FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section

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fdhistorian said:
The southern reaches of Brooklyn are in the 43rd Battalion.  The well known Coney Island (which is no longer an island but a peninsula, since the Coney Island Creek was filled in about 100 years ago) contains the communities of Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Manhattan Beach and Seagate.  The battalion originated as the 13th District of the Brooklyn Fire Department, becoming the original 33rd Battalion of the FDNY upon consolidation.  In 1906, it was renumbered as the 43rd Battalion.  In 1930, a reorganized 33rd Battalion was formed adjacent to the 43rd Battalion and absorbed Engines 254, 276, Ladders 153 and 156.  Coney Island had its own high pressure hydrant system with one pump station, six miles of large diameter water mains, 150 hydrants and 28 telephone boxes connected directly to the fire stations.

Brooklyn Fire Department

District Engineer 13 Organized   2919 W 8th St, Brooklyn         1895 with Brooklyn FD Engine 45
District Engineer 13 Annexed     as Battalion 13 FDNY Brooklyn 1898

FDNY Brooklyn

Battalion 13           Organized   2919 W 8th St, Brooklyn         1898 with Engine 45 FDNY Brooklyn, from Brooklyn FD District Engineer 13
Battalion 13           Renumbered as Battalion 33                     1898

Battalion 33 original

Battalion 33           Organized   2919 W 8th St, Brooklyn       1898 with Engine 45 Brooklyn, from Battalion 13 FDNY Brooklyn
Battalion 33           New Station 2929 W 8th St, Brooklyn       1904 with Engine 145  Brooklyn
Battalion 33           Renumbered as Battalion 43                     1906

Battalion 43

Battalion 43           Organized   2929 W 8th St, Brooklyn       1906 with Engine 145  Brooklyn, from Battalion 33
Battalion 43           Relocated     2732 E 11th St, Brooklyn     1968 with Engine 246
Battalion 43           New Station 2929 W 8th St, Brooklyn     1971 with Engine 245

Companies in Battalion 43

Brooklyn FD

1895 - 1898 District Engineer 13 E44   E45   E46     E54                             L16   L17

FDNY Battalion 33 original

1898 - 1900 Battalion 33           E44   E45   E46     E54
1900 - 1904 Battalion 33           E144c E145 E146c   E154
1904 - 1906 Battalion 33           E144c E145 E145-2 E146c E146-2 E154
Renumbered as Battalion 43

Battalion 43

1906 - 1913 Battalion 43           E144c E145 E145-2 E146c E146-2 E154
1911 - 1913 Battalion 43           E144c E145 E145-2 E146c E146-2 E154 E176c
1913 - 1925 Battalion 43           E244c E245 E245-2 E246c E246-2 E254 E276c
1925 - 1927 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E245-2 E246   E246-2 E254 E276 L153
1927 - 1928 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E245-2 E246   E246-2 E254 E276 L153 L156 L161
1928 - 1929 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E245-2 E246   E246-2 E254 E276 L153 L156 L161 L169
1929 - 1939 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E245-2 E254   E318                   L153 L161 L166
1939 - 1951 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E254   E318   E326                   L153 L161 L166
1951 - 1952 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E253   E254   E318     E326       L153 L161 L166
1952 - 1955 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E253   E254   E318                   L153 L161 L166
1955 - 1955 Battalion 43           E244 E245 (E245-2) E253 E254     E318       L153 L161 L166
1955 - 1965 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E253   E254   E318                   L153 L161 L166
1965 - 1968 Battalion 43           E244 E245 E246   E253   E318                   L161 L166 L169
1968 -       Battalion 43           E245 E246 E253   E318                           L161 L166 L169

c = combination company

 
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Among the smallest in area, Battalion 1 is also one of the most geographically isolated battalions. Home of one of the world's most significant financial centers (New York Stock Exchange, the World Trade Center, international banking institutions) and numerous government buildings, it is accessible by only one bridge, one tunnel, and a few arterial streets from the north, all of which become congested in normal daily traffic conditions. Battalion 1 is also responsible for Governors Island, which is accessible only by ferry. Immediate first alarm support is more easily provided from Brooklyn companies.

Battalion 1 Organized New St, Manhattan 1869
Battalion 1 Relocated 39 Liberty St, Manhattan 1870 with Engine 4
Battalion 1 Relocated 193 Fulton St, Manhattan 1874 with Engine 29
Battalion 1 Relocated 113 Liberty St, Manhattan 1907 with Engine 6
Battalion 1 Relocated 160 Chambers St, Manhattan 1912 with Engine 29
Battalion 1 Relocated 191 Fulton St, Manhattan 1915 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 New Station 73 Water St, Manhattan 1931 with Engine 10
Battalion 1 Temporary 113 Liberty St, Manhattan 1936 with Engine 6
Battalion 1 Relocated 191 Fulton St, Manhattan 1937 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 Temporary 113 Liberty St, Manhattan 1948 with Engine 6
Battalion 1 Relocated 193 Fulton St, Manhattan 1949 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 Temporary 117 Liberty St, Manhattan 1968 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 Relocated 73 Water St, Manhattan 1970 with Ladder 15
Battalion 1 Relocated 100 Duane St, Manhattan 1974 with Engine 7
 
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fdhistorian said:
Among the smallest in area, Battalion 1 is also one of the most geographically isolated battalions. Home of one of the world's most significant financial centers (New York Stock Exchange, the World Trade Center, international banking institutions) and numerous government buildings, it is accessible by only one bridge, one tunnel, and a few arterial streets from the north, all of which become congested in normal daily traffic conditions. Battalion 1 is also responsible for Governors Island, which is accessible only by ferry. Immediate first alarm support is more easily provided from Brooklyn companies.

Battalion 1 Organized New St, Manhattan 1869
Battalion 1 Relocated 39 Liberty St, Manhattan 1870 with Engine 4
Battalion 1 Relocated 193 Fulton St, Manhattan 1874 with Engine 29
Battalion 1 Relocated 113 Liberty St, Manhattan 1907 with Engine 6
Battalion 1 Relocated 160 Chambers St, Manhattan 1912 with Engine 29
Battalion 1 Relocated 191 Fulton St, Manhattan 1915 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 New Station 73 Water St, Manhattan 1931 with Engine 10
Battalion 1 Temporary 113 Liberty St, Manhattan 1936 with Engine 6
Battalion 1 Relocated 191 Fulton St, Manhattan 1937 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 Temporary 113 Liberty St, Manhattan 1948 with Engine 6
Battalion 1 Relocated 193 Fulton St, Manhattan 1949 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 Temporary 117 Liberty St, Manhattan 1968 with Ladder 10
Battalion 1 Relocated 73 Water St, Manhattan 1970 with Ladder 15
Battalion 1 Relocated 100 Duane St, Manhattan 1974 with Engine 7

Companies in Battalion 1

1869 - 1882 Battalion 1 E4 E6 E10 E29 L10
1879 - 1882 Battalion 1 E4 E6 E10 E29 E43 L10
1882 - 1891 Battalion 1 E4 E6 E10 E29 L10 L15
1891 - 1906 Battalion 1 E4 E6 E10 E29 E57 L10 L15
1906 - 1915 Battalion 1 E4 E6 E10 E29 L10 L15
1915 - 1947 Battalion 1 E4 E6 E10 E32 L10 L15
1947 - 1948 Battalion 1 E6 E10 E32 L10 L15
1948 - 1950 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 E32 L1 L10 L15
1951 - 1956 Battalion 1 E6 E10 E32 L10 L15
1956 - 1961 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 E32 L1 L10 L15
1961 - 1964 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 E32 L1 L10 L15 Marine 1
1964 - 1972 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 E32 L1 L10 L15
1972 - 1974 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 L1 L10 L15
1974 - 1975 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 E27 L1 L8 L10 L15
1975 - 1984 Battalion 1 E6 E7 E10 L1 L15
1984 - Battalion 1 E4 E6 E7 E10 L1 L10 L15
 
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mack

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Squad 41 (formerly Engine 41)  Firehouse  330 E 150 Street  Melrose, Bronx  Special Operations Command  "The Best of Both Worlds"

    Engine 41 organized 2801 3rd Avenue former firehouse volunteer Jackson Engine 4  1874
    Engine 41 new firehouse 330 E 150th Street                                                          1904
    Engine 41 disbanded                                                                                            1989
    Engine 41 reorganized as Enhanced Engine Company 330 E 150th Street                1990
    Engine 41 became Squad 41                                                                                1998

    Engine 41-2 organized 330 E 150th Street at Engine 41                                          1957
    Engine 41-2 disbanded                                                                                        1958
    Engine 41-2 reorganized 330 E 150th Street at Engine 41                                      1968
    Engine 41-2 disbanded                                                                                        1974

    Battalion 10 organized 2801 3rd Avenue at w/Engine 41                                        1874
    Battalion 10 new firehouse 491 E 166 Street w/Ladder 18                                      1882
 
    Squad 5 moved to 330 E 150th Street at Engine 41                                                1974
    Squad 5 disbanded                                                                                              1975
    Squad 5 reorganized 330 E 150th Street at Engine 41                                            1975
    Squad 5 disbanded                                                                                              1976

    Hazardous Material Technical Unit Bronx organized 330 E 150th Street at Squad 41  1998


Pre-FDNY: 

    The Morrisania Fire Department provided fire protection from 1856 to 1874 with 6 volunteer engine companies, 2 volunteer hose companies and 4 volunteer hook and ladder companies.  Jackson Engine 4 was located at 2801 3rd Avenue.  Engine 41 FDNY was organized in Jackson Engine 4's former firehouse.

2801 3rd Avenue former firehouse Jackson Engine 4:

   


1900 Bronx map:

    http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~30317~1140838:Map-of-the-borough-of-the-Bronx---C


History of Engine 41/Squad 41:

    Squad Company 41 was organized as an Engine Company on January 1, 1874. Their first firehouse, located at 2801 Third Avenue in the Bronx, was the former volunteer house of Jackson Engine Company 4. The history of Engine 41 is extensive and at one point, in 1989 the company was disbanded. On April 4, 1904, they moved into their current firehouse at 330 East 150 Street.
    During the 1960?s through the 1970?s the South Bronx as well as other New York City neighborhoods were going through a conflagration. Working fires were being fought in record numbers and South Bronx fire companies were going to work in amazing proportions. In 1968, the busiest engine and ladder companies were assigned a second piece of apparatus to ?relieve? the work of the first piece.
    During this time, Engine Company 41 received a second piece. This second section used the apparatus and manpower of disbanded Manhattan Engine Co. 72 (now a Bronx engine). This second section was used from 1957-1958 and again in 1968 to 1974. The company was designated as Engine Company 41-2. In 1974, the F.D.N.Y. was responding to 353,458 alarms. Working fires were at 130,324, with 52,473 structural fires. Engine Company 41?s second piece was disbanded and was reorganized to be Squad Company 5. Squad Company 5 was disbanded in 1976. In 1981, the F.D.N.Y. began to experiment with a different color rig, lime-yellow and in 1982 Engine 41 received one of these pumpers.
    On May 3, 1989, Engine Company 41 (now only one piece) was disbanded. Because the City needed to cut back on expenses, fire companies were then disbanded and Engine 41 was one of them. Engine 41 has played a vital role in the South Bronx as a fire fighting company. Due to a rise in fire fatalities in the area and protests by the residents of the area, Engine 41 was re-organized and placed back into service on July 1, 1990.
    On July 1, 1990, a new chapter in the history of Engine Company 41 began. The company was reinstated but this time, Engine 41 would have a new responsibility. Engine 41 was designated Engine/ Squad 41 dubbed an ?enhanced engine company?. Engine/ Squad 41 would not only respond to they?re first, second, and third due alarm boxes, but would perform squad company work at working fires outside of those areas. They were now responding as a squad company to working fires in Bronx Battalions 3, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 26, and to Manhattan?s Battalions 12 and 13.
    As a Squad Company, members are trained in both engine and truck work. Upon their arrival at a job, the incident commander would utilize them to his desire. The company rides with an officer and five firefighters. As an engine, the riding positions are: The engine company chauffeur (Motor Pump Operator), the Officer, Nozzle, Back-up, Door, and the Control position. The Squad Company the positions are as follows: chauffeur, Officer, Irons, Hook, Saw, and Roof position. The Officer, Hook, and Irons are the inside team, and the Saw, Roof, and Chauffeur are the outside team.
    Members of a squad company are not normally assigned. Like a Rescue Company, firefighters or officers wanting to be a member of a squad, would request an interview with the Squad Company Captain. Experience in a busy company as well as other trades e.g.: carpentry, iron or steel work, construction are very beneficial and would improve your chances of getting onto this specialized unit.
    In 1998, The F.D.N.Y. made several changes. Due to the increased awareness in Hazardous Materials, six engine companies were designated as squad companies. Engines 18, 61, 252, 270, and 288 were designated squads. Squad Company 1 in Brooklyn remained Squad 1. The establishment of the squads on F.D.N.Y. Department Order 68 states 'The Squads are equipped with ladder company tools and are trained and equipped to operate as a ladder or engine company. They will continue to respond to their assigned first-alarm boxes.' Effective August 1, 1998, Squad members will be Haz-Mat Technician Units equipped with a second apparatus and equipment for responses to haz-mat incidents. On July 2, 1998 Engine/ Squad 41 was officially designated Squad Company 41. Also in 1998, Squad Company 41 received they?re new rig. They respond in a custom-built apparatus known as a rescue-pumper. The pumper has a 1000gpm capability with a 500 gallon booster tank.
    With two Squad Companies now in The Bronx, Squad 41 has a new response area for working fires. Squad 41 would now respond to working fires in Bronx Battalions 3, 17, 19, 26, and in Manhattan above 90th Street on the East Side and 100th Street on the West Side covering Battalions 11, 12, 13, and 16. Squad 41 is located in Battalion 14?s district and responds to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd due boxes in these areas.
 

mack

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Squad 41 (cont)

2801 3rd Avenue former firehouse:

   


330 E 150th Street firehouse:

   

   

   

     

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
 

mack

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Squad 41 (cont):

E-41-fh-6.jpg

NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission - June 12, 2012

FIREHOUSE, ENGINE COMPANY 41 (now ENGINE COMPANY/SQUAD 41)

330 East 150th Street, Bronx
Built: 1902-03
Architect: Alexander Stevens
Landmark Site: Borough of the Bronx

On May 15, 2012, the Landmarks Preservation Commission held a public hearing on the proposed designation as a Landmark of the Firehouse, Engine Company 41 (now Engine Company/Squad 41) and the proposed designation of the related Landmark Site. The hearing had been duly advertised in accordance with the provisions of law. There were two speakers in favor of designation including the representatives of the Historic District Council and the Victorian Society in America. There were no speakers in opposition. The Fire Department sent correspondence indicating their support for designation.

SUMMARY:

The Firehouse for Engine Company 41, built 1902-03, was one of the first firehouses constructed in the Bronx after the Consolidation of the City of New York in 1898. Engine Company 41 was first established as a paid, professional company in 1874, just after the annexation of the Bronx to Manhattan. Their original building was located on Third Street in the populous Mott Haven section, in the building that had previously been used by the local volunteer company. With the tremendous population growth of the period and expansion of fire services after Consolidation, Engine Company 41 moved a few blocks north to South Melrose, to a new building that was one of the many new structures erected by the city to provide more government services to these new sections of the city. This building was designed by the Superintendent of Buildings for the Fire Department, Alexander Stevens, and is one of seven firehouses for which he is credited. All of Steven?s designs were in the Renaissance Revival style, a restrained classically-inspired style appropriate to the growing city and the popular ideas of the City Beautiful movement of the early 20th century. This building exhibits an imposing facade of ashlar limestone and brick, with round arches, keystones, moldings, colonnettes and a prominent eagle to reinforce its association with the American government.
Standing out from the industrial and residential buildings on this block, this firehouse represented the government and its protective services to the many new immigrants moving into this area at the turn of the century, and continued to do so through the difficult years of the 1960s and 70s. The engine company has expanded its services to become a Squad Company, and continues to use this building today.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS

Firefighting in New York

From the earliest colonial period, the government of New York took the possibility of fire very seriously. Under Dutch rule all men were expected to participate in firefighting activities. After the English took over, the Common Council organized a force of thirty volunteer firefighters in 1737. They operated two Newsham hand pumpers that had recently been imported from London. By 1798, the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), under the supervision of a chief engineer and six subordinates was officially established by an act of the state legislature.
As the city grew, this force was augmented by new volunteer companies. In spite of growing numbers of firefighters and improvements in hoses and water supplies, fire was a significant threat in an increasingly densely built up city. Of particular significance was the ?Great Fire? of December 16-17, 1835, which caused more damage to property than any other event in New York City. The damages resulting from several major fires, which occurred between 1800 and 1850, led to the establishment of a building code, and an increase in the number of firemen from 600 in 1800 to more than 4,000 in 1865. Despite rapid growth, the department was often criticized for poor performance.2 Intense competition between companies began to hinder firefighting with frequent brawls and acts of sabotage, often at the scenes of fires. During the Civil War, when fire personnel became harder to retain, public support grew for the creation of a professional firefighting force, similar to that which had been established in other cities and to the professional police force that had been created in New York in 1845.
In May 1865, the New York State Legislature established the Metropolitan Fire District, comprising the cities of New York (south of 86th Street) and Brooklyn. The act abolished the volunteer system and created the Metropolitan Fire Department, a paid professional force under the jurisdiction of the state government. By the end of the year, the city?s 124 volunteer companies with more than 4,000 men had retired or disbanded, to be replaced by 33 engine companies and 12 ladder companies operated by a force of 500 men. Immediate improvements included the use of more steam engines, horses and a somewhat reliable telegraph system. A military model was adopted for the firefighters, which involved the use of specialization, discipline, and merit. By 1870, regular service was extended to the ?suburban districts? north of 86th Street and expanded still farther north after the annexation of parts of the Bronx in 1874.
New techniques and equipment, including taller ladders and stronger steam engines, increased the department?s efficiency, as did the establishment, in 1883, of a training academy for personnel. The growth of the city during this period placed severe demands on the fire department to provide services, and in response the department undertook an ambitious building
campaign. The area served by the FDNY nearly doubled after consolidation in 1898, when the departments in Brooklyn and numerous communities in Queens and Staten Island were
incorporated into the city. After the turn of the century, the Fire Department acquired more modern apparatus and motorized vehicles, reflecting the need for faster response to fires in taller buildings. Throughout the twentieth century, the department has endeavored to keep up with the evolving city and its firefighting needs.

FIREHOUSE DESIGN

By the early twentieth century, the firehouse as a building type had evolved from the wooden storage shed used during the seventeenth century to an imposing architectural expression
of civic character. As early as 1853, Marriott Field had argued in his City Architecture: Designs for Dwelling Houses, Stores, Hotels, etc. for symbolic architectural expression in municipal
buildings, including firehouses. The 1854 Fireman?s Hall, with its highly symbolic ornamentation reflected this approach, using flambeaux, hooks, ladders, and trumpets for its ornament.
Between 1880 and 1895, Napoleon LeBrun & Son served as the official architectural firm for the fire department, designing 42 firehouses in a massive effort to modernize the facilities and to accommodate the growing population of the city. Although the firm?s earliest designs were relatively simple, later buildings were more distinguished and more clearly identifiable as firehouses.
While the basic function and requirements of the firehouse were established early in its history, LeBrun is credited with standardizing the program, and introducing some minor, but important, innovations in the plan. Placing the horse stalls in the main part of the ground floor to reduce the time needed for hitching horses to the apparatus was one such innovation.
Firehouses were usually located on mid-block sites because these were less expensive than more prominent corner sites. Since the sites were narrow, firehouses tended to be three stories tall, with the apparatus on the ground story and rooms for the company, including dormitory, kitchen and captain?s office, above. After 1895, the department commissioned a number of well-known architects to design firehouses. Influenced by the classical revival which was highly popular throughout the country, New York firms such as Hoppin & Koen, Flagg & Chambers, and Horgan & Slatterly created facades with bold, classical style designs. After the turn of the 20th century, the Fire Department also used its own employees to design a series of buildings, all executed in a formal neo-classical style consistent with the ideas promoted by the City Beautiful movement. Government buildings were placed in neighborhoods throughout the city, with the intention of inspiring civic pride in the work of the government and the country as a whole. Buildings such as these fire houses are easily recognizable and announce themselves as distinct from private structures, using quality materials, workmanship and details to create buildings of lasting beauty and significance to their localities. Growth of The Bronx The area where Engine Company 41 is located, in the southwestern part of the Bronx, is called South Melrose. It was originally part of the extensive holdings purchased in 1670 by the Welsh-born Richard Morris (died 1672) and inherited in 1692 by his son Lewis Morris, later an Acting Governor of New York and Governor of New Jersey. Their large estate, known as ?Morrisania,? was part of Westchester County during the late eighteenth and most of the nineteenth centuries. In 1828, Jordan L. Mott, inventor of the coal-burning stove, bought a large tract of land in the southwestern part of Morrisania and established the Mott Haven Iron Works on the Harlem River at Third Avenue and 134th Street. The area around this business was developed with houses for Mott and his workers and became known as Mott Haven. The neighborhood of Melrose is located just to the north of Mott Haven. The development of this entire section was due to the expansion of the iron works and the advent of other industrial enterprises attracted by the Mott Haven Canal, which led from the Harlem River north to 138th Street. The New York & Harlem Railroad, incorporated in 1831, expanded over the Harlem River in 1840, bringing goods and people to the community.

Soon Morris began to develop the rest of his property and, in 1850, worked with surveyor Andrew Findley to lay out the villages of Woodstock, Melrose, and Melrose East and Melrose
South. By 1868 there were 488 citizens living in Melrose South, primarily Germans who came from the crowded area of Kleinedeutschland on Manhattan?s Lower East Side. Beginning in the 1860s, streets were laid out and land speculation began in earnest, aided by the railroads and streetcars that began to serve the area.In 1874, the townships of Morrisania, West Farms and Kingsbridge split from Westchester County and became the 23rd and 24th wards of the City of New York. This area of the Bronx became known as the Annexed District. Beginning in the early 1880s, booster organizations such as the North Side Association advocated for infrastructure improvements such as street paving and new sewers. The elevated railroad opened a line along Third Avenue in1888, opening the area to the process of urbanization, which increased substantially with the arrival of the subway in 1904.By 1897, just a decade after the el began operation, the once vacant blocks east of Third Avenue were almost completely built over with solid brick buildings. This area held a mixture of building types: single-family town houses built in the late 1880s; multi-story apartment houses, built with increasing frequency in the 1890s; and various industrial and manufacturing establishments along the neighborhood?s southern fringe. Encouraged by all this growth, grocery stores, restaurants, vegetable and fruit markets, tailors and hardware stores were established. By the turn of the 20th century, the commercial heart of Melrose was centered on the intersection of East 149th Street, Melrose, Willis and Third Avenues, known as the Hub. It is the oldest major shopping district in the Bronx, patronized by residents of all areas of the Bronx, and its offerings grew to include department stores, boutiques, movie palaces and vaudeville theaters.
The population of the Bronx grew rapidly. In 1890, there were 89,000 people living in the area of the Bronx known as the North Side; ten years later it had more than doubled to over
200,000. By 1915, this number had increased threefold, to 616,000. As the population and number of new buildings increased, protection from the ever present danger of fire became
increasingly important. The firehouse for Engine Company/Squad 41 was built on East 150th Street as part of the effort to protect the expanding numbers of houses and tenements in this area of South Melrose.

FIREHOUSE ENGINE COMPANY 41

Engine Company 41 was one of the first organized as a professional company in the Bronx, just after its annexation in 1874. Its organizing date is January 1, 1874 and it was located at 501 (later renumbered as 2801) North Third Street, the former home of the volunteer Jackson Engine Company 4. This building was located within the populous neighborhood of Mott Haven. After Consolidation of the City of New York in 1898, the fire department set about creating and upgrading their facilities in the large areas now under their control. Substantial bond issues were released to enable the department to purchase many new lots for this construction. The land for a new house for Engine Company/Squad 41 was purchased as part of such a bond issue in 1902. It was located somewhat north of the original house, on East 150th Street, in the expanding Melrose section. Although many of the new buildings from this period were designed by contract with different architectural firms, the design for this house was created by the Superintendent of Buildings of the Fire Department, in order to save time and money. A New Building permit was issued in June, 1902. Construction began in February, 1903 and was completed by the following December. Construction work was performed by the firm of Fanning & Reilly and the building cost $32,800.00.
Engine Company 41 has remained at this address since that time, although various organizational changes have occurred. The company was extremely busy during the period of the 1960s and 70s when fires were started in record numbers in the South Bronx. They received a second piece of equipment to help with this heavy load and the second section was designated as Engine Company 41-2, which continued (later as Squad Company 5) until it was disbanded in 1976. In an effort to economize, Engine Company 41 was disbanded in May 1989, but a rise in fire fatalities in the area and protests by residents resulted in the company being reorganized and put back into service on July 1, 1990. In 1990, the Company was designated Engine Company/Squad 41, an ?enhanced engine company.? This appellation indicated increased responsibility to respond to more and higher levels of alarms and to perform squad company work outside of their regular area. Squads have more highly trained and differentiated personnel and can also respond to Haz-Mat situations.
Engine/Squad 41 is one of two squad companies now working in the Bronx. This company responded to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and consequently lost six men on that day.

ALEXANDER STEVENS

Alexander Stevens graduated as a civil engineer from Columbia College in 1887. A resident of New York City, he was first employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. In 1897 he was appointed as Superintendent of Buildings for the Fire Department. In this capacity he probably oversaw the renovation of existing firehouses, assembled the specifications for the commissions that the Fire Department awarded independent architects, and supervised the construction of new buildings for the department. In the Superintendent?s Report of the Fire Department Annual Report for 1902, Stevens remarks that his department is capable of designing new firehouses as well as outside architects and thus can save funds for the department. In his designs, Stevens follows the established pattern of three-story, three-bay wide firehouses with classical ornament established by Napoleon LeBrun and others who had designed many New York firehouses. Stevens is credited with designing seven firehouses in the city between 1903 and 1906 while he served in this position. The building for Hook & Ladder Company 8 stands in the Tribeca West Historic District (10 North Moore Street, 1903). Engine Company 23, 215 West 58th Street is a designated New York City Landmark. All of his designs use similar neo-Renaissance motifs such as a dominant central bay with round-arched openings embellished with colonnettes, moldings and keystones.

DESCRIPTION

Three story, three bay firehouse faced in ashlar limestone on 1st story and most of 2nd story with brick above. A stepped, granite base sits below the limestone.
Historic: Symmetrical arrangement with large central, round-arched opening for fire truck flanked by pedestrian opening and window, both with triangular pediments; ?Engine 41? over
opening; tympanum filled with shield and swags, topped by elaborate keystone and anthemion; stone frieze; colonnettes, eagle, friezes and medallions ornament 2nd story windows; stone
commemorative plaque in center bay of 2nd story; third story has three windows with continuous stone sill supported by brackets, round-arched windows with stone colonnettes, moldings and elongated, ornamented keystones.
Alterations: Pedestrian and vehicular doors replaced; 1st story window replaced by wood with wood enframement; original iron cornice covered by sheet metal; spotlights, flagpole added.
Site: Both side facades are plain, painted brick. The firehouse sits at the lot line on East 150th Street and fills its entire lot.

FINDINGS AND DESIGNATION

On the basis of a careful consideration of the history, the architecture, and other features of this building, the Landmarks Preservation Commission finds that Firehouse, Engine Company/Squad 41 has a special character and a special historical and aesthetic interest and allure as part of the development, heritage, and cultural characteristics of New York City. The Commission further finds that this firehouse for Engine Company/Squad 41, constructed 1902-03, was one of the first firehouses constructed in the Bronx after the Consolidation of the City of New York in 1898; that this company was one of the first organized as a professional company immediately following the annexation of the Bronx in 1874, in their first home located in Mott Haven; that after Consolidation, as the Bronx was growing rapidly, this was one of the numerous new buildings the Fire Department constructed to serve the areas newly under its jurisdiction, such as this area slightly farther north, called South Melrose; that the building for Engine Company/Squad 41 was one of seven firehouses designed by the Superintendent of Buildings for the Fire Department, Alexander Stevens; that Stephens, who oversaw the construction of numerous firehouses designed by outside architectural firms, based his designs on other firehouses being built at the time; that this building has a three-story, three-bay wide, symmetrical facade with an ashlar limestone base and brick above; that its strong, round-arched openings with moldings and keystones, its classical ornamental vocabulary such as engaged colonnettes and modillioned cornice, as well as its solid construction are typical of government buildings built during the heyday of the City Beautiful movement at the turn of the 20th century; that this building has remained in use for its original purpose and continues to serve as the home of Engine Company/Squad 41, and serves as a reminder of the period of growth and promise in the years after the consolidation of New York City.


S-41-fh-7.jpg
 
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mack

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Squad 41 (cont)

Engine 41:

E_41.jpg

E-41-3.jpg

16486870_1352671631451695_5924331649716801643_o.jpg

TThur-2.jpg

TThur-5.jpg

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E-41-ap-40.jpg

engine_41.jpg

Fdny-Engine-41-Bronx-Helmet-Shield-Front-Piece.jpg


Engine 41-2:

E-41-2.jpg


Engine 41:

November 29, 1969 - 3rd alarm fire at East 149th Street and Third Avenue in the Bronx (FD Box 33-2226).

TThur-1.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fdnyhome/albums/72157690281794655/with/38694855122/


Engine 41 Runs & Workers 1954-1997:

Year Engine Runs Workers OSW
1954 41 1347
1961 41 1661
1969 41 5884
1970 41 6818 1939
1971 41 6808
1975 41 5148 3819
1976 41 6257 4720
1977 41 6009 4995
1978 41 5259 4327
1979 41 3210 2204
1980 41 4142 3026
1981 41 3631 2485
1982 41 3225 2193
1983 41 2916 1983 302
1984 41 3258 2076
1985 41 3343 2217 250
1986 41 3260 2178 278
1987 41 3418 2180 282
1988 41 3456 2224 250
1989 disbanded
1990 41 2009 1095 292 (6 month total only - became Enhanced Engine 41 July 1)
1991 41 4152 2177 521
1992 41 4301 2393 566
1993 41 4194 2267 580
1994 41 3872 1814 469
1995 41 3449 1701 404
1996 41 3262 1881 402
1997 41 3629 1997 444
1998 became Squad 41


Engine 41-2 Runs & Workers 1969-1971:

Year Engine Runs
1969 41-2 5477
1970 41-2 6497
1971 41-2 6692

Squad 5:

S-5-3.jpg

S-5.jpg


Squad 5 Runs/Workers:

Year Squad Runs Workers
1974 5 3610 2539
1975 5 5279 3542
1976 5 N/A N/A
 
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Squad 41 (cont):


Engine 41: Disbanded 1989-1990

Where the Bronx Burned,  A Fight for a Firehouse
By Fox Butterfield    June 29, 1988

Evelyn Stirvis was burned out of her apartment in the South Bronx a decade ago when the superintendent of her building did not pay his gambling debts and ''some people decided to throw a little fire party,'' she recalls. She escaped only because of the quick arrival of firefighters from the nearby Engine Company 41.

Now Mrs. Stirvis, a 79-year-old widow who has lived in the South Bronx all her life, is worried that Mayor Koch's plan to close Engine Company 41 early next month will create more danger from fires in her poor, ethnically mixed neighborhood, which is just beginning its first redevelopment boom since the great wave of arsons in the 1970's.

So Mrs. Stirvis has joined dozens of her neighbors in an unusually vociferous and well-organized effort to try to persuade Mayor Koch and Fire Commissioner Joseph F. Bruno to reverse the closing. Their campaign, cutting across ethnic lines, has included a prayer service outside Mr. Bruno's Brooklyn house last March. The protesters spread ashes from two recent fires on his lawn and affixed to his fence crosses with the names of four people who died in the fires. One of the victims was a 6-month-old infant; another was a mother of three children. A Test of Community Clout

''They think because the South Bronx is a poor, minority community that it is a dumping ground and that you can get away with closing a firehouse here where you couldn't in Manhattan,'' said Martin Rogers, a leader of the Don't Move Engine 41 Committee. Mr. Rogers, a wiry, energetic man who speaks in staccato outbursts, has lived in the same narrow brick house only a few doors down from the turn-of-the-century Greek revival firehouse on East 150th Street near Courtlandt Avenue in Melrose all of his life.

To Mr. Rogers, the fate of the firehouse will indicate whether community sentiment and organization still count for anything in New York or whether the city is run by uncaring politicians and developers, he said. ''They would love to see the South Bronx burn down so they can gentrify this neighborhood and turn it into a little Manhattan,'' he said yesterday as he stood in front of the fire station with his 6-year-old son and 3-year-old twins.

Like many of his neighbors on this street, made up of Irish, Italian, black and Hispanic residents, Mr. Rogers has been standing vigil outside the firehouse every evening since spring to protest its closing. The group has shown up at public appearances by Mayor Koch to question him on his plan; they have appeared at fires to pass out leaflets, and Monday, they made their attendance known in a raucous demonstration during a City Council and Board of Estimate budget hearing at City Hall.

They have also gotten the support of a number of local officials, including Borough President Fernando Ferrer of the Bronx. At the meeting Monday, Mr. Ferrer charged that the closing of Engine 41 ''is part of a bigger picture of disproportionate and destructive plans the Fire Department and City Hall have for the Bronx.'' Mr. Ferrer said that of the $12 million in projected cuts in the Fire Department's budget for fiscal year 1989, $6 million would come in the Bronx, an unfair amount.

Moreover, Mr. Ferrer noted that last year Engine 41 was ranked the 29th busiest engine company in the city out of a total of 211 companies.

It also serves a densely populated area that is about to gain 8,000 households from new and rehabilitated construction as well as an $80 million office and commercial complex on 161st Street, near the Grand Concourse, he said.

In reply, Mayor Koch said that even if the City Council and the Board of Estimate restored the money to prevent the closing, he would not spend it because Engine 41 was not essential.

A spokesman for Mr. Bruno, the Fire Commissioner, said the key issues were the poor location of Engine 41, on a narrow, one-way street, and the average response time to fires. A new more accessible fire station is under construction seven blocks away at Melrose Avenue and 155th Street, where another engine company will be relocated, he said. The average response time, according to Mr. Bruno, would go up by only four seconds. Moreover, the spokesman said, the number of fires in Engine 41's area has gone down 40 percent since 1977.

But Frank Vignali, a firefighter at Engine 41 who was born and raised in the neighborhood, disputed those figures. For one thing, he said, the decrease is misleading because the mid-1970's was a period of widespread arson in the South Bronx, and the area is now only returning to ''normal.''

For another, Mr. Vignali said, the engine and ladder company to be relocated in the new fire station is not new equipment, and it will still have to cover its old area when its current station is closed. With the removal of Engine 41, the Bronx will be back to the number of fire engines it had in 1913, ''in the era of horses,'' the firefighter said.

''So there's just no justification for closing Engine 41,'' said Mr. Vignali, who had just returned from helping extinguish a fire in a four-story tenement.

The station's battalion chief, Thomas Martin said the depth of the popular support for Engine 41 was understandable, given local history. ''They've seen fires in this neighborhood for years, they've seen people die, and they know we're the only people they can call,'' he said.

In addition, Chief Martin said, the firehouse serves as the only outpost of government and help in an otherwise neglected area. ''These people call us for everything,'' he said. ''When an elevator gets stuck, the elevator company won't come, so they call us. When there is a water leak, even at 2 A.M., they call us.''

Angela Cedeno, a 37 year-old clerical assistant and student at Hostos Community College who was burned out of a home in the South Bronx, said that if the Mayor won, the neighbors planned to form a human barricade to stop the engine from leaving the firehouse. ''If that doesn't work,'' she said, ''we will go to court.''

A version of this article appears in print on June 29, 1988, Section B, Page 1 of the National edition with the headline: Where the Bronx Burned, A Fight for a Firehouse. Order Reprints | Today?s Paper | Subscribe

In reply, Mayor Koch said that even if the City Council and the Board of Estimate restored the money to prevent the closing, he would not spend it because Engine 41 was not essential.

A spokesman for Mr. Bruno, the Fire Commissioner, said the key issues were the poor location of Engine 41, on a narrow, one-way street, and the average response time to fires. A new more accessible fire station is under construction seven blocks away at Melrose Avenue and 155th Street, where another engine company will be relocated, he said. The average response time, according to Mr. Bruno, would go up by only four seconds. Moreover, the spokesman said, the number of fires in Engine 41's area has gone down 40 percent since 1977.

But Frank Vignali, a firefighter at Engine 41 who was born and raised in the neighborhood, disputed those figures. For one thing, he said, the decrease is misleading because the mid-1970's was a period of widespread arson in the South Bronx, and the area is now only returning to ''normal.''

For another, Mr. Vignali said, the engine and ladder company to be relocated in the new fire station is not new equipment, and it will still have to cover its old area when its current station is closed. With the removal of Engine 41, the Bronx will be back to the number of fire engines it had in 1913, ''in the era of horses,'' the firefighter said.

''So there's just no justification for closing Engine 41,'' said Mr. Vignali, who had just returned from helping extinguish a fire in a four-story tenement.

The station's battalion chief, Thomas Martin said the depth of the popular support for Engine 41 was understandable, given local history. ''They've seen fires in this neighborhood for years, they've seen people die, and they know we're the only people they can call,'' he said.

In addition, Chief Martin said, the firehouse serves as the only outpost of government and help in an otherwise neglected area. ''These people call us for everything,'' he said. ''When an elevator gets stuck, the elevator company won't come, so they call us. When there is a water leak, even at 2 A.M., they call us.''

Angela Cedeno, a 37 year-old clerical assistant and student at Hostos Community College who was burned out of a home in the South Bronx, said that if the Mayor won, the neighbors planned to form a human barricade to stop the engine from leaving the firehouse. ''If that doesn't work,'' she said, ''we will go to court.''


Engine 41 Reopens Jul 1, 1990:

   

   
 

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Squad 41 (cont)

Squad 41 Runs & Workers:

    Year    Runs    Workers  Emergencies    OSW      Fires
    1998    3316      2049                              235 
    1999    3400      1853                              451
    2000    3756      2435                              463
    2001    3637      2267                              380
    2002    3027      1596                              376
    2003    3437      1908                              408
    2004    3718      1958                              407
    2005    3906      2122                              415
    2006    3422      1887                              413
    2007    3569      2025                              472
    2008    3478      1793                              360
    2009    3567      1802                              355
    2010    3790      2215                              335
    2011    3710      1919                              315
    2012    3790      2215                              335
    2013    3499      1968                              272
    2014    4571      2526                              270
    2015    4485                    3654                            831
    2016    4095                    2069                            746     
    2017    4666                    2140                            813
    2018    4794                    3980                            815
    2019    4539                    3781                            758
 

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Squad 41 (cont):

Squad 41 (Engine 41) Members:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
 

mack

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Squad 41 (cont):

Squad 41 (Engine 41) Medals:

LT JAMES BYRNE ENG. 41 R-3 NOV. 26, 1939 SCOTT

FF FRANK QUILES ENG. 41 NOV. 21, 1982 THIRD ALARM

Quiles.png

JOHN E. KEENAN ENG. 41 SEP. 24, 1990 JOHNSTON

KEENAN.jpg

FF CRAIG F. BUCCIERI ENG. 41 JAN. 26, 1991 STIEFEL

Buccieri.jpg

LT STEPHEN J. GERAGHTY ENG. 41 MAR. 2, 1991 AMERICAN LEGION

Ger.jpg

FF JOSEPH R. GANDIELLO ENG. 41 SEP. 21, 1992 BRUMMER

GANDIELLO-2.jpg

LT CHARLES H. SCHMIDT ENG. 41 AUG. 22, 1993 THOMPSON

LT DENIS M. MIRONCHIK ENG. 41 MAY 5, 1994 FIRE CHIEFS

FF DONALD J. REGAN ENG. 41 MAR. 23, 1994 DOLNEY

regan-2.jpg

LODD FF DONALD J. REGAN R-3 WTC SEP. 11, 2001:

regan.png

http://www.legacy.com/sept11/story.aspx?personid=146433

FF ROBERT J. D'ELIA ENG. 41 MAY 7, 1995 FRIEDBERG

DElia.jpg

LT SEAN A. GENOVESE SQ.41 JUL.27, 2007 FIRE CHIEF

Genovese-2.jpg

Genovese.jpg

FF STEVEN M. GILLEPSIE SQ. 41 JUL. 27, 2007 FIRE BELL CLUB

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Gillespie.jpg

FF MICHAEL J. SHEPHERD SQUAD 41 MARCH 22, 2012 PRENTICE

S-4.png

Shephard.jpg

FF MICHAEL J. SHEPHERD SQUAD 41 MARCH 26, 2015 MCELLIGOTT

sHEP-3.png

SHEPHERD_2015.jpg
 
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Squad 41 (cont):

Squad 41 (Engine 41) LODDs

    FF WILLIAM HOBUNG ENGINE 41 JANUARY 25, 1886

          When returning from watch line, FF Hobung fell from the railroad bridge that crosses Cromwell Creek and drowned. His body was discovered May 19, 1886 by 2 boys fishing. He was identified by the badge on the uniform he was wearing.

    FF THOMAS CULLEN III SQUAD 41 September 11, 2001  World Trade Center

         

         

         

          http://www.silive.com/september-11/index.ssf/2010/09/thomas_cullen_31_fdny_passiona.html

          http://bravestmemorial.net/html/members/cullen_thomas_iii_fr_sq041.html

    FF ROBERT HAMILTON SQUAD 41 September 11, 2001  World Trade Center 

         

         

         

          http://www.legacy.com/sept11/story.aspx?personid=97163

    LT MICHAEL HEALEY SQUAD 41 September 11, 2001  World Trade Center

         

         

         

          http://www.legacy.com/sept11/story.aspx?personid=147183

    FF MICHAEL LYONS SQUAD 41 September 11, 2001  World Trade Center

         

         

          http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lohud/obituary.aspx?n=michael-j-lyons&pid=148866288

          http://www.legacy.com/sept11/story.aspx?personid=152795

    FF GREGORY SIKORSKY  SQUAD 41 September 11, 2001  World Trade Center

         

         

         

          http://www.legacy.com/sept11/story.aspx?personid=110646

          http://www.imao.us/archives/006171.html

          http://todayremember.blogspot.com/2010/10/today-we-remember-ff-george-sikorsky.html

    FF RICHARD VAN HINE SQUAD 41 September 11, 2001  World Trade Center

         

         

          http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/vagazette/obituary.aspx?pid=146579


             

             


    LT BRIAN SULLIVAN SQUAD 41 August 10 2019

          On August 10, 2019, Lt. Brian ?Sully? Sullivan passed away unexpectedly at home after operating at Bronx Box 2150.

         

         

          https://abc7ny.com/fdny-firefighter-death-bronx/5464703/

          https://www.amny.com/news/fdny-brian-sullivan-1-34977118/

         


    RIP.  Never forget.
 
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Thank you, Joe, and again, welcome back. That Squad 41 post took a lot of time, trouble & effort to put together . . . just know that it is appreciated.  I see you snuck a picture of Chief JK in, too. ::)
 
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Joe,
Great post on Squad 41. Again, welcome back. Thanks for all your time and efforts, they are appreciated.
 

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Engine 302/Ladder 155 firehouse - 143-15 Rockaway Boulevard  South Jamaica, Queens  Division 13, Battalion 51  "The Vipers Nest"


    Hose 4 organized 92-11 150th St at former volunteer firehouse              1907
    Hose 4 moved to new firehouse 137-24 Rockaway Blvd                          1912
    Hose 4 became Engine 302                                                                  1921
    Engine 302 moved to new firehouse 143-15 Rockaway Blvd                    1931

    Ladder 155 organized 107-12 Lefferts Blvd w/Engine 308                        1926
    Ladder 155 moved to 143-15 Rockaway Blvd at Engine 302                    1947

    Hydrant Service 13 organized 143-15 Rockaway Blvd at Engine 302          1936
    Hydrant Service 13 moved to 89-56 162nd St at Engine 275                    1949
    Hydrant Service 13 disbanded                                                                1957


Pre-FDNY: 

    Jamaica was protected by the Jamaica Fire Department from 1797 to 1907 when the FDNY 51 Battalion was organized.  JFD consisted of 6 hose companies and 3 ladder companies.  Hose 4 FDNY, which became Engine 302, was organized at the firehouse of former volunteer Distiler Hose 3 JFD. 

   


FDNY Hose Companies:

    FDNY organized several hose companies as it expanded into less built up neighborhoods in Queens and Staten Island in the early 1900s.  These areas often had limited water supply systems and did not need steamers.  These hose companies operated for several years and then transitioned to engine companies.


143-15 Rockaway Boulevard:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
 

mack

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Engine 302/Ladder 155 (cont)


Hose 4:

   


Engine 302:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   


Ladder 155:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   


Hydrant Service 13:

   



 

mack

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Engine 302/Ladder 155 (cont)


Engine 302/Ladder 155:






Ladder 155 venting- March 21, 1992:

 
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