FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section

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The southern and western portions of Brooklyn have been part of a division with numerous identities. In the original ten division organization of 1898, instituted upon the consolidation of all boroughs into the combined FDNY, the division was established as Division 8.

In 1906, divisions in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island were renumbered, with Division 8 becoming Divisions 10 (former 6) and 12. Division 12 remained quartered with Engine 120 in Park Slope.

In 1930, Division 12 was split to follow the growth and development of Brooklyn to the south. The original division was renumbered as reorganized Division 10, which had been disbanded since 1922. Division 10, still in Park Slope, moved slightly west from Engine 220 to Engine 239. Division 12 moved south of Prospect Park to the quarters of Engine 250.

From 1948 to 1951, Division 12 moved back north to Engine 240’s quarters to cover while Division 10 was disbanded for three years. Upon restoration of Division 10, Division 12 returned to Engine 250.

In 1975, in the midst of one of the city’s financial crisis, Staten Island Division 8 was disbanded and the borough was managed by the Staten Island Borough Command. Division 12 was moved to the quarters of Engine 242 for quick access to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and Staten Island.

Division 8 was re-established in Staten Island in 1990 and Division 12 moved to Engine 330. In 1995, the Division 12 was disbanded and mostly absorbed by Division 8.

South Brooklyn Division 8

Division 8Organized530 11th St, Brooklyn1898with Engine 20 FDNY Brooklyn
Division 8Renumberedas Division 121906

South Brooklyn Division 12 original

Division 12Organized530 11th St, Brooklyn1906with Engine 120, from Division 8
Division 12Renumberedas Division 101930

South Brooklyn Division 12

Division 12Reorganized126 Foster Ave, Brooklyn1930with Engine 250
Division 12Relocated1309 Prospect Ave, Brooklyn1948with Engine 240
Division 12Relocated126 Foster Ave, Brooklyn1951with Engine 250
Division 12Relocated9219 5th Ave, Brooklyn1975with Engine 242
Division 12Relocated2318 65th St, Brooklyn1991with Engine 330
Division 12Disbanded1995
Division 12Reorganized2318 65th St, Brooklyn1995with Engine 330
Division 12Disbanded1995
 
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Joined
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The southern and western portions of Brooklyn have been part of a division with numerous identities. In the original ten division organization of 1898, instituted upon the consolidation of all boroughs into the combined FDNY, the division was established as Division 8.

In 1906, divisions in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island were renumbered, with Division 8 becoming Divisions 10 (former 6) and 12. Division 12 remained quartered with Engine 120 in Park Slope.

In 1930, Division 12 was split to follow the growth and development of Brooklyn to the south. The original division was renumbered as reorganized Division 10, which had been disbanded since 1922. Division 10, still in Park Slope, moved slightly west from Engine 220 to Engine 239. Division 12 moved south of Prospect Park to the quarters of Engine 250.

From 1948 to 1951, Division 12 moved back north to Engine 240’s quarters to cover while Division 10 was disbanded for three years. Upon restoration of Division 10, Division 12 returned to Engine 250.

In 1975, in the midst of one of the city’s financial crisis, Staten Island Division 8 was disbanded and the borough was managed by the Staten Island Borough Command. Division 12 was moved to the quarters of Engine 242 for quick access to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and Staten Island.

Division 8 was re-established in Staten Island in 1990 and Division 12 moved to Engine 330. In 1995, the Division 12 was disbanded and mostly absorbed by Division 8.

South Brooklyn Division 8

Division 8Organized530 11th St, Brooklyn1898with Engine 20 FDNY Brooklyn
Division 8Renumberedas Division 121906

South Brooklyn Division 12 original

Division 12Organized530 11th St, Brooklyn1906with Engine 120, from Division 8
Division 12Renumberedas Division 101930

South Brooklyn Division 12

Division 12Reorganized126 Foster Ave, Brooklyn1930with Engine 250
Division 12Relocated1309 Prospect Ave, Brooklyn1948with Engine 240
Division 12Relocated126 Foster Ave, Brooklyn1951with Engine 250
Division 12Relocated9219 5th Ave, Brooklyn1975with Engine 242
Division 12Relocated2318 65th St, Brooklyn1991with Engine 330
Division 12Disbanded1995
Division 12Reorganized2318 65th St, Brooklyn1995with Engine 330
Division 12Disbanded1995

Battalions in South Brooklyn Division 8

Battalion 30, Brooklyn <later 40>1898 - 1906
Battalion 31, Brooklyn <later 41>1898 - 1906
Battalion 32, Brooklyn <later 42>1898 - 1906
Battalion 33, Brooklyn <later 43>1898 - 1906
Battalion 21, Brooklyn <later 31>1905 - 1906
Battalion 22, Brooklyn <later 32>1905 - 1906
Battalion 23, Brooklyn <later 33>1905 - 1906

Battalions in Division 12

Battalion 40 <previously 30> 1906 - 1930, 1948 - 1950, 1979 - 1995
Battalion 41 <previously 31>1906 - 1947, 1951 - 1979
Battalion 42 <previously 32>1906 - 1995
Battalion 43 <previously 33>1906 - 1995
Battalion 321922 - 1930, 1949 - 1950
Battalion 481922 - 1930, 1948 - 1950
Battalion 331930 - 1949, 1951 - 1995
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 firehouse 494 Dean Street, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn 11th Division, 57th Battalion Ladder 105 “Dean Street Heroes”



Engine 19 BFD organized 735 Dean Street 1880
Engine 19 became Engine 19 FDNY 1898
Engine 19 became Engine 119 1899
Engine 119 became Engine 219 1913
Engine 219 new firehouse 494 Dean St w/Ladder 105 1977


Ladder 5 BFD organized Manhattan Ave and Ten Eyck St 1869
Ladder 5 BFD disbanded 1873
Ladder 5 BFD reorganized 648 Pacific Street 1885
Ladder 5 BFD became Ladder 5 FDNY 1898
Ladder 5 became Ladder 55 1899
Ladder 55 became Ladder 105 1913
Ladder 105 new firehouse 494 Dean St w/Engine 219 1977



F 1.jpg
 

mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Volunteer era:


Eagle Engine 4 was located on Bergen Street near Underhill Avenue. Engine 4 was disbanded in 1869 when the paid Brooklyn Fire Department was organized.



Pre-FDNY Brooklyn Fire Department:

Engine 19 BFD:


"ENGINE COMPANY NO. 19 : AMONG SCHOOLS, CLUBS CHURCHES AND ARMORIES



E 19 BFD (2).jpg


The home of Engine Company No. 19 is in Dean Street, near Underhill Avenue. The company was organized Dec. 24, 1880, and is located in a very large and important district, which is bounded by Park Avenue, Kingston Avenue, the city line, and Carrol and Nevins Streets. There are 112 boxes in this territory, and on a second-alarm the men respond to calls from 94 additional boxes. They are expected to be first on hand should a fire occur in any of the following places: Knox's hat factory, Budweiser's brewery, Reilly's storehouse, Vosburgh's gas fixture factory. Graves' storehouse, Webster's silver-plating establishment, the Brooklyn Riding Academy, the Home for Destitute Children, St. Joseph's School, St. Theresa s School, Adelphi Academy, Pratt Institute, Public Schools Nos. 9 and 42, Chester's silver-plating works. King's furniture and carpet house. Long Island Brewery, Brevoort flats. Union League Club, Kings County Penitentiary, Montauk Club, Brooklyn City car stables, Richardson's car stables. Flatbush Avenue depot of the Long Island Railroad and the large freight depot of the same company, on Atlantic Avenue ; Crawford & Valentine's Scrimshaw works, the 13th Regiment and the 3d Gatling Battery armories, the Criterion theatre, Seney Hospital, Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, Home for Aged Men and Women (two buildings), private hospital on President Street, Ansonia clock works, Brasher's oilcloth factory, Homeopathic Hospital, Talmage's Tabernacle, St. Luke's Episcopal and several other large churches."

"The company is equipped with a second-class Amoskeag engine, a four-wheel hosecart, and four young, well-trained horses, three of which are handsome bays and the fourth a dapple gray. The following are some of the big fires at which the company has been engaged laboriously and often at great peril to their lives for many hours before the fire fiend could be controlled:

Palmer's cooperage (twice), Dick & Meyer's sugar house, Church's soda works, Pratt's oil works (twice), St. John's Home, the Penitentiary shoe shop, Jewell's wharf, Watson's stores, Harbeck stores, Warner Institute, Adelphi Academy, Heckler's iron works (twice), Richardson's car stables (three times), Talmage's Tabernacle, Baum's millinery establishment, Koeke Brothers' hay and feed storehouse. Contractor dark's stables, where one hundred mules were burned, Loomis' moulding mills, Budweiser brewery, Brooklyn Cocoa-matting Company, Fink's coal yard and dwellings, a large rag repository on Kent Avenue, McDonald's oil works, Smith & Pettinger's lumber yard, the Almshouse, Hyde & Behman's theatre, Ovington Brothers' crockery store, Buchanan & Lyall's Planet mills. Horseman's bakery, the Wallabout Market fires, and the dwelling-house fire on Court Street during the water famine."

- from "Our Firemen- the History of the Brooklyn Fire Department"
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)



Pre-FDNY Brooklyn Fire Department:



Ladder 5 BFD:



"HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 5 : HEROES OF MANY "CLOSE SHAVES"


L 5 BFD (2).jpg


Hook and Ladder Company No. 5 was organized by Fire Commissioner Richard H. POILLON, on June 15, 1885. It is located in Pacific Street near Sixth Avenue, in the centre of a very important district which is bounded by DeKalb Avenue, Nostrand Avenue, Fifth Street and Bond Street. There are seventy boxes in this district, and on a second-alarm the company responds to sixty-five additional boxes. In this district are Graves' furniture house, Green's underwear factory, Knox's hat factory. Kings County Penitentiary, Brooklyn watch case works; Ovington Brothers' crockery store, Journeay & Burnham's store, the Johnson building, Dyckman's box factory, Municipal Gas Company's works, Public Schools Nos. 9, 15, and 47, St. Joseph's parochial school, Talmage's Tabernacle, Washington Avenue Baptist church, St. Joseph's Roman Catholic, St. Luke's Episcopal, Dr. Cuyler' s church, Lafayette Avenue Congregational, St. Augustine's and Frs. McCarty, McNamee and Corcoran's churches, the 13th Regiment Armory, the Long Island R. R. passenger and freight depots. Young Women's Christian Association, Seney Hospital, Long Island Brewery, Budweiser brewery, Webster's silver-plating factory, Schieber's silver-plating factory, Tivoli Hall and the Franklin Avenue car stables.

The company has a second-class Hayes truck and three handsome, well-trained horses, "Dan," a sorrel, "Baby" a dark iron-gray, and "Charlie Hart," a brown. They have a full-blooded English coach-dog, which is called "Frances," after Mrs. Cleveland. Frances is as intelligent as she is handsome, and prior to being run over by the truck in 1888, when one of her legs was broken, it was customary for her to go out with the truck on every alarm, and when the fire was reached to follow the men up to the roof. Since that event Frances has been detailed on the house watch, and it is as much as a man’s life is worth to try to enter the house when the company is out.

There are quite a number of men in the company who have been with it since its organization, and as such they have seen many fires which required many hours of hard and perilous work to subdue. Notable among these were Watson's stores, the Penitentiary shoe shop, Adelphi Academy, Planet Mills, Talmage’s Tabernacle, the Seventh Avenue car stables, Brasher's oilcloth works. Butler Street car stables. Watts- lumber yard. Hyde & Behman's theatre, Poillon’s ship yard, Loomis' moulding mills, the Hulvert mansion, Bradley's carpet house, Messuli's paint works and the Sand Street flathouse fires.

Foreman THOMAS HEALEY has had several narrow escapes since he became a Member of the Department on Dec. 6, 1870. The closest "shave" he ever had was when he walked off the dock during the fire at Watson's stores and sank in twelve feet of water. When he came up his fire-hat was gone, and being weighted down with his rubber coat and boots he found it extremely difficult to swim to the dock. The boys succeeded in getting him out with a rope just as his strength was deserting him. At the fire at Woodruff & Robinson's stores, Mr. HEALY with others was on the roof when it fell in and precipitated them a distance of fifteen feet into a bin of burning grain, from which they were extricated with great difficulty. At the Pratt's oil works fire he made his best running record while trying to keep ahead of a river of burning oil. Mr. HEALY was born in the County Roscommon. Ireland, July 18. 1841, and was educated at the common schools of his native town. When he came to Brooklyn, he joined Goodwill Engine Company No. 4 and ran with her until the disbandment of the Volunteer Department. His first fire duty in the new Department was with Truck No. 2. He was afterward transferred to Engine No. 19 and then to Truck No. 6. While with the latter company, on Sept. 5, 1885, he was promoted to the grade of Foreman and placed in command of Engine Company No. 9, and from that company was transferred to his present command.



Assistant Foreman MARTIN J. CORCORAN was among the first to be promoted when Commissioner ENNIS created that rank. He was born in the city of Limerick, Dec. 5, 1860, and was educated on his native heath. He was appointed to the uniformed force on Jan. 30, 1882, and assigned to Engine Company No. 19, and later was detailed as driver for District Engineer Parley. He was a private in Truck No. 5 at the time of his promotion on March 1, 1887. Mr. CORCORAN has been injured many times in discharge of his duty. While a private in Engine Company No. 19, in Aug. 1883, he was so ill with malaria that the Department surgeon advised him not to do active duty for a time. A fire broke out on a very hot day and Mr. CORCORAN, disregarding the doctor's advice, went out with his company. He was stationed on the wall of an adjoining building when he was overcome with the heat and fell backward, injuring his head so badly that it was necessary to remove him to the Homeopathic Hospital, where he remained for several days. He narrowly escaped being killed at the Portland Avenue flat-house fire, when. one of the ceilings fell on him and others, and nearly buried them under a mass of burning timbers. At another time one of the horses belonging to Engine No. 19 threw him and nearly fractured his skull. At "The Abbey " fire, Mr. CORCORAN sprained his ankle so seriously that he was laid up for six weeks, and at a laid at Raymond and Fulton Streets his shoulder was nearly wrenched out of the socket.

JOHN H. HINTON, the driver of the apparatus, was born in New York City, Oct. 27, 1848. When he was appointed a member of the Paid Department he was assigned to duty with Truck No. 1. He was later transferred to Engine No. 20, then to the Veterinary Department, back to Truck No. 1, then to Engine No. 3, from there to Engine No. 24, and then to this company. At the ink factory fire on' Forty-second Street, South Brooklyn, in 1882, he with three other firemen narrowly escaped being killed by the caving in of the roof on which they were standing.

WILLIAM H. JONES, the tillerman, is one of the life-savers of the Department. "While tillerman of Truck No. 1, he assisted Engineer Duff, then Foreman of Engine No. 3, in bringing out an unconscious woman from the first floor of a dwelling on Columbia, near Congress Street. In Feb. 1887, unaided and with no little peril to himself, he carried a woman from the third floor of a burning house on Fifth Avenue, down the stairway to the street. Besides being suffocated she had inhaled fire, and she died at the City Hospital some hours later. Mr. JONES was born in Brooklyn, Nov. 2, 1849. In July, 1875, he enlisted in the regular army, where he served for five years with the 9th Infantry. His appointment to the Department was made on Jan. 30, 1882.

MICHAEL JOSEPH KELLEY was born in Manchester, England, Jan. 15, 1857, and he has been a member of Truck No. 5 since he was appointed to the uniformed force, on Dec. 10, 1891.

LOUIS SCHULZ was born in New Hyde Park, L. I., on the anniversary of Washington's Birthday, 1866. He enlisted in the United States Navy May 23,1887, and received an honorable discharge together with a continued service certificate June 12, 1890. Commissioner ENNIS made him a fireman Nov. 16. 1891, and he has been with Truck No. 5 since that time.

EDWARD PATRICK COFFEY was born in the city of Dublin, Ireland, Feb. 14, 1864. He was made a fireman Aug. 1, 1889, and since that time has done duty with Engines Nos. 14, and 27 and Truck No. 5.

JOHN L. TUCKER was born in Brooklyn, July 24,1860, and became a member of the Department June 4, 1890.

JAMES J. McGARRY was born in Brooklyn, March 18, 1859, and he has worn the uniform with credit to himself and the Department since July 17, 1891.

JAMES A. MALONE was a member of Mount Hose No. 10 when the Volunteer Department was disbanded. He was born in Brooklyn in 1847, and during the Civil War fought under General " Phil" Sheridan. He was appointed to the new Department Jan. 29, 1870 and assigned to duty with Engine No. 10, where he remained for fifteen years. He was then transferred to Engine No. 19, then to Engine No. 6, and thence to Truck No. 5 at the time of its organization. While a member of Engine No. 10, the tender upset on the way to Loomis' moulding mill fire, and Mr. MALONE narrowly escaped being killed.

HENRY A. BRINKMAN has been a member of this company since its organization and has worn the uniform since Nov. 12. 1880. In 1883, while a member of Engine No. 4, he received internal and spinal injuries by the collapsing of a church on Third Avenue. Mr. BRINKMAN was born in Brooklyn. Aug. 18, 1855, and has proved himself to be not only a good citizen but a faithful member of the Department. The orders have been issued and preparations have been made for the organization of a new engine-company, No. 34, to be attached to the Eighth District. Its house, now building, will be on Bergen Street, east of Troy Avenue.

- from "Our Firemen- the History of the Brooklyn Fire Department"
 

mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)



648 Pacific Street original firehouse Ladder 105 1885-1977:


L 105 history.jpg

L 105 L 5 BFD PACIFIC (2).jpg

L 105 fh 2 (2).jpg





648 Pacific Street firehouse - Salvage 4 - 1979-1991:


L 105 fh 3 648 pacific.jpg

Salvage 4.jpg


Salvage units were organized in the 1970s to limit water damage and seal fire buildings. They were funded by the federal Model Cities Program. Units were staffed by an FDNY fire officer, an FDNY firefighter chauffer and civilian salvage personnel who lived in designated Model Cities neighborhoods. The program provided an opportunity to hire salvage personnel, train them and introduce them to the fire service. There were five salvage units organized between 1972 and 1991.



648 Pacific Street firehouse - later used by Special Operations Command to clean contaminated equipment:

L 105 a.png
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


494 Dean Street firehouse:


E 209 FH 54.jpg

E 219 fh 40.jpg


F 3.jpg

F 2.jpg

F 4.jpg

F 6.jpg
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


494 Dean Street firehouse:


F 8.jpg

F 9.jpg

F 10.jpg
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Engine 219:

E 19 BFD (2).jpg

E 219 ap 3 r.jpg

E 219 ap 0.jpg

E 219 ap 1 a.jpg

E 219 fire academy.jpg
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Engine 219:

E 219 b.jpg

E 219 fh 3.jpg


Engine 219 with two-star Service Flag. Looks like Engine 219 rode with Service Flag for two members during the war and these may be returning two Engine 219 members after World War I. Looks like building in background may also have Service flags for family members.


Blue Star Service Flags:

The Service Flag is an official banner authorized by the Department of Defense for display by families who have members serving in the Armed Forces during any period of war or hostilities the United States may be engaged in for the duration of such hostilities. The Service flag, also called the Blue Star Flag, was designed and patented by WWI Army Captain Robert L. Queisser of the 5th Ohio Infantry who had two sons serving on the front line. The flag quickly became the unofficial symbol of a child in service. President Wilson became part of this history when in 1918 he approved a suggestion made by the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defenses that mothers who had lost a child serving in the war wear a gold gilt star on the traditional black mourning arm band. This led to the tradition of covering the blue star with a gold star on the Service flag to indicate that the service member has died.

- from https://www.bluestarmothers.org/service-flag
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Engine 219:

E 219 ap 4 (2).jpg

E 219 ap 700 (2).jpg
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Engine 219:

E16.jpg

E6.jpg

E 219 AP 34.jpg

ET8.jpg

E4.jpg

E5.jpg

E 209 56.jpg

E7.jpg

E9.jpg

E10.jpg
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Ladder 105:



L 105 ap 18 (2).jpg
 
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mack

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Engine 219/Ladder 105 (continued)


Ladder 105:

L 105 ap 700.jpg

TL 105 was the 2nd tower ladder in service in Brooklyn.



L 105 AP 10 (2).jpg

L 105 ap 23.jpg
 
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