Boston TL-17

grumpy grizzly

grumpy grizzly

Joined
Jun 27, 2007
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Boston has placed TL-17 OOS. A 2013 KME aerial has replaced this company. Now Boston has two Tower Ladders, do not confuse them with FDNY TL-3 is a 2005 Pierce 95' mid mount, they are downtown with E-10 (Spencers's old company house he lived in), TL-10 is a  2001 Pierce RM TL. Rumors has 17 being sold to another state. I would put 17 in 10's house. Yes I would keep the 2 Pierce TL's. Rumor is Rochester ?????
 
Why wouldn't they keep 3 Tower Ladders or add some more? Money? At least keep 17's as a spare T.L.
 
Boston aerial practices are different from FDNY, from Chicago. Many years of doing it their way seems to work. FDNY uses TL's to knock down heavy fire showing, BFD will get an aerial where you would have a hard time getting  a VW. CFD gets you 3/2/Sq, or 4/3 on a box! BFD is still 2/2, then you get into RIT/FAST. Still get it done, huh?????????????????
 
grumpy grizzly said:
Rumor is Rochester ?????
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Interesting, I cant imagine the City buying a used TL but stranger things have happened.  I'll sniff around a bit.
 
To add to what Grump said, Boston is huge on straight sticks. They can maneuver them into just about any spot in the city, and it's often that you'll see multiple sticks up at a job, in addition to a multitude of ground ladders, a well-known trademark of the BFD. They also like the ladder pipe concept and have stuck to it for years. Even at big jobs, they do very little tower ladder work in the FDNY sense of knocking down heavy fire from the bucket.

Since it's inception with Boston, the BFD started out with two 100' Sutphen Mid-Mount Towers back in the '70's. Aerial Tower 1(formerly Ladder 3) ran out of Engine 3's house in the South End, while Aerial Tower 2(formed in 1977 out of Ladder 27) was quartered with Engine 20 in Dorchester. The city then moved to one Tower with the introduction of the Tower Unit, a 100' E-One Rear-Mount running of the old Oliver Street station back in the '80's. When Oliver Street was demolished and Purchase Street opened, the Tower Unit's old E-One was replaced with a new one. In 2003, the Tower Unit was disbanded to form Tower Ladder 3. In 2002, Tower Ladder 10 was formed in Jamaica Plain(formerly Ladder 10). For one year, in 2007, Ladder 2 ran as Tower Ladder 2 in Eastie, but their rig went to Ladder 17 which became Tower Ladder 17 that same year. Now, there are two Towers in the city, TL 3 in Division 1, Downtown, and TL 10 in Division 2, in Jamaica Plain.
 
fdny1075k said:
To add to what Grump said, Boston is huge on straight sticks. They can maneuver them into just about any spot in the city, and it's often that you'll see multiple sticks up at a job, in addition to a multitude of ground ladders, a well-known trademark of the BFD. They also like the ladder pipe concept and have stuck to it for years. Even at big jobs, they do very little tower ladder work in the FDNY sense of knocking down heavy fire from the bucket.

Since it's inception with Boston, the BFD started out with two 100' Sutphen Mid-Mount Towers back in the '70's. Aerial Tower 1(formerly Ladder 3) ran out of Engine 3's house in the South End, while Aerial Tower 2(formed in 1977 out of Ladder 27) was quartered with Engine 20 in Dorchester. The city then moved to one Tower with the introduction of the Tower Unit, a 100' E-One Rear-Mount running of the old Oliver Street station back in the '80's. When Oliver Street was demolished and Purchase Street opened, the Tower Unit's old E-One was replaced with a new one. In 2003, the Tower Unit was disbanded to form Tower Ladder 3. In 2002, Tower Ladder 10 was formed in Jamaica Plain(formerly Ladder 10). For one year, in 2007, Ladder 2 ran as Tower Ladder 2 in Eastie, but their rig went to Ladder 17 which became Tower Ladder 17 that same year. Now, there are two Towers in the city, TL 3 in Division 1, Downtown, and TL 10 in Division 2, in Jamaica Plain.
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  Thank you "fdny1075k". I'm sure both myself and member Grump can remember those two Sutphen Mid Mount Towers. I think I have a picture of one of them.

  I've been to Boston over the years and you are correct. They seem to place much emphasis on the use of aerial ladders while much less use on tower ladder operation. 
 
I was surprised to see pre-piped waterways on the three new KME aerials. This, to me , is something new for Boston. Is this the way Boston is going in the future, or is this an experiment?
 
AT-2 was originally quartered with E-37 on Hunington Avenue, hence their nickname "Hunington Ave Express". In 1977 moved to Neponset Avenue until 1982 when they were dis-banded due Prop 2 1/2. In 1984 E-20 received a 1984 Sutphen pimp-mini ladder.. It was a 1500/500 gallon rig with a 67' min-ladder, ran as E-20.
 
nfd2004 said:
fdny1075k said:
To add to what Grump said, Boston is huge on straight sticks. They can maneuver them into just about any spot in the city, and it's often that you'll see multiple sticks up at a job, in addition to a multitude of ground ladders, a well-known trademark of the BFD. They also like the ladder pipe concept and have stuck to it for years. Even at big jobs, they do very little tower ladder work in the FDNY sense of knocking down heavy fire from the bucket.

Since it's inception with Boston, the BFD started out with two 100' Sutphen Mid-Mount Towers back in the '70's. Aerial Tower 1(formerly Ladder 3) ran out of Engine 3's house in the South End, while Aerial Tower 2(formed in 1977 out of Ladder 27) was quartered with Engine 20 in Dorchester. The city then moved to one Tower with the introduction of the Tower Unit, a 100' E-One Rear-Mount running of the old Oliver Street station back in the '80's. When Oliver Street was demolished and Purchase Street opened, the Tower Unit's old E-One was replaced with a new one. In 2003, the Tower Unit was disbanded to form Tower Ladder 3. In 2002, Tower Ladder 10 was formed in Jamaica Plain(formerly Ladder 10). For one year, in 2007, Ladder 2 ran as Tower Ladder 2 in Eastie, but their rig went to Ladder 17 which became Tower Ladder 17 that same year. Now, there are two Towers in the city, TL 3 in Division 1, Downtown, and TL 10 in Division 2, in Jamaica Plain.
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  Thank you "fdny1075k". I'm sure both myself and member Grump can remember those two Sutphen Mid Mount Towers. I think I have a picture of one of them.

  I've been to Boston over the years and you are correct. They seem to place much emphasis on the use of aerial ladders while much less use on tower ladder operation.
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The nicknames for the Sutphens were "Bats". Bat-1 and Bat-2. "Boston Aerial Tower
 

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1261Truckie said:
I was surprised to see pre-piped waterways on the three new KME aerials. This, to me , is something new for Boston. Is this the way Boston is going in the future, or is this an experiment?
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I'm not very familiar with the BFD equipment but if they depend on ladder trucks to provide aerial streams instead of tower ladders having pre-piped waterways certainly make sense!  They can be deployed much faster with significantly fewer manpower resources required.  Both of which make great sense because of today's economic realities.
 
Well two of them are getting a work-out, 17 and 18. I think Bulldog was spot on with his answer, faster and easier.
 
Ladder-17 operating at the 5th. Boston Fire Twitter pic.
 

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BFD has a tower ladder respond when box is struck (similar to 10-75) for structure fires.  TL 3 and TL 17 used to respond in Division 1 (same as R 1), TL 3 in Division 2 (same as R 2).  TL 3 and TL 17 are located close to each other.  Did not need two truck companies with towers next to each other.

The decision to pull the tower was not a surprise. 

L 17 is busy (3600+ runs).   
 
My bad Grump about the Aerial Towers. I forgot Aerial Tower 2 was at 37's first.

Mack is correct. 3 and 17 are located very close to one another, with the closest straight stick being Ladder 24 in the West End/Beacon Hill.

In Boston, a Box will bring 3 & 2, 1 Rescue, and 1 District Chief. When the Box is struck, an additional 1 & 1 and a District Chief respond as the R.I.T. Companies, as well as a Tower Ladder, the Safety District Chief, and the Rehab. Unit. Tower Ladder 3 responds to jobs in Division 1, while Tower Ladder 10 responds to jobs in Division 2.

Chicago has a similar system for it's response of Tower Ladders. A Still Alarm in Chicago(the standard response out there for structure fires) gets 2 & 2, 1 BC. On a "Worker" or confirmed fire, an additional Truck, 1 BC, 1 Squad, 1 Command Van, an ALS Ambulance, and a Paramedic Field Chief respond as the R.I.T. A Still & Box brings 2 additional Engines, a Tower Ladder, 2 BC's(1 for Fire Attack, 1 for Safety), 1 Deputy District Chief, 1 Ambulance, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, and 1 O.F.I.(Fire Investigation) Unit.
 
L-15 is pretty close, also L-26, Huntington Ave Express is kinda close. But these companies cover D-11, smoke showing they move, one goes to L-14.
 
I no a bit off topic but I was just checking out Boston's rigs , what is the deal with engine 54 2004 ford F-750/KME 1250/1000 and the fire brigades ladder31 maxim 85 ft mid mount ladder. Are these still in service, what roll do they have, what is the fire brigade in Boston's duty's are they active?? These rigs are just so differnt from everything else in service .
 
BCR said:
I no a bit off topic but I was just checking out Boston's rigs , what is the deal with engine 54 2004 ford F-750/KME 1250/1000 and the fire brigades ladder31 maxim 85 ft mid mount ladder. Are these still in service, what roll do they have, what is the fire brigade in Boston's duty's are they active?? These rigs are just so differnt from everything else in service .
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Look here:

http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/activefirehouseengine54.html
 
E54/L31 are assigned to Long Island. Long Island is pretty much inaccessable, entry is by going throught the city of Quincy. Quincy. E 54 organized on April 10,  1946, Ladder 31 (33) organized at the same time. Both companies were put OOS on April 10. 1981. Fire Brigade was organized on Feb 3, 1984. I think Chief Stapleton did this. this is mainly a homeless shelter, during the winter months 1500 persons occupy this facility. I do not know who mans the rigs, may be a "light duty" house. Long Island is sorta like SI before the bridge. Hope this helps. Also go to: Boston Fire Historical Society for more info.
 
Thanks for the info, makes sense didn't realize boston had an area like this. I do wonder how they are manned a it does say they take in about 300 runs a year
 
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