FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section
- Thread starter mack
- Start date
The New York Times Archives
A FIRE ENGINE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR
By David W. Dunlap
July 24, 1981
Why did the fireman wear a green T-shirt? Because that was the color of his new truck, a $96,000 American LaFrance fire engine called the Century New Yorker that made its first run with Engine Company 65 at 5:30 P.M. on Tuesday.
The first New York City fire vehicle not painted red, the engine is officially described as being ''national safety yellow'' but is more accurately called ''lime green'' by firefighters in the company at 33 West 43d Street.
The color was chosen, according to Fire Commissioner Charles J. Hynes, because the Federal Government ''said it has higher visibility.''
The vehicle, which can pump 1,000 gallons a minute, is the first of 11 green trucks that will be put in ''strategic locations'' throughout the city by next January, Mr. Hynes said.
Fire departments elsewhere in the country and in the New York area have the lime-green trucks in service already, said the engine company's captain, Robert Kearns, mentioning Long Island and New Jersey as examples. The additional 10 vehicles, also 1,000-gallon pumpers, are manufactured by Mack Trucks.
It seems already as if visibility will not be a problem. ''It is startling,'' the captain said. ''People have said, 'My God!' All the women said, 'Oh, beautiful!' Some people asked, 'What happen? They run out of red paint?' or 'Are you from out of town?' Even people in high-rise buildings look out their windows when we go by.''
Firemen in the company, who have already dubbed the pumper ''the Mean Green Machine,'' laughed as they recounted other reactions. ''We got two 'uglies' today,'' said one. Another reported that a bystander called it ''the most disgusting fire engine he'd ever seen.'' And a third man said that other companies had taken to calling the engine ''slime green.''
The location of the firehouse will further guarantee high visibility. The company's runs extend from the Hudson River to the East River, from 14th Street to Central Park. ''It's a tremendous tourist area,'' said Captain Kearns. ''You couldn't find a better location to be seen.''
While the color is the dominant topic, the captain said, the focus of the firefighters has been on the fact that they have a new truck to replace a 1971 vehicle that was always breaking down.
''Personally, I like the color,'' he said, ''but we really don't care what the color is. It's a new piece of equipment with a lot of improvements. The color is just icing on the cake.''
''We just don't want to be called 'yellow,' '' one firefighter declared.
Last edited:
BROOKLYN ENGINE COMPANY 208
ENGINE 208 BROOKLYN
ORGANIZED AS ENGINE 8, BROOKLYN FIRE DEPT ORG. 227 Front St. FQ Vol. (Sep. 15, 1869)
RELOC. (1871) NQTRS. 227 Front St. (1872)
CHANGE To Engine 8, FDNY (Jan. 28, 1898)
CHANGE To Engine 108 (Oct. 1, 1899)
CHANGE To Engine 208 (Jan. 1, 1913)
DISB. To Org. Engine 167 (Nov. 22, 1972)
Last edited:
