Fire Department City of New York: The Dreyfous Collection

Fire Department City of New York: The Dreyfous Collection is a photographic ensemble encompassing the period for New York City Firemen from 1912 until 1947.

Fires from before WWI through the Great Depression until after WWII are covered. It was during this time that Albert G. Dreyfous was the official photographer for the fire department in a non-paid capacity.

Albert G. Dreyfous' passport into the FDNY was his photography. In the early 1900's, photgraphy was still evolving. Taking pictures was a hobby not attainable to most people.

Dreyfous had "all access" permission from the fire department to document Medal Days, apparatus deliveries, parades, and other formal occasions. When he responded to fires, not only was he allowed to cross the fire lines, he was able to enter the fray with the firemen, enduring the same dangerous conditions that they were exposed to.

His photos appeared in official FDNY publications including Annual Reports, Midnight Alarm programs, WNYF magazine and Medal Day programs. His work often appeared in city newspapers the day following a serious fire.

The photos used in this book were taken from Dreyfous' personal albums. He entered brief notes documenting the date, time, alarm box number, and how many alarms were required.

BF4907 - Fire Department City of New York: The Dreyfous Collection