FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies - 2nd Section

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Fort Hamilton Fire Department Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn (continued):



Ft Hamilton 1935:





Fort Hamilton (1825-Current) - Originally designed as a Third System Coastal Defense fort constructed 1825-1831 to protect the New York Narrows from the Brooklyn side of the river in Kings County, New York. Named after Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Active military post.



Fort Hamilton History:

Part of the Harbor Defense of Southern New York. Originally established to protect the Narrows entrance to New York Harbor.

Fort Hamilton was built as a small dual purpose fort providing seaward and landward defenses at the New York Narrows, the site of present day Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Construction was started 11 Jun 1825 with the laying of the cornerstone by the French engineer, Simon Bernard. The Fort was completed in 1831 and first garrisoned 1 Nov 1831 by Battery F, 4th U.S. Artillery.



Civil War 1861-1865

Fort Hamilton's garrison expanded during the U.S. Civil War to protect against Confederate raiders. In 1863, it was called upon to help put down the New York City draft riots.



World War I 1917-1918

During World War I Fort Hamilton was a processing center for hundreds of thousands of American troops shipping out to France.







Ft Hamilton 1924:





World War II 1941-1945

During World War II Fort Hamilton served as a processed center for 3 million troops headed for Europe. At the end of the war it processed and discharged the returning veterans. After the war the building of the Verrazano Bridge in 1959 resulted in the destruction of the parade ground and most the brick barracks.

- from http://www.fortwiki.com/Fort_Hamilton_(1)



Post-World War II:

The US Army Chaplain School was located at Ft Hamilton.

 

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Fort Hamilton Fire Department Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn (continued):


Fort Hamilton current:

Fort Hamilton is an active duty Army post with 5000 full time active duty personnel serving 126 Army Reserve units, 100,000 military retirees and numerous Department of the Defense agencies throughout the greater New York City metropolitan area. A part of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington.









Ft Hamilton Museum:

Harbor Defense Museum of New York City free, open to the general public and welcomes tour groups of all kinds. There is also a restaurant.

https://history.army.mil/museums/IMCOM/fortHamilton/index.html



Brooklyn VA Medical Center - Ft Hamilton:






Wartime NYC military installations:

Many other military installations within NYC had paid fire civilian departments and fire apparatus during, and after, World War II to include: Ft Jay (Governor’s Island); Ft Hamilton )Brooklyn); Ft Wadsworth (SI); Ft Gibson (Ellis Island); Camp Rockaway (Queens); Ft Schuyler (Bronx); Ft Tilden (Queens); Ft Totten (Queens); Fox Hills (SI); Halloran Arm Hospital (SI); Miller Field (SI) NY Port of Embarkation (SI/Brooklyn); Seaside Hospital (SI); Laguardia Field (Queens); Floyd Bennett Field (Brooklyn); Manhattan Beach (Brooklyn); Hart Island; Rockaway Naval Air Station (Queens); Brooklyn Navy Yard (Brooklyn); Naval Station NY (SI); St Albans Naval Hospital (Queens); and USCG (various locations). In addition, many military fireboats operated in NYC during World War II to protect troops, installations, ships, munitions and military warehouses.

These federal fire departments cooperated with FDNY and operated at fires with FDNY units.

These installations protected NYC and served our troops during wartime and were closed and transitioned to civilian use when no loner needed.

 

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Fort Hamilton Fire Department Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn (continued):


1947:

 

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Fort Hamilton Fire Department Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn (continued):


1922 fire:

 

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Ft Hamilton has a Fire Protection office.

Base information and access:

Directorate of Emergency Services

The Directorate of Emergency Services plans, directs and provides law and order, fire and emergency services, and protection operations in support of Fort Hamilton in order to provide a safe and secure environment for the soldiers, civilians, and families that work, live, or visit the installations.

Fire Protection Office
The Fire Protection Section is responsible to protect our community's resources - life, property and environment - through public education and risk reduction.

Law Enforcement Division
Law Enforcement Division provides law enforcement services by responding to calls for service, performing community oriented policing and enforcing Army regulation, state and federal laws in order to provide a safe environment for the Soldiers, Civilians and family members who reside and work on Fort Hamilton.

Physical Security Office
The Army Physical Security Program is a systematic approach to physical security to ensure adequate protection of DA assets on installations, in stand-alone facilities, for civil works and like projects, and other locations occupied by DA elements.

Police Investigations
Police Investigations provides follow up investigation services of police initiated cases by conducting interviews, processing crime scenes and solving crimes with skilled investigative techniques.

Traffic Section
Traffic Section provides traffic related law enforcement services with investigating traffic accidents, speed and moving violation enforcement IAW Army regulation, state and federal laws., facilitating traffic flow for special projects and special events. Traffic Section authorizes overnight parking passes and weapons registration.

Visitor Control Center
All persons age 18 and over must have a valid purpose and authorized state or government issued photographic (photo) Identification (ID) for access to Fort Hamilton. Persons age 17 and under are not required to present photo ID unless operating a motor vehicle. Vehicle operators are required to present a valid registration and insurance card.Persons requesting access onto Fort Hamilton must present an ID card that is compliant with Homeland Security's Real ID Act.

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 Firehouse 1189 Castleton Avenue West Brighton, Staten Island Division 8, Battalion 22 "North Shore Truckin"


Ladder 104 organized 1189 Castleton Avenue former firehouse volunteer Medora H&L 3 1905
Ladder 104 became Ladder 79 1913

Battalion 2 organized 51 Cottage Place w/Engine 207 1905
Battalion 2 became Battalion 22 1906
Battalion 22 moved to 1189 Castleton Avenue at Ladder 79 1930
Battalion 22 moved to 1573 Castleton Avenue at Engine 157 1931
Battalion 22 moved to 1189 Castleton Avenue at Ladder 79 1932

Engine 206 (became Engine 156) located 1189 Castleton Avenue 1907 and 2005

Division 10 organized 1189 Castleton Avenue at Ladder 104 1905

Division 8 reorganized 1189 Castleton Avenue at Ladder 104 1907
Division 8 moved 1850 Clove Road at Engine 160 1930

Brush Fire Unit 3 located at 1189 Castleton Avenue at Ladder 79 2005

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Staten Island fire protection history:




Borough of Richmond (Staten Island) volunteer fire companies pre-FDNY 1904:



- from The American Almanac, Yearbook, Cyclopedia and Atlas 1904

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


West Brighton, SI:

Before FDNY expanded to Staten Island in 1905, West Brighton was protected by several volunteer fire companies which were part of the North Shore Fire Department organized in 1874:

Cataract Engine 2 1844-1905
Ellsworth Hose 5 1862-1905
Medora H&L 3 1868-1905
Wyandotte H&L 5 1885-1905
Union Hose 8 1902-1905



Medora H&L 3:







Medora H&L 3 firehouse at 1189 Castleton Avenue was built in 1904.

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):



FDNY companies organized on Staten Island 1905:





Ladder 104 and Division 10 were organized 1189 Castleton Avenue in former quarters of volunteer Medora H&L 3 in 1905. Ladder 104 became Ladder 79 when Staten Island, Brooklyn and Queens FDNY companies were renumbered in 1913.


Ladder 104 (Ladder 79) Charter Members:

Original members of Ladder 104 FDNY: CAPT B. McDermott; LT J. Kelly; LT R. Frazier; FF D. Lynch; FF H Kush; FF G McDonald; FF P. Moran; FF D. McNamara; FF M. Mannix; FF W. Hale; FF P. Condon; FF C. Wade; FF J. McCue; and FF M. Farrell.

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


1189 Castleton Avenue - oldest FDNY firehouse on SI:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


1189 Castleton Avenue - oldest FDNY firehouse on SI:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Ladder 79:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Ladder 79:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Battalion 22:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Ladder 79 SOC vehicle:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Brush Fire Unit 3 - located at 1189 Castleton Avenue at Ladder 79 2005:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Ladder 79:





Battalion 22:




Battalion 22 Responding:

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


History Of Ladder 79:

Fire Department Of New York
By Michael Boucher

The West New Brighton section of Staten Island along the Kill Van Kull was settled before the Revolutionary War. The first factories sprang up in the early 1820's and the area grew with a small commercial center around Broadway and Richmond Terrace. The name of West New Brighton was picked for the new Post Office that was built in the 1870's.

The first organized fire company was Cataract Engine 2, located at the end of Van Street off Richmond Terrace. It went into service on August 19, 1844 and served until being replaced by the paid department in 1905. On April 2, 1874, the fire companies along the north shore of Staten Island formed the North Shore Fire Department. The department grew to a total of six engines, nine hose companies and seven ladder companies before disbanding. Staten Island had 56 volunteer fire companies protecting the island before 1905.

On January 1, 1898, New York City, which included the Bronx, Brooklyn and Long Island City along with parts of Queens County and Staten Island, merged into the five boroughs of New York City. New York City, Brooklyn and Long Island City had paid fire departments with the rural areas of Queens County and Staten Island being protected by volunteer companies. The law, when written, stated that the City of New York would continue the services of the volunteer departments until such a time that a paid force could be placed in service with buildings, equipment and men. Until such time, each volunteer would be paid $1000 per year for the upkeep of the equipment and horses.

In 1905, the New York City Fire Department started to expand into the outlying areas of the boroughs. The city bought the lot and building located at 1189 Castleton Avenue from Medora Ladder 3 on October 19, 1905 for a cost of $10,250 and designated this station as Ladder Co. 104.

On January 1, 1913, Ladder 104 was renumbered to Ladder 79. After many moves, Battalion 22 was quartered to Ladder 79 and the two have responded to all calls from this station ever since.

In 1916, the quarters of Ladder 79 and Battalion 22 were remodeled for a cost of $3,600. New cement floors were placed in the cellar and the apparatus floors. The wooden apparatus floor was no longer suitable for the heavier motorized apparatus and was costly to maintain. The stable walls of the one story extension were expanded to accommodate a second floor above as a recreational room.

The firefighters of Ladder 79 have been fortunate not to have a member killed in the line of duty while Battalion 22 has lost one member, Battalion Chief Charles Kohlenberger on March 31, 1945. Chief Kohlenberger was killed instantly by a 2,200-volt live wire, which fell on him as he was directing efforts to make the cable safe at Kingsley and Jewel avenues. He had joined the department on July 1, 1913.

Ladder 79 has had four medal winners in its history. Fireman John J. Drennan received the M.J. Delahanty Medal for rescuing a woman on July 8, 1976. Lieutenant James W. Fitzgerald was awarded the Dr. John F. Connell Medal on March 19, 1991 for rescuing an eleven-month-old child. Lieutenant Fred C. Zerilli, who received the Ner Tamid Society/Franklin Delano Roosevelt Medal, rescued the same child at two years old a second time on June 22, 1992. Unfortunately, the 2-year-old did not survive his injuries. The last medal winner was fireman John V. Picciano who rescued a woman from a burning second floor apartment on July 21, 1993. He received the American Legion/Mark M. Wohlfeld Memorial Medal.

Ladder 79 is known as the 'North Shore Trucking Company.' In 1906, Ladder 79 (104) responded to 11 runs with 8 workers. During 1999, Ladder 79 responded to 1301 runs with 803 workers. Battalion 22 answered 2932 alarms during 1999 making them the 8th busiest Battalion in the city with 2358 hours worked. Ladder 79 and Battalion 22 have been working the north shore of Staten Island for the last 95 years. During this time, they have been dedicated to providing the best fire protection to the citizens of Staten Island. No matter how small the problem or size of the raging fire, Ladder 79 and Battalion 22 have met the challenge with distinction.

 

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Ladder 79/Battalion 22 (continued):


Ladder 79/Battalion 22 fire - 1957:

Richmond Box 33-1393 September 24, 1957 Victory Boulevard & Jewett Avenue:








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