By Vinny Del Giudice
Paterson Fire Journal
While doing research, your Fire Journal editor stumbled upon an article in the Paterson Morning Call mentioning his father, also named Vincent Del Giudice, during his time as a Paterson General Hospital ambulance surgeon.
Dr. Del Giudice, then 34, treated seven Paterson firefighters at a two-alarm fire at the Elbow Building at Main and Market streets on Feb. 9, 1956. The article also mentioned his sidekick, ambulance driver Barney Ritchie.
The grainy photo below shows Barney (to far right with his trademark cap) administering oxygen to the firefighters:
Your editor was unable to locate a photo of his "Old Man" at the fire.
My father was a resident physician at the time and ambulance duty was a rite of passage - and he didn't like it, especially after serving as a medic in World War Two. He was at Normandy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa aboard a U.S. Coast Guard troop transport.
The residents wore white tunics, white trousers and white shoes, not necessarily the best attire for attending a fire. Then again, they did travel in style as ambulances of that era were often Cadillacs, at least in North Jersey.
As for the blaze itself, the first alarm was transmitted for Box 472 at 6:05 p.m. for Engines 1, 4 and 5 and Truck 2. The second alarm was stuck at 6:28 p.m. bringing Engines 6 and 9 and Truck 3 to the scene.
I image the Paterson General Hospital ambulance with my father and Barney rolled on the second alarm - at dinner time.
