I was born and raised in Brooklyn and grew up in the 1950s where our generation was part of the phenomenon that became known as "rock & roll." A disk jockey by the name of Alan Freed is credited with coming up with the name. The first rock & roll show was held in Cleveland in 1952.

In 1955, the first of several "Alan Freed's Rock & Roll Shows" was held at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Many of the early rock & roll stars, such as Little Richard, the Penguins, Jackie Wilson, Bill Haley and the Comets, and Jerry Lee Lewis, to name just a few, appeared at these shows.

I went to the show with a bunch of guys and gals from my neighborhood. I was sixteen, as were most of my friends, and we were first generation rock & rollers. In fact, the entire audience was pretty near a carbon copy of our group. Guys and girls were dancing in the aisles and you could say that the joint was jumping.

The Cha Cha, Meringue and the Rhumba were also extremely popular back in the 50s. I can still do a mean Cha Cha today.

I went to several more shows at the Brooklyn Paramount in 1955 and 1956, and then I didn't see the building again until forty years later when I commanded the FDNY fire forces as we extinguished a fully involved building that adjoined the historical Paramount.

As I stood out front directing the units, my memory drifted back to a bunch of teenage kids becoming part of a new music craze that would last into the next millennium and probably much further than that.

We extinguished the four alarm fire in about three hours, and we succeeded in keeping the fire from extending into the Brooklyn landmark. The music hall owners applauded our efforts in saving their prize possession. I acknowledged their thank you and passed it on to the troops.

I also told the Paramount people that it was the least I could do after the wonderful shows I saw in the Brooklyn Paramount when I was sixteen. (Phil Burns, from his book "(The) Last True Hero". See FDNY bibliography, below, for availability of this book).

Now it's your turn. Do you have a story that you'd like to share? Maybe you have an idea for a story? Please let us know. Send it to: fdnytales@Fire-Police-EMS.com

Thanks, Ira Hoffman