Title: Window Jumpers (Garden City FD)
General Information:
- Place of collection: Garden City Fire Department – Garden City, NY (via a phone call from Hanover, NH)
- Date of Collection: November 4, 2019
- Informant: Cody George
- Genre: Customary Folklore – Legend
Informant Information:
- Cody George is a volunteer firefighter for the Garden City, NY fire department. He is currently 24 years old and lives in Garden City while commuting to downtown New York for his day job during the week. Cody was born and raised in Garden City, New York. He is currently in training and holds the title of Firefighter at the Garden City Fire Department but has already been a crucial member of the team and assisted in over 100 calls.
Context:
- Cultural Context:
- There are certain incidents and fires when the firefighters cannot actually make it up to a certain floor or reach a certain person. While they are always trying to save everyone and try to enter via ladders and from above the fire, they are sometimes not able to make it without catastrophically injuring themselves.
- Social Context:
- Our informant shared this story when he was asked about any lingering legends or stories that have stayed with the department. While this story was not directly part of their department’s actions, they were on standby and it was something that has been passed around the area given there are usually no deaths due to fires in his region.
Item:
- In a nearby town, our informant heard of a legend where there was such a large fire that there were in fact some casualties and even deaths. The building was set ablaze and the individuals on the second floor of the building were unable to make it out of the stairwell and exit doors and were forced to jump out from higher up floors and were unfortunately unable to make it.
Associated Audio:
Informant’s Comments:
- Cody was at first very shocked to hear about this incident but was aware of the realities of his job and the dangers associated with it.
Collector’s Comments:
- In reflection, it must have been very difficult to standby as a firefighter knowing that he had the ability to help even though the incident was not in their town. Even just hearing about these stories and legends it is difficult to comprehend and it puts into perspective how some legends, while usually based on true events, sometimes have all of the true facts told.
Collector’s Name: Albie Austin
Tags:
- Legend, Fire Death