FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section
- Thread starter mack
- Start date
1940s squads - formed due to World War II FDNY unit staffing shortages with FDMY members serving in the military - most companies were understrength - no minimum staffing policies - squads responded in converted hose tenders for personnel - note telegraph signal for squad response was "9-box number-squad company number"
ENGINE 203 BROOKLYN (DISBANDED)
ORGANIZED AS ENGINE 3, BROOKLYN FIRE DEPT ORG. 533 Hicks St. FQ Vol. (Sep. 15, 1869)
CHANGE To Engine 3, FDNY (Jan. 28, 1898)
CHANGE To Engine 103 (Oct. 1, 1899)
RELOC. 274 Hicks St. At E-124 (Aug. 6, 1912)
CHANGE To Engine 203 (Jan. 1, 1913)
NQTRS. 533 Hicks St. (Oct. 7, 1913)
DISB. 1974
Engine 3 BFD - original quarters (former volunteer firehouse)
FDNY Engine 103 1st motorized apparatus in Brooklyn
533 Hicks St. firehouse
Attachments
Engine 218 1970 WNYF
A story to go with this forgotten WNYF picture:
- Brooklyn Box 75-708 Bushwick Avenue opp Varet Street
- This job was handled by an All-Hands - even with block of inoperative hydrants
- Squad 3 - manpower company only unit - not SOC - no pumper - see rig below
- Engine 218 had 4003 runs in 1970 and ranked 42nd in NYC in runs that year
- This job was one of Squad 3's 9334 runs in 1970 - 2nd busiest squad company in city - Sq 4 turned out 9791 times
- 1969 Mack CF pumper - still "new" after 3108 runs in 1969 - see rig below
- E 218's MPO dressed in typical chauffer uniform of the day - blue uniform cap (usually without cap badge), short blue civilian jacket (often old military), unknown pants
- Auxiliary Sq 3 FF - yellow helmet
- Squad going to work w/o masks
- Group of kids watching the job w/o cell phones
- Photo by Alex Donchin - noted fire buff, fire photographer and FDNY Auxiliary Captain
Squad 3
Engine 218
Alex Donchin book
A story to go with this forgotten WNYF picture:
- Brooklyn Box 75-708 Bushwick Avenue opp Varet Street
- This job was handled by an All-Hands - even with block of inoperative hydrants
- Squad 3 - manpower company only unit - not SOC - no pumper - see rig below
- Engine 218 had 4003 runs in 1970 and ranked 42nd in NYC in runs that year
- This job was one of Squad 3's 9334 runs in 1970 - 2nd busiest squad company in city - Sq 4 turned out 9791 times
- 1969 Mack CF pumper - still "new" after 3108 runs in 1969 - see rig below
- E 218's MPO dressed in typical chauffer uniform of the day - blue uniform cap (usually without cap badge), short blue civilian jacket (often old military), unknown pants
- Auxiliary Sq 3 FF - yellow helmet
- Squad going to work w/o masks
- Group of kids watching the job w/o cell phones
- Photo by Alex Donchin - noted fire buff, fire photographer and FDNY Auxiliary Captain
Squad 3
Engine 218
Alex Donchin book
Last edited:
- Joined
- May 6, 2010
- Messages
- 16,172
In the Alex Donchin photo ^^^^ of the AH at Box 708 Bushwick Ave & Varet St. the Officer 2nd from left in SQ*3 is Pete Carino who was a Legend there back then.....he had been a FF in ENG*235 & R*2 ....( his Son Dom was a long time ENG*290 FF ) ......at this Fire due to the delay in water two Member's of 1st Due 108 & 2nd Due 124 got trapped on the 2nd fl while searching for occupants....there was only one window on the side of the bldg that they were able to get to & Fire was behind them ... the 124 FF in order to clear the window for the 108 FF climbed out the window & hung by his hands on the sill & dropped.....unfortunately there was a concrete curb like protrusion at the base of the wall which he hit with both feet severely damaging both ankles resulting in a career ending injury (that FFs Son is now a CPT in the BX) ...the BN*35 BC ...Al N. had grabbed a Portable Ladder & was able to throw it up in time for the 2nd FF.
Thanks for the real story, Chief. Squad 3 was located at E 230. Several single company quarters back then. Engine 216 and Ladder 108 were still in their old single quarters. Engine 237 and Engine 218 were single engines.
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