Ladder 102 firehouse - 850 Bedford Avenue Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Division 11, Battalion 57 "The Bedford Express"
Ladder 2 BFD organized 898 Bedford Avenue former volunteer firehouse 1869
Ladder 2 BFD new firehouse 894 Bedford Avenue 1892
Ladder 2 BFD becomes Ladder 2 FDNY 1898
Ladder 2 became Ladder 52 1899
Ladder 52 became Ladder 102 1913
Ladder 102 new firehouse 850 Bedford Avenue w/Engine 209 and Battalion 34 1966
District Engineer 4 BFD organized 160 Carlton Avenue at Engine 10 BFD 1869
District Engineer 4 BFD moved 159 Taffee Place at Engine 9 BFD 1895
District Engineer 4 BFD moved 894 Bedford Avenue at Ladder 2 BFD 1896
District Engineer 4 BFD became Battalion 4 FDNY 1898
Battalion 4 became Battalion 24 1898
Battalion 24 disbanded (became Battalion 34) 1906
District Engineer 14 BFD organized 1772 Pitkin Avenue former volunteer firehouse 1897
District Engineer 14 BFD became Battalion 14 FDNY 1898
Battalion 14 became Battalion 34 1898
Battalion 34 new firehouse 107 Pitkin Avenue w/Engine 131 1905
Battalion 34 became Battalion 44 1906
Battalion 34 reorganized 894 Bedford Avenue at Ladder 52 1906
Battalion 34 moved to 159 Taaffe Place at Engine 209 1946
Battalion 34 moved to 894 Bedford Avenue at Ladder 102 1950
Battalion 34 moved to new firehouse w/Engine 209 and Ladder 102 1966
Battalion 34 disbanded 1989
Engine 230 located 894 Bedford Avenue at Ladder 102 1946-1950
Notes:
- April 15, 1906 the 34th Battalion became the 44th Battalion at 107 Watkins Street Engine 131
- April 15, 1906 the 24th Battalion became the 34th Battalion at 894 Bedford Avenue Ladder 52
- May 25, 2003 Engine 209 disbanded
Pre-Brooklyn Fire Department:
Volunteer Empire Ladder 3 was organized in 1838. It was located at 898 Bedford Avenue and disbanded in 1869 when the City of Brooklyn organized Ladder 2 BFD.
898 Bedford Avenue former firehouse:
Brooklyn Fire Department:
HOOK AND LADDER COMPANY NO. 2 AND ITS GALLANT RESCUES.
Truck No. 2 was organized Sept. 15,1869. This company came into existence during the last days of the old volunteer service and the initial period of the present Paid Fire Department. John S. DOOLEY, now deceased, was the first Foreman. The old truck-house was located on Bedford Avenue, near Myrtle Avenue, only two doors from the present headquarters, to which the company moved in February of the present year, upon the completion of it's new building. The Foremen down to the present time have been John S. DOOLEY, George L. APPLEGATE, retired from the Department; Platt VAN COTT, the present Foreman of Engine Company No. 2 in South Brooklyn; David KIRKPATRICK, the present Foreman of Truck No. n ; Thomas BURNS, retired from the Department; and Michael FRIEL, the present Foreman.
The company has made an enviable record for itself by faithful attention to duty, having done splendid service at all the fires in the district since its organization. Among the noteworthy conflagrations at which the fire laddies of Truck No. 2 have done hard work are Havemeyer's sugar house fire in Jan., 1881, the burning of the oil works of Sone & Fleming, and the Orphan Asylum fire, in which one of the sisters and several of the children were burned to death.
Many gallant rescues have been made by the members of this company. At a fire in Myrtle Avenue, near Spencer Street, in 1871, four persons were taken out of the flames by Foreman Michael FRIEL and others of this company. The fire started in a scenery painting shop on the ground floor, and before the firemen could get the water turned on the whole building was in flames. A Mrs. ANDERSON and her little son and daughter were found unconscious on the top floor, and rescued by the firemen at a great risk to their own lives. An adjoining house caught fire and began to blaze. The occupants came running down to the street, when one of the men said that there was a sick boy in the house. Fireman FRIEL made an effort to get the boy out, wrapping a blanket about him and starting for the stairs. The fire which was coming in from the adjoining building cut off all escape in that way, and it was only by the hardest exertions of Truck No. 2, that the rescuer and rescued were saved from the flames. The gallant fireman's face and neck were terribly burned and for several weeks it was feared that he would die. After he recovered it was learned that the little boy he rescued was suffering from the small-pox.
At a fire Oct. 8, 1883, at No. 694 Atlantic Avenue, a Mr. Curry was rescued from the flames by Foreman Platt VAN COTT. On Nov. 24, 1883 Fireman FRIEL was detailed to the Grand Opera House for duty. A fire broke out in the property-room, endangering the lives of 1,600 spectators. After a hard battle the fireman managed to extinguish the flames and for his heroic conduct was given a splendid gold badge. At a fire on DeKalb Avenue in Feb. 1887, a man and wife were rescued from an upper story of a burning tenement house. The scene at the time of the rescue was a thrilling one. The firemen of Truck No. 2 quickly arranged scaling ladders and took the people from the windows of the upper story with the flames bursting out of the burning building above and below them. Two members of Truck No. 2 distinguished themselves at a big flat-house fire on Franklin Avenue, near Myrtle Avenue, in the fall of 1889. The flames broke out in the dry goods store on the ground floor, and shut off all chance of escape by the stairway. Firemen ROACH and FRIEL made an entrance by an upper window and took out a Mrs. WOODS, who was lying unconscious in the middle of her room. The woman's mother was caught in the flames and burned to death.
The new house of Truck No. 2 is one of the finest belonging to the Fire Department of Brooklyn. It is a handsome two-story brick structure, twenty-two feet front and extending back ninety-two feet, with a six-foot yard in the rear. It is fitted with every modern appliance for fire-fighting, and with every convenience that the members of the company could desire. In equipment it is one of the finest truck-houses in the country. The inside walls on the lower floor are of Peerless white brick, giving a very neat appearance to the room. The floor is of concrete. One of the improvements made in the new building was in providing separate rooms for the Foreman and Assistant Foreman, instead of berthing them with the firemen in the main room.
They have a Hayes patent extension-ladder seventy-two feet in length, the intersection being 40 feet and the inner section 32 feet. They can also make so-foot extension-ladders, and have others of 30, 22, 18, 16 and 12 feet. The two horses, "Dan " and " Pete," are splendid animals and are great favorites with the men. Housed so handsomely, with every convenience for living in the house and every facility for their work, the members of the company appreciate the fact that their surroundings go as far as possible to perfect their efficiency, and give them a standard
to " live up to."
Foreman MICHAEL FRIEL was born in Brooklyn, March 8, 1847. He was appointed Oct. n, 1871, and assigned to Truck No. 2 for duty. Nearly all of his service has been with this company, although he was for a time Foreman of Engine No 17. He was made a driver in 1876, and ten years later, on Aug. 6, 1886, was promoted to the grade of Foreman. He served during the war in
both the volunteer army and navy.
CHARLES H. BIXBY, the Assistant Foreman, is also a Brooklyn man, born in the Fifteenth Ward, Aug. 27, 1854. Appointed to the service Feb. 7, 1879, he was detailed to duty with Engine No. 17, and later came to Truck No. 2. He was promoted to be Assistant Foreman March 1, 1887.
CHARLES T. WIEGAND is one of the two oldest members of the company, having been appointed Sept. 15, 1869. He has been a member of the company ever since its organization. WIEGAND was born in New York City, Oct. 12, 1834. During all his years of service his record has been good and never has he had to appear before the Commissioners to answer to charges of any kind.
HUGH REYNOLDS, the driver, was born in Ireland, March 14, 1845. He entered the service March 3, i88o, and has spent nearly twelve years with Truck No2.
DANIEL FRIEL was appointed Feb. 7, 1876, and re-appointed Jan. 1, 1883, and has served sixteen years in this company. He was born in New City in 1846, and has been in both the army and navy.
MICHAEL ROACH has been a fireman and popular member of Truck No. 2 for five years. He was born in Ireland, June 24, 1853, and was appointed January 24, 1887 after having passed with a high percentage the civil service examination. He was assigned to the company he has since been on duty with and has proven himself a valuable and efficient member of the Department. One daring rescue made by Fireman ROACH at great risk to his own life is told of yet by members of the company. It was a stormy night in the fall of 1889, when Truck No. 2 was called out to a big flat-house fire on Franklin Avenue, near Myrtle. The engines soon had several streams of water on the flames, but it was evident that the buildings could not be saved. The fire had started on the ground floor and the flames were spreading through all parts of the building, breaking out from the windows and through the floors. The firemen had got their extension-ladder to an upper window and the Foreman called for two men to attempt the rescue of the people on the upper story of the building. Firemen ROACH and a companion responded, and without a word about the risk they were running mounted to the burning upper story. In the middle room they found an unconscious woman partially suffocated by smoke. They attempted to make an exit by the stairs but the
flames cut off all escape in that way. Blinded and almost suffocated themselves, they made their way to the roof, from which all three were lowered to the ground. They had hardly escaped before the floors of the building caved in and the side walls toppled into the ruins. The woman rescued was a Mrs. Woods, and her mother who had been in the adjoining room was burned to death before the firemen could reach her.
RICHARD C. LAMB is one of the oldest members of Truck No. 2 and but few men in the Brooklyn Department are senior to him in the number of years of service or age. Since Sept. 15, 1869, he has been working as a Brooklyn fireman, and when the old Volunteer Department went out of existence he became a paid fireman in the new Department. He has made a splendid record as a faithful fireman and this is shown by the fact that for over twenty-three years LAMB has remained a member of Truck No. 2 without a single charge being made against him. He was born in Vermont on March 8, 1834. He is a navy veteran and served under Commodore UPSHUR in the Atlantic blockading squadron. As a fire-fighter he has made a record and at every big conflagration Brooklyn has suffered during the past quarter of a century he has been present and worked hard to save life and property. LAMB became disabled several years ago at a fire and for some time his life hung in the balance. When he recovered from the effects of his injuries he was detailed by the Commissioner to special duty in the Telegraph Bureau of the Department. He has become an expert electrician during his service on this work.
JOHN FITZSIMONS has made a record as a life-saver and a brave fireman during his seven years' service in the Fire Department of Brooklyn. He was born in East Brooklyn. Sept. 29, 1849, and received a good education in the public schools of this city. During his early manhood days he was employed in a large mercantile house in New York, but on April 1, 1885, he passed the necessary examination and was appointed a fireman and assigned to Engine Company No. 14, at Herkimer Street, near New York Avenue. His transfer to Truck No. 2 occurred after three years of service. As fireman of Truck No. 2 FITZSIMONS has assisted in the rescue of over ten people. His calm self-possession in the time of danger has made him one of the admired brave firemen of the company. At the large fire which occurred in the fall of 1890 in an apartment house on Myrtle Avenue he aided two of his companions in the rescue of two people.
JAMES H. FLYNN, JR., the most recently appointed member of the company, was born in Brooklyn, July 28, 1869, and became a fireman on July 1, 1892.
894 Bedford Avenue former firehouse: