Connecticut Fire Activity "2015" (Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury)

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fdny1075k

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Thought I'd post the Working Fire totals for Connecticut's largest cities for the busy month of February, 2015 for anybody whose interested.

Bridgeport:

1. 2/6 - 85 Union Ave., Newfield.
2. 2/8 - 563 Hollister Ave., East End.
3. 2/10 - 352 Bunnell St., East End.
4. 2/11 - Arctic St. & Noble Ave., East Side.
5. 2/12 - 412 Hollister Ave., East End.
6. 2/21 - Park St. & Maple St., East Side.
7. 2/24 - 378 Seaview Ave., Newfield.
8. 2/25 - 3575 Old Town Rd., North End.
9. 2/26 - 270 Black Rock Ave., West Side.
10. 2/27 - 350 Hanover St., West Side.
11. 2/27 - 129 Columbia St., South End.

New Haven:

1. 2/4 Box 1004 - 200 James St., Fair Haven.
2. 2/10 Box 606 - 64 Shelton Ave., Dixwell.
3. 2/19 Box 907 - 23 Mead St., Edgewood.
4. 2/27 Box 1001 - 61 Main St., Fair Haven.
5. 2/28 Box 1101 - 690 Howard Ave., Hill.
6. 2/28 Box 805 - 277 Sheffield Ave., East Rock.
7. 2/28 Box 605 - 64 Dickerman St., Dwight.(2nd Alarm)

Hartford:

1. 2/6 395 Ledyard St., South End.
2. 2/8 48 Elliott St., South End.
3. 2/10 69 Gillett St., Asylum Hill. (2nd Alarm)
4. 2/13 2730 Main St., Northeast.
5. 2/15 287 Blue Hills Ave., Upper Albany.
6. 2/27 887 Asylum Ave., Asylum Hill.
7. 2/27 Webster St., Barry Square.

Waterbury:

1. 2/18 990 Meriden Rd., Sloping Acres. (2nd Alarm)
2. 2/19 1669 Thomaston Ave., Waterville. (2nd Alarm)
3. 2/21 181 Easton Ave., Burnt Hill.
4. 2/25 176 Boyden St., Waterville.
5. 2/25 1637 Thompson Ave., Fort Hill.
6. 2/28 124 Central Ave., Overlook.
 
Thanks Emmett, "fdny1075k". I really appreciate that.

It's been a busy month for these cities. They have been out there in the bitter cold and snow. These cities have 9-10 Engine Cos and 4-5 Ladder Cos. Some of the same companies have caught several jobs within a day or two.

  The Bridgeport job on Hanover St (2/27) involved FOUR 3 story frames, yet they handled it with only 5 Engines, 2 Ladders, and 1 Rescue. I have never seen that done before.

  Another point of interest about Bridgeport is that if the month of February was extended to 31 days instead of the 28 days, there were a total of 13 jobs in 31 days. That record within the Connecticut cities has been tied only once several years ago by the New Haven Fire Department.

  Of course in the late 70s and the 80s, all of these cities had their own set of War Years. I think it was in 1983 (?), Bridgeport's Squad 5 (now called Rescue 5) caught 941 Working Fires (10-75s or greater) in 365 days. My brother was a Lt on the rig at the time. As a firefighter myself, I just couldn't relate. 
 
 
No problem. This is not by any means the norm for these four departments. Each month, these cities usually see around 3-4 good jobs, depending on the month, where there is a decent amount of fire and at least 1-2 L/S/O's.

However, because it was such a record-breaking month for many places in Connecticut, I thought I'd tally up the fires and post the list. The last time some of these cities saw months as busy as this past one was during the 1970s and '80s, the "War Years" for many smaller cities surrounding New York.

And thanks for the history on SQ5, Bill. I think this past month was the closest that the Park City has come to those War Years totals.

Just a little history to add to that, as nfd2004 can attest to. Today Bridgeport operates 9 Engines, 4 Ladders, and the Rescue when forty years ago, they were operating with 14 Engines, 6 Ladders, and the Squad. Since the 1970s, the BFD lost E2, E5, E8, E11, E14, L3, and L12 to budget cuts. BFD E2 was at one time the busiest engine in the state of CT up until it closed in the early '90s. One interesting side note is that the population of the city is now roughly the same as it was during the '70s. Similarly, New Haven and Hartford lost numerous companies over the years since the '70s.
 
fdny1075k said:
Today Bridgeport operates 9 Engines, 4 Ladders, and the Rescue when forty years ago, they were operating with 14 Engines, 6 Ladders, and the Squad. Since the 1970s, the BFD lost E2, E5, E8, E11, E14, L3, and L12 to budget cuts.
Click to expand...
Companies Disbanded
1967 - E9
1976 - E11
1989 - E2
1991 - L12
1992 - E8 & E14
1995 - L3
2005 - E5

Beginning in 1974 through 1992 all two piece engines were discontinued.
 
New Haven has also been hit hard over the years, I believe they lost 6 Engines -1,2,3,7,12,14. 2 Truck Company's - 5,6. 3 Emergency Units (medic units) 3,4,5 and a Battalion Chief - Car 35. I don't know the history on all of them but I know a couple engines were single company houses, they built new stations and closed the single houses putting two engines in one house, shortly after one of the engines in the double engine houses was shut down.
 
Looks Good

Just a couple adjustments

New Haven
Mead is Box 907
Shelton is Box 606
Main is Box 1001

Also 64 dickerman st Box 605 2nd Alarm came in a 23:58 on 2/28
 
BCR said:
New Haven has also been hit hard over the years, I believe they lost 6 Engines -1,2,3,7,12,14. 2 Truck Company's - 5,6. 3 Emergency Units (medic units) 3,4,5 and a Battalion Chief - Car 35. I don't know the history on all of them but I know a couple engines were single company houses, they built new stations and closed the single houses putting two engines in one house, shortly after one of the engines in the double engine houses was shut down.
Click to expand...
Yes BCR, all of New Haven's disbanded companies, with the exception of E12, were all housed with other companies and all the closed engines (save E12) were from double engine houses. Not sure where Emergency Unit 3 was located. I think the first Emergency Unit was quartered with E12 on Crown St.

Once new houses were built to house multiple companies, here's where the disbanded companies were located before they were closed.

Engine 1, Engine 11, Truck 2, Emergency Unit 4 - Howard Ave.
Engine 2, Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 1 - Grand Ave.
Engine 3, Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 5 - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7, Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14, Truck 6 - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.

Eventually, Engine 3 was disbanded to form Tactical Unit 1, which ran out of the quarters of E6/T4. Engine 7 was also closed to form Tactical Unit 2, which ran out of the quarters of E10/T3/C32. Tac. 1 was disbanded to form Squad 1, which now runs out of E8's quarters and Tac. 2 as closed to form Squad 2, which now runs out of the quarters of E9/C34.
 
Signal73 said:
Looks Good

Just a couple adjustments

New Haven
Mead is Box 907
Shelton is Box 606
Main is Box 1001

Also 64 dickerman st Box 605 2nd Alarm came in a 23:58 on 2/28
Click to expand...
Thanks Brad. Forgot about the 2nd on Dickerman St. Made the list for February by two
minutes.
 
No Problem.  I only knew that cuz when i tweeted it while leaving my house i looked at the clock i dont know why lol

I think Eu5 was with 5s

Also E14 was on whitney
 
Signal73 said:
Problem.  I only knew that cuz when i tweeted it while leaving my house i looked at the clock i dont know why lol

I think Eu5 was with 5s

Also E14 was on whitney
Click to expand...
Alright man, thanks.
 
Anytime

There is a building on dixwell ave (384) that still has Engine 6 & Hook & Ladder 4 at the top
 
One of those old tricks, we will tear down 2 old houses, build a brand new one, and move the 2 engines there. Then one engine disappears! When Boston cut companies they did the same thing. E12 and 14, and Ladder 4 quarters, all single companies, the units moved into Fort Dudley, soon E-12 was gone. Every double engine house lost a company, Chicago has done the same thing. I wonder how long the house of Engines 70 and 59, and Truck 47 will stay that way? 
 
fdny1075k said:
Engine 1, Engine 11, Truck 2, Emergency Unit 4 - Howard Ave.
Engine 2, Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 1 - Grand Ave.
Engine 3, Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 5 - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7, Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14, Truck 6 - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.

Eventually, Engine 3 was disbanded to form Tactical Unit 1, which ran out of the quarters of E6/T4. Engine 7 was also closed to form Tactical Unit 2, which ran out of the quarters of E10/T3/C32. Tac. 1 was disbanded to form Squad 1, which now runs out of E8's quarters and Tac. 2 as closed to form Squad 2, which now runs out of the quarters of E9/C34.
Click to expand...
Engine 1 (1962), Engine 11, Truck 2,  Emergency Unit 4 (now 2) - Howard Ave.
Engine 2 (1980), Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 5 (200?) - Grand Ave.
Engine 3 (1981), Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 3 (now 1) - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7 (1981), Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14 (1971), Truck 6 (1991), Emergency Unit 1 (200?) - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 (2001) - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 (1961) - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 (1999) - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.
Fireboat (1980)
 
fdhistorian said:
fdny1075k said:
Engine 1, Engine 11, Truck 2, Emergency Unit 4 - Howard Ave.
Engine 2, Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 1 - Grand Ave.
Engine 3, Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 5 - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7, Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14, Truck 6 - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.

Eventually, Engine 3 was disbanded to form Tactical Unit 1, which ran out of the quarters of E6/T4. Engine 7 was also closed to form Tactical Unit 2, which ran out of the quarters of E10/T3/C32. Tac. 1 was disbanded to form Squad 1, which now runs out of E8's quarters and Tac. 2 as closed to form Squad 2, which now runs out of the quarters of E9/C34.
Click to expand...
Engine 1 (1962), Engine 11, Truck 2,  Emergency Unit 4 (now 2) - Howard Ave.
Engine 2 (1980), Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 5 (200?) - Grand Ave.
Engine 3 (1981), Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 3 (now 1) - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7 (1981), Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14 (1971), Truck 6 (1991), Emergency Unit 1 (200?) - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 (2001) - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 (1961) - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 (1999) - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.
Fireboat (1980)
Click to expand...

Was there any system to determine which company got disbanded?  Seems like the oldest engine got disbanded in most cases.
 
Not sure if there was a definite system. In Bridgeport, it was sort of the opposite. In many cases, the older company remained in service.

Before they were closed, here were the locations of Bridgeport's companies in the 1980s.

Engine 1, Engine 5, Truck 5, Squad 5, Car 1(Chief of Dept.), Car 2(1st Battalion) - Congress St.
Engine 2, Car 3(2nd Battalion) - Clarence St.
Engine 3, Engine 4, Truck 3 - Wood Ave.
Engine 6, Engine 8, Truck 6 - Central Ave.
Engine 7, Truck 11 - Ocean Terrace
Engine 10, Truck 10 - Putnam St.
Engine 12, Truck 12 - Beechmont Ave.
Engine 14 - Sylvan Ave.
Engine 15 - Evers St.
Engine 16 - Madison Ave.

Engine 9 moved in with Engine 16 in 1964 and was disbanded in 1967. In 1940, all the BFD truck companies were renumbered to correspond with the engine they were quartered with, like the LAFD. Truck 16 had briefly been placed into service in 1957 with Engine 16, but soon after was taken out of service and only used as a reserve truck. Engine 11 and Truck 11 moved in with Engine 7 during the '60s/'70s and Engine 11 was disbanded in 1976. In 1989, Engine 2 was disbanded and Battalion 2 moved in with Engine 6, Engine 8, and Truck 6. In 1991, Truck 12 was disbanded as a city service truck (no aerial). Then in 1992, Engine's 8 and 14 were disbanded. Additionally, in '92 all the hose wagons were phased out and engine companies became one piece. In 1995, Truck 3 was disbanded (although one of the busier truck companies in the city) and in 2005, Engine 5 was disbanded. Engine 13, as in the case of New Haven and Hartford, was never organized. One interesting aspect is that Engine 3 and Engine 4 have remained quartered together as a double-engine house up to the present and both companies remain very busy.
 
grumpy grizzly said:
One of those old tricks, we will tear down 2 old houses, build a brand new one, and move the 2 engines there. Then one engine disappears! When Boston cut companies they did the same thing. E12 and 14, and Ladder 4 quarters, all single companies, the units moved into Fort Dudley, soon E-12 was gone. Every double engine house lost a company, Chicago has done the same thing. I wonder how long the house of Engines 70 and 59, and Truck 47 will stay that way? 
Click to expand...
The idea of consolidating companies into one centralized house, then disbanded one of the companies (usually the second engine) is not a new one, as grumpy mentioned. This occurred in many cities, particularly in New England, as a means of budget cuts.

In Boston, there were several houses with multiple companies during the '70s:

Engine 5, Engine 11, Car 1(1st District Chief)
Engine 7, Engine 26, Ladder 17, Car 4(4th District Chief)
Engine 12, Engine 14, Ladder 4, Car 13(Special Response Chief)
Engine 25, Ladder 8, Rescue 1, C6(1st Division Chief)
Engine 45, Engine 53, Ladder 16, Car 12(12th District Chief)
Engine 32, Engine 36, Ladder 9.

By 1981, Engine 11, Engine 12, Engine 25, Engine 26, Engine 36, Engine 45, and Ladder 8 were all disbanded, as well as multiple ladder companies quartered with single engines. Smaller single-company houses were closed down and consolidated into a new, centralized location. Thus, when a company was disbanded, their first due district was not entirely without fire protection, although the remaining companies were stretched thin to cover their original districts and their newly acquired ones.

This also occurred in Worcester, MA, Springfield, MA, Jersey City, NJ, Buffalo, NY, and Newark, NJ. Companies were merged into one location and at least one was disbanded in the end or reincarnated in the form of another squad, rescue, or tactical company. Providence, RI was the exception, as the only engine closed during the '70s-'90s was Engine 1 to make Special Hazards 1, the PFD's heavy rescue, a fully-manned and operational independent company.
 
I lived in the Brighton part of Boston, BFD District 11. It is the "Staten Island of Boston, we are connected to the main part by Commonwealth Ave. B4 the cuts we had 4/3, after the cuts 3/2, lost E-34 and L-22. If they get a job now that turns serious or two simultaneous calls the additional companies would be 33/15 and 37/26. That is a long run when time counts and traffic sucks. Mack did a good write-up on this about a year ago.
 
fdny1075k said:
In Boston, there were several houses with multiple companies during the '70s:

Engine 5, Engine 11, Car 1(1st District Chief)
Engine 7, Engine 26, Ladder 17, Car 4(4th District Chief)
Engine 12, Engine 14, Ladder 4, Car 13(Special Response Chief)
Engine 25, Ladder 8, Rescue 1, C6(1st Division Chief)
Engine 45, Engine 53, Ladder 16, Car 12(12th District Chief)
Engine 32, Engine 36, Ladder 9.
Click to expand...

More Boston double engine houses:

(Engine 1), Engine 39
Engine 4, (Engine 6)
Engine 5, (Engine 11)
Engine 7, (Engine 26)
Engine 9, (Engine 40)
Engine 10, (Engine 25) - same house but sequentially
(Engine 12), Engine 14
Engine 16, (Engine 46) - same house but sequentially
(Engine 23), (Engine 43) - same location but sequentially
(Engine 26), (Engine 35)
Engine 32, (Engine 36)
(Engine 38), Engine 39
(Engine 45), Engine 53

Combine and close is a common approach.  However, Boston does 'combine for now and close later.'

 
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