FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


HUGH ELVET LEWIS FF. LAD. 1 FEB. 14, 1939 1940 TREVOR-WARREN

FF Elvet Lewis was awarded the 1940 Trevor-Warren Medal for the rescue of William Scott of 72-76 Park Place February 14, 1939.

 

[68jk09]

Going back to the Relay Hose Wagon pictured above in reply # 2181 ....a great piece of a small part of FDNY History.... the Hose was laid into the Bed in a reverse U shape around the Tiller steering shaft so the Hose could pay out as the Rig drove down the street. .....Very few pictures or info available on these Rig's....Thanks Joe.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


HENRY J. HERRMANN LT. ENG. 7 DEC. 11, 1946 1947 JOHNSTON




LT Herrmann was awarded the 1947 Johnson Medal for heroic actions rescuing trapped victims on December 11, 1946 at the Knickerbocker Ice House Collapse. LT Herrmann formed digging teams to rescue trapped occupants of tenement. 37 people lost their lives.


file:///C:/Users/joseph/Downloads/July-2017-Kinickerbocker-Ice-House-Collapse%20(15).pdf

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


HENRY J. HERRMANN FF. ENG. 7 DEC. 24, 1947 1948 COMMERCE



FF Herrmann was awarded the Commerce Medal for heroic actions at a 6 story tenement fire at 77 Mulberry Street.


FIRE BUILDING 77 MULBERRY STREET

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


MALCOLM R. MAILLETT FF. LAD. 1 DEC. 24, 1947 1948 CONRAN




FF Maillett was awarded the Conran Medal for heroic actions at a 6 story tenement fire at 77 Mulberry Street.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


PAUL R. BUSH FF. LAD. 1 OCT. 31, 1951 1952 BROOKMAN

FF Bush was awarded the 1952 Brookman Medal for heroic action.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


ALL MEMBERS LAD. 1 FEB. 17, 1988 1989 BURN CENTER

Ladder 7 members were awarded the 1989 Burn Center Medal for heroism rescuing patients at a fire at Beekman-Downtown Hospital, 170 William Street.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 MEDALS


JAMES R. BROWN LT. ENG. 7 FEB. 26, 1993 1994 CONRAN

LT Brown was awarded the 1994 Conran Medal for heroic action during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.



MICHAEL G. BABINO FF. ENG. 7 FEB. 26, 1993 1994 DELEHANTY

FF Babino was awarded the 1994 Conran Medal for heroic action during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


ASSISTANT ENGINEER GEORGE A. ERLACHER BATTALION 2 February 9, 1873


Asst. Engineer George A. Erlacher was thrown from the apparatus in front of 183 Water St. while responding to Peck Slip & Water Street on Feb. 9, 1873.




RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER THOMAS J. DOUGHERTY LADDER 1 February 20, 1880




FF. Thomas Dougherty died when a wall fell at 384-386 Broadway on Feb. 20, 1880, Manhattan Box 33-120.

Fireman Thomas J Dougherty of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was killed in the line of duty along with Fireman John F. Cassidy. They were fighting a fire at Nos. 384 and 386 Broadway in Manhattan when the building collapsed upon them. FF Dougherty’s funeral services were held at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on Barclay Street. An article about the discovery of the bodies of the firemen appeared in the New York Times on February 23, 1880

In 1880 there were four fires, at each of which the loss was more than $ 100,000. The entire loss was $1,580,300.

The first and most disastrous of these fires was communicated to the Department at 6 : 14 P. M. on February 20 , from alarm box No. 125, located at the corner of Broadway and White Street for a fire discovered in the buildings Nos . 384 and 386 Broadway , built of brick , with marble front, five stories high, 43 x 180 feet , and extending through from Broadway to Courtlandt Alley , occupied by dealers in woolen goods, etc., and on the upper floors there were stored a large number of cases of agate buttons.

The cause of the fire , so far as the same could be ascertained after a careful investigation made by the Fire Marshal, was the carelessness of gas-fitters in using a candle while repairing a leak in the gas pipes near the meter, which was situated in the sub-cellar near the front of the building . The spread of the flames among the goods stored near this spot was so rapid that some of the occupants had considerable difficulty in making their escape.

The Department responded promptly to the alarms sent, and at about 6:39 P. M. had penetrated the building from the Broadway front on the first floor to a distance of about fifty feet, with three companies, with two other companies to the head of the stairs leading to the third floor , while another company had its pipe in the front of the third story from a ladder . Other companies had taken position on the roofs of the buildings Nos. 380 and 382 Broadway, No. 388 Broadway, and in and upon the building in rear and fronting on White Street and Courtlandt Alley ; and although the fire was not considered to be entirely under control, there was good reason for believing that all but the rear part of the structure and its contents would be saved from destruction .

At this juncture, without the slightest indication of danger or pre monition of any kind, nearly the entire rear half of the building fell in, carrying with it Thomas J. Dougherty and John F. Cassidy, two firemen of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1, whose remains were recovered on the following day. Loss, $750,108.

• From Reminiscences of the old fire laddies and volunteer fire departments

FIREFIGHTER JOHN F. CASSIDY LADDER 1 February 20, 1880



February 20, 1880 - LODD
Fireman John F. Cassidy - Ladder 1
Fireman Thomas J. Dougherty - Ladder 1
FDNY. Manhattan, New York

Fireman Fireman John F. Cassidy of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was killed in the line of duty along with Fireman Thomas J Dougherty. While venting the roof of a burning building during a three-alarm fire, the firemen of Ladder 1 were caught when the rear portion of the roof suddenly collapsed. The captain and one of the firemen were able to jump to the roof of an adjacent building, but two of the Cassidy and Dougherty were carried down into the building. Their bodies were found the next day.


The fire building at 384 - 386 Broadway was five stories high with a marble front measuring forty-five feet by one hundred seventy feet. The three-alarm fire originated in the sub-cellar and destroyed the building. Foreman Thomas Hutchinson and Firemen Thomas J. Dougherty and John F. Cassidy both of Hook & Ladder 1 went to the roof to open the scuttle for the pipe of Engine 33, when suddenly about seventy feet of the building from the rear wall fell to the street level. Foreman Hutchinson, feeling the roof give way under him, threw himself backward, and being near the north wall, he landed on the adjoining roof. Dougherty and Cassidy being further out on the roof went down with it, "and were seen no more alive." The remains of Dougherty were recovered at 8:00 a.m. on February 21. His feet and hands were burned off and his body was badly hacked. He seemed to have been clinging to a timber near the scuttle frame. Cassidy's remains were recovered about 8:00 a.m. on the February 22 and were slightly burned, but a portion of the north wall had fallen on the body and it was considerably mutilated. -from "The Last Alarm"


RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER JAMES C. O'SHAUNESSY LADDER 1 May 11, 1887

FF. James C. O’Shaunessy crushed his leg at 203 Broadway and it was amputated on Apr. 11, 1887, He died from blood poisoning on May 11, 1877. Manhattan Box 44.

While members of Ladder 1 were working on the rear extension of 203 Broadway, flames burst through the skylight driving the men from the roof. Fireman O'Shaunessy was compelled to jump to the extension in the rear of 201 Broadway, a distance of twenty feet. He received a compound fracture of the right leg between the knee and ankle and was removed by ambulance to the Chambers Street Hospital. On April 28, his leg was amputated. He died of congestion of the lungs caused by blood poisoning. -from "The Last Alarm"



FIRE BUILDING 203 BROADWAY






CHAMBERS STREET HOSPITAL




RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER FRANCIS REILLY ENGINE 7 August 27, 1892

FF Reilly, detailed to Water Tower 1, was returning to quarters after a 2nd alarm fire. FF Reilly was jolted off the apparatus and the Water Tower rode right over his thighs. He passed away at Chambers Street Hospital.


RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER JOHN G. REINHARDT ENGINE 7 May 6, 1897

FF. John Reinhardt was overcome by smoke at 161-163 Chambers Street on May 6, 1897. The fire was in the cellar of a 5 story stone commercial building, directly across the street from Engine 29’s quarters. A refrigeration company and a cardboard box manufacturer occupied the cellar. The fire started in the cardboard box area and consumed the large amounts of twine, cardboard and paper goods stored there. Over 50 firefighters were overcome by smoke. FF Reinhardt fell unconscious and it took over 30 minutes to remove him by rope from the cellar due to the heavy smoke and fire conditions.





RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER JOHN F. FECHER ENGINE 7 April 23, 1910

NYC Fire Wire


FF John F Fecher, E-7
April 23, 1910
Box 87 - 70 Duane Street


The members of Engine 7 entered the building to open the iron shutters on the windows. Once on the 2nd floor landing, FF John Fecher dashed up to the 3rd floor as the stairwell collapsed. Assuming that Fecher would open the shutters and escape onto the fire escape, the rest of the men retreated back outside and went to work. As for Fecher, his run for life was full of agonizing pain. Everything around him was blazing and smoke closed in around him slowly benumbing his senses. He shouted for help, but there was no one to hear him. No one will ever know how many times he fell the struggled up and staggered onward toward the window. Now, his clothing took fire from the heat and as he stumbled on, he beat the little flames with his hands. His face was burned black and his voice was finally burned silent. He reached a window looking down on the Manhattan Alley side. The huge iron shutter was heavy, and no one will ever know the agony attended his labor to open it. Finally he did open it and stood for a moment, a flaming figure in the open window. The firemen of Engine 12 who raced to the Manhattan Alley at that moment and begun to get ready for action, saw him. To the flaming figure standing in the window, they yelled to hold a minute, and they would turn the water on him. He hesitated half a second and then pitched forward toward the pavement. His skull was fractured and several ones were broken. There was not a big crowd here. They gathered around the dying man. Several firemen of Engine 12 stopped to look at the huddled figure, but they did not know he was a fireman or what happened to him. The ambulance came and took him away to the hospital, in removing his clothes there they found his badge and learned from that who he was. Fecher died in the hospital.






FIRE BUILDING 70 DUANE STREET




RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER JOHN J. KELLY, JR., LADDER 1 October 18, 1918

FF John Kelly, Ladder 1, died in the line of duty October 18, 1918, from injuries received at a fire October 11, 1918. FF Kelly was overcome by exposure to gases.





FF KELLY FUNERAL





US ARMY VETERAN




RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


CAPTAIN DAVID M. LYNCH LADDER 1 October 31, 1927




Captain David M. Lynch of Hook & Ladder 1 died in Beekman Street Hospital of pneumonia induced by ether from surgery after he was injured at a fire. The operation was minor with two toes being amputated after his foot had been crushed between a wheel of the ladder truck and the curb as he jumped from the truck. Several hours before his death, Dr. Harry M. Archer of the Fire Department observed signs of the malady known to physicians as “ether pneumonia”. A member of Rescue 1 with an inhaler and oxygen tanks, was assigned to his bedside, but the efforts were unavailing. Captain Lynch was thirty-seven years old. He joined the Fire Department on July 1, 1913, and had been in charge of Ladder 1 for three years. He was Recording Secretary of the Fire Captains’ Association. The Captain lived at 107-41 113th Street, Richmond Hills, Queens. He left a widow and two small children. -from "The Last Alarm"





CAPTAIN LYNCH FUNERAL







RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM VOGEL LADDER 1 November 27, 1929

Fire conditions were severe when Firemen William Vogel and Edward V. Conroy of Ladder 1 proceeded up the smoke-filled interior stairway to search for people trapped on the upper floors. On the third story they were trapped by the fire and severely burned. Disregarding his own safety, Fireman Conroy picked up his unconscious comrade. In doing so, the seared flesh was scraped from his hands and arms, but he managed to carry him to the stairway where both were assisted to the street. Fireman Vogel was given oxygen for twenty-four hours before he died in the hospital on the 27th. He was married, the father of two children and was twenty-eight years old. -from "The Last Alarm"



FF VOGEL FUNERAL





RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


LIEUTENANT RODMAN G. CHRYSLER ENGINE 7 June 26, 1957





Lieutenant Rodman G. Chrysler of Engine 7 died from a heart attack caused by oxide fumes at a fire. He was appointed to the Department on July 1, 1934 and assigned to Engine 29. He was promoted to Lieutenant on January 1, 1945. He left behind a wife and four children. - from "The Last Alarm"






RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM G. SCHMIDT LADDER 1 February 14, 1958




FF Schmidt died February 14, 1958 as a result of injuries received at 137 Wooster Street when a collapse occurred. Line of duty deaths at Wooster Street Collapse :

FF Schmidt Ladder 1

FF Blumenthal Ladder 20

Sergeant McGee Fire Patrol

Patrolman Brusati Fire Patrol

Patrolman Tracy Fire Patrol

Patrolman Devine Fire Patrol


FDNY Commemorates 60th Anniversary of Wooster Street Collapse February 14, 2018

On February 14, 2018, FDNY members gathered at the quarters of Ladder Company 20 (L-20) in lower Manhattan for a memorial service to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Wooster Street Collapse – a tragedy that killed two FDNY Firefighters and four Fire Patrol members. The Firefighters and patrol members were struck by debris when the roof and multiple floors of the building collapsed.

"Wooster Street may have changed dramatically in the decades since this tragedy, but the resolve of these companies and all of our members, to always go towards the danger to protect life and property has never wavered," said First Deputy Commissioner Kavanagh. "We will always remember those who made the Supreme Sacrifice and we will always be there for their families."

In a Department which has seen far too many painful days, the fire and collapse just blocks from here on Wooster Street 60 years ago today stands out as one of the worst losses of life ever experienced.

On February 14th, 1958, shortly after 6 p.m. employees of the Elkins Paper and Twine building at 137-139 Wooster Street, Manhattan heard the sound of breaking glass – upon investigation, the employees saw reflection of flames in the windows across the street of their building – indicating their building was on fire.

Manhattan Fire Communications received the call at 6:23 p.m. for report of fire and dispatched Engine Companies 13, 30, 33, 44, and Ladder Companies 20, 9, and Rescue Company 1, Battalion 4, and Battalion 2.

Fire Patrol 2 was also dispatched - the New York Fire Patrol was created by the New York Board of Fire Underwriters which mission was to discover fires and prevent losses to insured properties.

Fire was present on the upper floors of the building and a heavy smoke condition engulfed the building. At 6:35 p.m., as the Firefighters of L-20 were venting the roof – a loud rumbling sound became present. Captain Thomas McGrath of L-20 and a Firefighter dove for windows on the side of the 8-story building. They were eventually pulled to safety by fellow Firefighters. Tragically, Firefighter Bernard Blumenthal of L-20 and Firefighter William Schmid of L-1 died in the collapse.

Joseph D. Devine of Fire Patrol 2 was on the 3rd floor deploying tarpaulins when the rumbling sound began. As the noise of the rumbling increased, Fire Patrol member Devine quickly positioned himself next to a side wall when the floors began to collapse. Unfortunately, Fire Patrol member Devine and additional members of the Fire Patrol - Louis Brusati, Michael Tracy, and Sergeant Michael McGee had no escape route. Screams from the trapped men could be heard by people on the street alongside sounds from the collapsing building.

Firefighters started digging feverishly looking for the trapped members. There was a threat of a secondary collapse as the Firefighters worked. Winter storm conditions heavily affected the efforts of the Firefighters as the temperatures were dropping to the single digits alongside a strong wind chill and snow.

Nearly 200 Firefighters with 65 pieces of equipment worked through the night digging through the debris in hopes Firefighters and Fire Patrol members survived the collapse.

At 10:15 p.m., Firefighter Schmid and Firefighter Blumenthal were discovered in the rubble. Firefighter Schmid was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, Firefighter Blumenthal was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital and succumbed to his injuries. It became apparent that the rescue effort for the 4 missing Fire Patrolmen would go on for days.

Early Saturday morning, Acting Chief of Department Arthur Massett and Fire Commissioner Edward Cavanaugh put out a call over the Department Radio for Firefighters to volunteer to come to the scene and help with the search. An impressive response of 500 off-duty Firefighters came to the scene braving the nine inches of snow and the extreme cold looking to help in any way possible. The off-duty Firefighters relieved the exhausted and weather-affected Firefighters that operated at the fire since the alarm was transmitted.

On Saturday afternoon, signal 5-5-5-5 was transmitted to all FDNY firehouses signaling line-of-duty deaths. As a result of this collapse, two Firefighters - Firefighter Bernard Blumenthal of L-20 and Firefighter William Schmid of L-1 and four Fire Patrol members - Sergeant Michael McGee, Louis Brusati, James Devine, and Michael Tracy perished in the collapse.


https://www1.nyc.gov/site/fdny/news...s-60th-anniversary-wooster-street-collapse#/0


FDNY LODD:

FF Bernard Blumenthal Ladder 20




NYFP LODDs

Sergeant Michael G. McGee Fire Patrol




Patrolman Louis J. Brusati Fire Patrol




Patrolman Michael R. Tracy Fire Patrol




Patrolman James F. Devine Fire Patrol





WOOSTER STREET COLLAPSE FEBRUARY 14, 1958










RIP. Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 7/Ladder 1/Battalion 1 (continued)


ENGINE 7/LADDER 1 LODDs:


WOOSTER STREET COLLAPSE

Lessons from the Fireground; FDNY Wooster Street Fire and Collapse 1958-2018 | Fireground Leadership

Operational Excellence on Today's Demanding Fireground

firegroundleadership.com