Ray Downey
Ray Downey began his fire service career in 1962, following in the footsteps of two older brothers. After finishing probationary firefighters school, he was assigned to Ladder Company 35 in the Lincoln Center area of New York City's West Side. Looking for more action, he transferred to Ladder Company 4, "The Pride of Midtown," and worked in the busy Times Square area before moving on to his next assignment as a firefighter in Rescue Company 2 in Brooklyn. The rescue work accomplished and the firefighting experience gained while in Rescue Company 2 were valuable assets in motivating him to pursue the rank of lieutenant. In 1972 he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the busy Harlem section of Manhattan.
After a few months of covering in various firehouses in Harlem, he was assigned to Engine Company 58 in the "Fire Factory," so named because of its heavy workload. For the next five years, he worked in Engine Company 58 and transferred across the floor to Ladder Company 26 for the last two years of his assignment in the Fire Factory. In July 1977 he was promoted to captain and reassigned to Brooklyn. While a covering captain, he was detailed to the Division of Training as a lead instructor at the Probationary FireFighters School. He then was selected by the fire commissioner to form and organize Squad Company 1, a fully equipped engine company that carried a full complement of ladder company tools. The assignment included responding to all working fires in selected areas of Brooklyn.
