October - November - December

DECEMBER 29, 2008
I have decided to terminate the guest book due to technical problems. It seems that the feature became corrupted after I tried to fix it, but more unfortunate, is that something is still getting through and attempting to post garbage on the site. The time that I waste having to "patrol" and repair the feature can be used for far better things. I don't need to waste a lot of time dealing with SPAM. May all who participate in such shit rot in hell!

The former NFH site is down to one message board, and as soon as I get that info transferred to Word documents, the site will be deleted. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. A lot of people worked hard to make that site what it was, and we were just thrown into the gutter. However, that move forced me to look at a REAL website for NFH, which turned out to be the right and better move. I hope everyone will continue to help make this site better than it is now!

I will leave the Poll Results page up for a few more days, and then it will be deleted. It was an attempt to make the site somewhat interactive, but it just didn't work out. On the old site, only members could post. On this one, anyone in the world can.... well, they could. In the words of Chief Inspector Clousseau... "Not any moooor."

Visitors are advised to make sure they check all the features here each visit because new items are being added in addition to the weekly features being updated.

DECEMBER 24, 2008
It's just me again. This day is not starting out very good. After dealing with the guestbook problem, I took a look at the poll results... *sigh* Out of 132 votes, 58 were useless!! Only 74 mattered. One person voted 12 times over a two-minute period... another 8. Even after I addressed the problem four days ago (see December 20 below), people continued to cast multiple votes, some even going as far as to cast a vote or two each day! Some cast votes for both options while others didn't cast any vote at all! Folks? Seriously, I do NOT have time to play kiddie games. Between the guest book and poll, I have spent the last three hours sorting this shit out, and I'm NOT amused! It just ain't worth the aggravation. I've tried to have some interactivity here, but it has proven to be a dismal and disappointing failure. Live and learn. As of today, the "Weekly Poll" feature will be terminated... NFH will be strictly an informational site.

DECEMBER 24, 2008
Unfortunately, the guestbook has been infiltrated by spam bots (robots), thus the entries you may have seen for all the sex garbage! It is indeed unfortunate that people have nothing more in their lives than to invade other people's hard work. And I thought I was a loser! I hope every scumbag who is involved in such activity dies right now bleeding from their assholes!!

In an effort to prevent the spam, I have added a validation box that has to be filled in in order to post your comments. I'm not sure this is going to work, as there appears to be no real solution to the problem, other than spending every hour checking the guestbook entries! Other people experiencing the same problem report a noticeable drop-off at first, but then it got worse.

Sadly, in the process of trying to fix this problem, it seems all the entries made to the guestbook were lost, which has pissed me to off to no end! All I can say is that I hope those who have signed the book will re-sign it, but I can understand if you don't want to. The infiltration is not contagious, so it will not spread to your computer if you sign the guestbook.

If this validation idea doesn't work, which I don't believe it will for the long term, I will be forced to close the guestbook. I do not have the time, nor do I want to waste time, having to edit the guestbook entries every few hours.

I apologize for any inconvenience made by this problem, but it is a situation beyond my control.

DECEMBER 23, 2008
I am happy to report that the "Latest NFD News" feature is up and running! While I initially thought it would a rather simple matter to post events on a page, I didn't think about the long-term effects. Eventually the page would scroll around the world! I then had to some up with a solution, which was easy once I thought about it. The news will be archived into three-month blocks, which will make reading them a lot easier. When you click on "NFD News" you'll be directed to a page where you can choose the block you'd like to view. An added feature to the "NFD News" is that there will now be photos, if available, which was something I couldn't do with the MSN group. I hope you all enjoy the new feature, and I heartily encourage submissions for the news.

DECEMBER 20, 2008
I have learned how to edit the guest book today and have done so, removing the blank and garbage entries and leaving the rest as they were. I realize the blank entries may have been people unsuccessfully attempting to leave a message, but the garbage entries I'm not sure of. They could either be 'bots' (robots) that prowl the Internet leaving trash as they go, or just plain human-type assholes who have nothing better to do with their poor excuse of a life than to go around and prove to the world they are, indeed, assholes.

I have also learned how to properly collect and interpret the data from in the weekly poll. I was a bit disheartened to find that the first six polls are probably inaccurate due to the fact that one, or more, people may have voted more than once, thereby affecting the true outcome. This won't happen again. After reading the results of this  week's poll so far, I have found that one person cast 12 votes and another cast eight. A couple of others cast two and three votes each. The extra votes have been deleted. While I was initially happy to see the large increase in participation numbers, the feeling was suddenly neutralized when I discovered the actual voters decreased by nearly 25. I am still happy, however, to see people taking part in the polls. Thank you.

DECEMBER 18, 2008
Some changes in colors on the response charts have been made to the "NFD Box Locations" features. The background color for the engine responses has been changed to white. The phantom box locations are now a darker blue with a light blue highlight. The font size for the box location has also been stepped up a size. These changes were made for those who may copy or print the charts to a plain white background. I hope this proves helpful.

DECEMBER 16, 2008
The Commissioner contacted me and advised me the pictures on the home page weren't showing when he logged on. I remember a couple of other guys saying they were having problems, but they chalked it up to their computers. After doing some checking, I found the pictures were cross-linked from two different file sources. I have corrected this and the photos on the home page should now display without a problem. A tip o' the ol' leather to Tom for the heads-up on the problem.

DECEMBER 13, 2008
All of the weekly features are now up-to-date. I have also added a contact button for those people who would like to submit information and/or photos for use on NFH. Visitors can also feel free to use the button to contact me with questions, suggestions, and/or comments. I will be adding a "Latest NFD News" feature here in the next couple of days. While outsiders will not be able to post anything as they did on the old site, please feel free to submit items via the "Contact NFH" button to be posted there. Please make sure they are factual, and not rumors.

DECEMBER 12, 2008
Work! Work! Work! I am continuing to move pertinent content from the former NFH site to this one, and deleting things over there as I go, including photo albums. The old site is a mere shell of its former self. A lot of the content moved here has been updated and enhanced. Take a look in the Apparatus Feature Pages section at the "NFD Motorized Aerial Ladders By Make" posting to get an idea of what I have done. The NFD Personnel feature is now active, and more items will be moved there as time permits.

I could never have done that at the old site, and I couldn't have done it here either without the help of all the photographers and NFD memorabilia collectors who have shared their collections with me. Without them, this site would be nothing more than a lot of text! People like to look at graphics... photos, maps, charts, etc. It gives them a visual they can then relate to the text.

I'm averaging 100 visitors a day here, which I'm sure would be a lot less without graphics. Also the NFH Polls seem to be popular with anywhere from 55 to 85 visitors taking part in the last four polls. The work involved to embark on such projects is phenomenal, but the end results are great!

The old site will be shut down by MSN in eight or nine weeks, but I fully expect to delete the site prior to that. I have lots of ideas for the new NFH, but putting them to work is another thing. I won't go into any detail about them because if they don't pan out, no one will be disappointed. The Guest Book is working out well, allowing visitors to leave their comments, questions, etc. Thanks to all for your wonderful comments and well wishes.

In answer to a couple of questions posted in the guest book:

To Tom Shand:
At some point in the future, I intend to place a full listing of Newark apparatus, including Register Numbers. However, this will be a major undertaking and it may not be for quite a while, Tom. While I have most of the info in hard copy, very little of it is digital, which means either documents, or a data base, will have to be built for the data.

To Freddy Tenore:
Thanx for your kind words, Fred. I'll be in touch with you via landline at some point. Wish you guys all the best on your new project... hope it turns out well. I'm up to my eyeballs in my own work, but if I can help in any way, let me know... I'll see what I can do.

Well, that's about it for now, folks. I hope you all are enjoying what NFH has to offer. I'm hoping to make it a lot more!

DECEMBER 3, 2008
A small change was made to the home page. The NFD patch has been replaced with a decal image made by Dan Gerard, who generously sent it to me for use on the site. Dan reports he has other images he can supply, so perhaps you'll see more of his work in the future. A tip o' the ol' high-eagle leather to ya, Dan!

In answer to some of the questions posted in the guest book:

To Greg Sereico:
Yo, Greg! Right now, there is no way to post anything to the site, and I'm not sure there will be in the future, unless I find a way to link us to a site where we can have a message board. I will be placing a contact page on the site, which will basically ask people to send stuff for NFH directly to me. I can then build either photo or information pages accordingly. Please don't hesitate to send stuff in, Greg. I loved reading your reports on the old site. And thanx for your compliments about the site.

About Photo Albums:
Yes, I do intend to have photo galleries on the site, but I first have to learn how to build them, which I'm sure is no biggy since FrontPage does offer a gallery page template. Right now, however, I'm concentrating  on moving stuff over from the old site.

To Steve Sharkey:
Hi, Steve. Thanx for leaving that message in the Guest Book. Any and all information about the history of the NFD is ALWAYS welcome! I'm sure your Uncle Jack has some great tales to tell and I'd love to hear them, and perhaps even include some of his memories here on the site. Don't give up hope... I will be in touch with you soon.

Regarding Promotions:
Sorry, I have no information on promotions at this time. Eventually, I intend to create a page that will have the latest NFD news as I find out about it.

To Bob K, at BackTaps.com:
Hey, Bob, Thanx for stopping by and for the nice compliments. Feel free to use the information on your site... all I ask is that proper credit be given for the info.

A few people have suggested more information about companies, certain apparatus, personnel, etc. I intend to cover all these bases at some point in the future, but it takes time and is a lot of work. All I can say right now is that good things come to those who wait...

DECEMBER 1, 2008
The "NFD Box Locations" feature has been upgraded to "NFD Box Locations - 1955." The actual charts are now shown, rather than scanned images of them. Also, the feature is now solely 1955, with the 1980 changes and/or updates done away with. Also, a few more of the items from the old site have been moved and enhanced, so be sure to check them out, even if you already read them on the old message boards.

NOVEMBER 30, 2008
Due to my ISP having server problems most of yesterday morning, I was unable to do any work on the site, However, everything is back on schedule and all the features are up-to-date, including the new "Dems Da Rules!" feature. My apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused.

NOVEMBER 28, 2008
Starting Friday, November 28, a new weekly feature entitled "Dems Da Rules!" will begin. Each week a page from the 1886 NFD Manual of Rules & Regulations will be scanned and posted. You'll be able to read the rules that governed the part-paid department and get an idea of what was expected of its members back then. I hope everyone will find this new feature to be of interest.

NOVEMBER 27, 2008
I have changed the access to the weekly features. Rather than have a continual stream of buttons running down the left index, I have replaced each individual feature button with one named "NFH Features." Clicking on that button will take you to the weekly features page, where you can select the feature you'd like to see. It also shows what each feature is about and when it is updated, so visitors may keep track of when their favorite features will be updated. Also, the feature, "Days of Olde" has been terminated. This subject can be adequately covered in the "Oldies & Moldies," and "This 'n' That" features, as they have been in the past.

NOVEMBER 21, 2008
The site has come a long way in only three short weeks. All of the weekly features from the old site have been moved here, after the first NFH poll strongly indicated they should be moved. Also, many of the stories that appeared on the message boards have been incorporated here, with some of them being enhanced. A new feature entitled "Days Of Olde" was started on a trial basis. Some of the features on the site have been enhanced, such as navigation "buttons" to help you reach your favorite features. There will be a weekly poll to allow visitors to express their choices for the subject of the week. A guest book has also been developed to allow visitors to leave comments about the site.

OCTOBER 31, 2008
NewarkFireHistory.com is born after weeks of frustration due to MSN's notice that it will be closing its groups down in February, 2009. After trying several different options to move the old site, it was decided to open a regular website dedicated to the history of the Newark, NJ Fire Department. Using the FrontPage 2003 program, and with the help of Gary Haszko, of the Elizabeth Fire Department, a very basic site was laid out and published.