams the phone.

We were all waiting for Lt. Ireland to read us the riot act when he walked out of the housewatch - he looked at us, and started laughing. He said just before the phone hung up he could hear the Chief of Department and his driver laughing.

Watkins Street was a fun place to work. You can't make this stuff up (Kenny Erb)

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Thanks, Ira Hoffman