Kenmore Firemen Ordered off the Job

Before North Buffalo was fully built up during the late 1920's the isolated homes near Kenmore Avenue and Delaware were more in touch, both economically and socially, with the village than with the rest of the city of Buffalo. The area between the railroad beltlines and Kenmore Avenue was affectionately known as "South Kenmore." Often, village services, limited as they were in those early days, were more available to South Kenmore residents than those of their own city. This has proven true in the recent blizzards of 1977 and 1985 when several North Buffalo streets were opened by Kenmore plows long before city plows could reach them (almost like today). However, this neighborliness was not always appreciated by Buffalonians who were supposed to provide such essential services as fire protection. South Kenmore Residents were often desperate for firefighters and called Kenmore volunteers because they were closer and could respond more quickly.

Kenmore firemen who responded to an appeal from Ramsdell avenue, on the Buffalo side of Delaware avenue, last Thursday evening, were insulted by Buffalo firemen who arrived later, and were told to get their apparatus off the job. The village board decided to report the occurrence to the fire board of Buffalo and ascertain if the Kenmore firemen's services are not welcome in the city.

The appeal for aid came by telephone to the Kenmore fire hall. Clarence Yochum was on duty. He drove the village truck to the scene and the siren called several volunteer firemen. A hose connection was made at Ramsdell and Delaware and 500 feet of hose was run out. Another connection was made in Ramsdell avenue. The stream from the first line was playing on the rood of the house occupied by R. P. Hurley at 26 Ramsdell avenue when a Buffalo truck arrived. Kenmore ladders were in place and a second stream was about to be thrown onto the house.
"Get that ----- line off this roof." yelled a Buffalo fireman.

Chief Brennan heard the remark and quickly ordered the line removed and Assistant Chief Yochum decided that if the Buffalo men did not want Kenmore help the ladders should be removed also, so ordered the ladders taken down. Men, who the Kenmore firemen say were Buffalo police officers, jostled the Kenmore men around. The Buffalo firemen are said to have used foul language in addressing the fire fighters who got there ahead of them. "They were jealous because Kenmore beat them to it," said one citizen who saw the performance.