FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies

guitarman314 · Mar 14, 2015

JOR176 said:
The tightest apparatus floor I ever saw was E214 & L111 when they were on Halsey St.

When E214 moved in with L111 in 1948, they had to swap their 1000gpm Ahrens-Fox for E222's 1920's 700gpm American LaFrance.

mack · Mar 14, 2015

JOR176 said:
The tightest apparatus floor I ever saw was E214 & L111 when they were on Halsey St.

johnd248 · Mar 14, 2015

Thanks, Joe M. I only assume the chief has to be in front of the engine.

mack · Mar 16, 2015

Engine 250 firehouses 109 Lawrence Avenue and 126 Foster Avenue Parkville, Brooklyn

Engine 50 BFD organized 109 Lawrence Avenue w/Ladder 20 BFD 1898
Engine 50 BFD became Engine 50 FDNY 1898
Engine 50 became Combined Engine Company 50 w/Ladder 20 1898
Combined Engine 50 became Combined Engine 150 1899
Combined Engine 150 became Combined Engine 250 1913
Combined Engine 250 became Engine 250 1914
Engine 250 moved 126 Foster Avenue 1929

Ladder 20 BFD organized 109 Lawrence Avenue w/Engine 50 BFD 1898
Ladder 20 BFD became Ladder 20 FDNY 1898
Ladder 20 disbanded to form Combined Engine Company 50 1898

Division 12 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250 1951-1975

Hydrant Service 12 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250 1951-1957

Hazmat 250 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250

Note: Engine 50 and Ladder 20, Brooklyn Fire Department, were organized in 1898 and were in service for 7 days as BFD companies. They became FDNY units January 20, 1898 and on April 15, 1898, they disbanded to form Combined Engine Company 50.

109 Lawrence Avenue former firehouse:

126 Foster Avenue firehouse:

Engine 250:

Hazmat 250:

Engine 250/Hazmat 250 responding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQwDt-XD-Zs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJDq93T0ALM

Engine 250 LODDs:

FF John J Lyons, Engine 250, 4th alarm, fire in a store, 6706 Bay Parkway, trapped in basement, April 17, 1939

LT Matthew A Sheerin, Engine 250, November 19, 1960

FF Michael P. Ragusa, Engine 250, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.ufanyc.org/cms/contents/view/1361

Note - FF Ragusa was the last FDNY firefighter killed at the World Trade Center to be laid to rest. He was assigned to Engine 250 but was working in Engine 279.

Never forget.

Parkville:

http://forgotten-ny.com/2014/05/carroll-gardens-to-parkville-part-1/

mack · Mar 16, 2015

Engine 250 loses member - 30 FFs injured - 4th alarm - April 17, 1939:

mack · Mar 16, 2015

FDNY Corps of Sappers and Miners 1873-1958:

After the great fires in Chicago and Boston which destroyed large sections of those cities, FDNY organized a corps of demolition experts in 1873 to have the potential to stop a major conflagration with explosives. A citizen committee, formed by pressure from N.Y.C. Chamber of Commerce and led by an insurance industry executive, influenced the FDNY Chief of Department to form the corps. The Corps of Sappers & Miners was established by General Order # 16 on October 23, 1873. Assistant Chief Charles Shay was Chief of Corps. Lieutenants were assigned to the corps and a civil engineer was appointed as instructor.

An FDNY chemical lab was established at fire headquarters and weekly instructions were given in various explosives, fuses, detonation, firing and use of multiple charges and use of detonating apparatus. Field instruction was conducted on Ward's and Randall's Islands.

The Corps had special dynamite charges and equipment. 5000 pounds of explosives were placed on a powder boat to be towed by a fireboat to use where needed.

Signal 5-5-5 followed by the box number and then a terminal unit number was used to transmit the special call. The Corps was never required to detonate explosives to stop the spread of a major fire, but they did take down walls and structures which were considered unsafe after fires.

Explosives were eventually stored in a vault in Woodlawn Cemetery and a Corps truck was located at Ladder 39 to transport explosives and equipment. The Corps remained in service to some degree until 1958.

Source W.N.Y.F. Magazine 3rd Issue 1958:

Ladder 39 firehouse 243 East 233rd Street, Woodlawn, Bronx :

mack · Mar 18, 2015

Engine 233/Ladder 176/Field Communications Unit firehouse 25 Rockaway Avenue Bedford Stuyvesant/Bushwick, Brooklyn

Engine 33 BFD organized 243 Hull Street 1893
Engine 33 became Engine 33 FDNY 1898
Engine 33 became Engine 133 1899
Engine 133 moved 1894 Broadway 1907
Engine 133 returned 243 Hull Street 1907
Engine 133 became Engine 233 1913
Engine 233 new firehouse 25 Rockaway Avenue 1987

Engine 233-2 organized 243 Hull Street at Engine 233 1968
Engine 233-2 disbanded 1972

Ladder 176 organized 266 Rockaway Avenue at Engine 232 1972
Ladder 176 new firehouse 25 Rockaway Avenue at Engine 233 1987

Division 15 located at 243 Hull Street at Engine 233 1933, 1948-1949, 1956-1968, 1975-1978

Field Communication Unit located at 25 Rockaway Avenue 1991-1998, 2002-present

243 Hull Street Engine 233/Engine 233-2/Division 15 former firehouse: "To Hull and Back"

Former firehouse current usage:

Former firehouse current usage EMS Battalion 44:

25 Rockaway Avenue firehouse:

Chauncey Street view:

Engine 233:

1922 ALF 700 GPM:

1953 WLF 750 GPM:

Former ALF pumper:

Ladder 176:

Field Communications Unit:

FF Cornelius Healy, Engine 233, Brooklyn box 33-1662, 705 Chester Avenue, stair collapse inside fire building, January 1, 1935

FF William F. McNulty, Engine 233, 1899 Broadway, smoke inhalation, October 17, 1945

FF Walter A. Jensen, Engine 233, Brooklyn box 1677, 9 Sherlock Place, burns and smoke inhalation, injured January 4, 1946, died January 9, 1946

FF Jensen awarded the 1946 Thomas A. Kenny Medal for valor posthumously

FF Christopher E. A. McAuley, Engine 233, Brooklyn box 1783, Jamaica Avenue and Elton Street, heart attack at working fire, May 11, 1949

Captain Scott LaPiedra, Ladder 176, Brooklyn box 55-2044, burns, injured June 5, 1998, died July 4, 1998

Son appointed FDNY firefighter:
http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/for_staten_island_fdny_son_a_c.html

http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/events/2008/060608a.shtml

Never forget.

mack · Mar 19, 2015

Engine 67 firehouse 518 West 170th Street Washington Heights, Manhattan

Engine 67 organized 518 West 170th Street 1898
Engine 67 disbanded 1975
Engine 67 reorganized 518 West 170th Street 1975

Ladder 45 located at 518 West 170th Street at Engine 67 2001-2003

518 West 170th Street firehouse:

Engine 67:

Engine 67:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW2ziZt1MsQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co5TSNR4Zoo

Engine 67 history:

http://nyfd.com/history/pdf/engine_68.pdf

Landmarks Preservation Commission firehouse:
http://www.neighborhoodpreservationcenter.org/db/bb_files/01-FIRE-ENGINE-CO.-67.pdf

Engine 67 LODD:

Lt. Daniel Sheehan, Engine 67, Manhattan box 778, 284 St. Nicholas Avenue, wall collapse, November 5, 1905

Never forget.

Washington Heights:

http://harlemandtheheightshistoricalsociety.org/pages/upper4.htm

fdhistorian · Mar 22, 2015

mack said:
Engine 50 BFD organized 109 Lawrence Avenue w/Ladder 20 BFD 1898

Ladder 20 BFD organized 109 Lawrence Avenue w/Engine 50 BFD 1898

Hydrant Service 12 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250 1951-1957

Hazmat 250 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250

Additional info:

Engine 50 BFD organized 109 Lawrence Avenue w/Ladder 20 BFD 1896

Ladder 20 BFD organized 109 Lawrence Avenue w/Engine 50 BFD 1896

Hydrant Service 12 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250 1934-1948 and 1951-1957 to organize Thawing Apparatus 64

Hazmat 250 located at 126 Foster Avenue at Engine 250 2004

mack · Mar 25, 2015

Engine 14 firehouse 14 East 18th Street Flatiron District, Manhattan

Engine 14 organized 14 East 18th Street former volunteer firehouse Metamora Hose 29 1865
Engine 14 moved 112 West 18th Street 1894
Engine 14 new firehouse 14 East 18th Street 1894
Engine 14 moved 340 East 14th Street at Engine 5 2000
Engine 14 returned 14 East 18th Street 2001

Battalion 6 temporary location 14 East 18th Street at Engine 14 2014

Original 14 East 18th Street firehouse: -

1863 - members and apparatus of Metamora Hose 29:

1889 - Engine 14 in front of quarters:

14 East 18th Street firehouse 1894-present:

http://www.newyorkitecture.com/tag/14-e-18th-street/

http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2010/10/lebruns-1894-engine-company-no-4.html

Engine 14:

Original steamer 1866:

1869 Union Square steamer and hose cart:

1954 Mack Hi Pressure pumper:

Engine 14:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YLPUD2YiKc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnaKJLmAyDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuCYK-hzrrI

Engine 14 LODDs:

LT Thomas Roberts, Engine 14, 247 West 28th Street, run over by tender responding, October 24, 1869

FF Michael Connors, Engine 14, fall in quarters - fell from trapeze bar, broke back, October 31, 1882

FF Connors rescue in 1979:

Captain John Walsh, Engine 14, Manhattan box 44-256, 43 Downing Street, wall collapse, March 26, 1906

FF Dennis J. Healy, Engine 14, Manhattan box 44-256, 43 Downing Street, wall collapse, March 26, 1906

FF B. F. Christian, Engine 14, Manhattan box 44-256, 43 Downing Street, wall collapse, March 26, 1906

- from "Safety Maintenance and Production, Volume 11"

Note: In addition to the three members of Engine 14, FF Thomas F. Halperin, Ladder 24, was also killed at box 44-256 by the falling wall.

FF John F. Feeley, Engine 14, Manhattan box 22-387, accident returning to quarters, May 18, 1933

Fireman John J. Feeley of Engine 14 was killed when a taxicab sideswiped the engine while it was returning to quarters from a two-alarm fire at 683 Broadway. On Lafayette Street between Astor Place and Fourth Avenue, the taxicab sideswiped the engine as it was trying to pass. Fireman Feeley was knocked to the ground and killed him instantly. Fireman John Smith was trapped in the mud-guard and dragged twenty feet before the cab could be stopped. The taxicab driver was drunk and arrested on charges of homicide, driving intoxicated and reckless driving. Fireman Feeley was appointed to the Department on September 11, 1920. - from "The Last Alarm", by Boucher, Urbanowicz & Melahn

LT Charles F. Hale, Engine 14, Manhattan box 75-568, 7th Avenue 15th Street, died from injuries, January 12, 1962

Captain John W. Smith, Engine 14, died from injuries, February 11, 1967

Never forget.

Flatiron district:

https://katyinny.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/part-1-of-ethnographic-study/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_District

mack · Mar 28, 2015

Engine 203 firehouse 533 Hicks Street Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Disbanded 1974

Engine 3 BFD organized 533 Hicks Street former firehouse volunteer Neptune Engine 2 1869
Engine 3 BFD became Engine 3 FDNY 1898
Engine 3 became Engine 103 1899
Engine 103 moved 274 Hicks Street at Engine 124 1912
Engine 103 became Engine 203 1913
Engine 203 new firehouse 533 Hicks Street 1913
Engine 203 disbanded 1974

District Chief 1 BFD located at 533 Hicks Street at Engine 3 BFD 1896-1898
District Chief 1 BFD became Battalion 2 FDNY at 533 Hicks Street at Engine 3 FDNY 1898
Battalion 2 became Battalion 22 at 533 Hicks Street at Engine 3 1898
Battalion 22 disbanded 1906

Battalion 32 located at 533 Hicks Street at Engine 203 1906-1912, 1922-1940, 1944-1974

Engine 3 BFD at old 533 Hicks Street firehouse 1870s:

533 Hicks Street firehouse:

Design 1912:

1936:

Current - former firehouse:

Engine 203:

Engine 203 history:

Organized 1869 Brooklyn Fire Department Engine 3:

Mascot "Chief" 1929-1939 - responded with company - received 4 medals:

1936 multiple alarm - E 203 members and mascot:

Neighborhood coal station during World War II coal shortage:

Engine 203 buried - 15 members trapped - warehouse collapse - January 15, 1954:

Engine 203/Battalion 32 LODDs:

FF James W. McCosker, Engine 203, Brooklyn box 44-728, 3rd Street Pilgrim Laundry, November 4, 1906

FF William F. Stanton, Engine 203, pinned by hose tender during skid responding, October 23, 1912

BC Anthony Jireck, Battalion 32, overcome by smoke, January 27, 1945

FF Michael J. Berkery, Engine 203, Brooklyn box 44-508, Pier 29, Buttermilk Channel, foot of Kane Street, drown in hull of SS Congo

Never forget.

Former volunteer company - 533 Hicks Street - Neptune Engine 2:

Carroll Gardens history:

http://www.bklynlibrary.org/ourbrooklyn/carrollgardens/

Brooklyn Queens Expressway:

http://www.nycgovparks.org/about/history/historical-signs/listings?id=11721

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/nyregion/on-the-bqe-road-work-ahead-forever.html?_r=0

everybodygoes · Mar 28, 2015

lucky said:
While on the subject of narrow apparatus floors, I'll bring up E 235 and the 57 Batt. The chiefs car must hug a wall to which a piece of hose was attached to prevent scraping against the brick. E 252 was in the same category when the 17th Div. shared quarters with them.

The job has actually since installed a heavy gauge, diamond plate rear bumper on the 57's rig because of the constant damage to it

68jk09 · Mar 28, 2015

In regard to reply 1393 above on the qtrs of ENG*203 .......not long after the Co was disbanded in '74 a private contractor bought the bldg....he had a company called "BY BY BIRDIE" which removed bird nests & other nuisances from chimney tops & other places higher than the average portable ladder....he had a former FDNY Tiller Rig that he used & kept it in the old FH....he removed the ENG*203 bronze letters over the door & re lettered it with the "BY BY BIRDIE" name in similar looking letters....it could be easily seen by cars passing below on the depressed BQE....the business lasted a few years then disappeared .

mack · Mar 28, 2015

E 203 members and mascot - 1936 multiple alarm:

mack · Mar 30, 2015

Ladder 3 firehouse 108 East 13th Street East Village, Manhattan Water Tower 2/Chemical Engine 7 Disbanded

Ladder 3 organized 108 East 13th Street former volunteer firehouse Friendship Ladder 12 1865
Ladder 3 moved 340 East 14th Street at Engine 5 1928
Ladder 3 new firehouse 108 East 13th Street w/Water Tower 2 1929

Chemical Engine 7 organized 108 East 13th Street at Ladder 3 1876
Chemical Engine 7 disbanded 1877

Water Tower 2 organized 108 East 13th Street at Ladder 3 1882
Water Tower 2 moved 22 East 12th Street at Engine 72 1928
Water Tower 2 new firehouse 108 East 13th Street w/Ladder 3 1929
Water Tower 2 disbanded 1957

Battalion 6 organized 342 East 5th Street at Engine 25 1869
Battalion 6 moved 108 East 13th Street at ladder 3 1876
Battalion 6 new firehouse 15 Great Jones Street w/Engine 33 1882
Battalion 6 returned 108 East 13th Street at Ladder 3 1884
Battalion 6 moved 243 West 20th Street at Ladder 12 1903
Battalion 6 returned108 East 13th Street at Ladder 3 1904
Battalion 6 moved 340 East 14th Street at Engine 5 1928
Battalion 6 new firehouse 108 East 13th Street w/Ladder 3 and Water Tower 2 1929

Ladder 3 in front of original 108 East 13th Street firehouse:

Water Tower 2 in front of original 108 East 13th Street firehouse:

108 East 13th Street firehouse:

Ladder 3:

1910:

1936 FWD:

1960 ALF:

Ladder 3 at Engine 5

Battalion 6:

Water Tower 2:

1947 WLF tractor and 1906 tower:

Ladder 3/Battalion 6 videos:

Ladder 3 responding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXfo45JFyHQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGOtZ_EOx3w

Ladder 3 turning out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTsK6-FMWRw

Ladder 3/Battalion 6 responding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1IS3IX-aRY

Ladder 3/Battalion 6 firehouse visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EjEYHRr19Y

Ladder 3/Battalion 6 LODDs:

BC John J. Bresnan, Battalion 6, 3rd Alarm factory fire, 124 West 24th Street, collapse, December 29, 1894

"On the fateful night of December 29, 1894, the Gas & Electric Light Fixtures Factory of the Cassidy and Son Manufacturing Company went up in flames. The six story building generated a blaze large enough to require the work of 13 engines and 4 hook and ladder companies. While the fireman were actively working in the building, Battalion Chief John J. Bresnan led a group of men up a flight of stairs, and he, along with Assistant Foreman John L. Rooney, found themselves standing underneath the water tank. Housed on the roof, and holding 3000 gallons of water, the structure was weak from the effect of the fire, and it collapsed, trapping and killing both Bresnan and Rooney. These two men are undeniably New York heroes.

John J. Bresnan held a reputation of being a leader in the New York Fire Department, and it was said that, ?no braver, abler or more conscientious man than John J. Bresnan ever drew a paycheck in the service of the City of New York.? He was known as an inventor, with patents for fire equipment such as the Hose Hoist (1886) and a Nozzle for Hose and Discharge Pipes (1884). He was respected and honored by his fellow firefighters throughout his career, which began October 20, 1865. Prior to this service, he spent two years and three months in Co. C, 69th Regiment New York Infantry, enlisting in the Union on 26 May 1862.

John L. Rooney was a decorated fireman, receiving the James Gordon Bennett Medal in 1882 after convincing a young lady to jump into his arms as he stood atop a ladder; saving her life from the burning World Building. The Bennett Medal was established in 1869 and for years was the sole decoration awarded for valor in the Fire Department of New York City. Born in 1848, he left behind a family and many friends, who gathered at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington Square for his final recognition and honor. He entered the service of the Fire Department on 15 Nov 1872." - "Find My Past - New York Heroes"

BC William Shaw, Battalion 6, injured May 8, 1896, fell through hatchway into subceller, died from injuries May 9, 1896

FF William McNally, Ladder 3, Manhattan box 22-364, 257 1st Avenue, caught in backdraft making rescue, died from burns, May 5, 1903

"Ladder 3 responded to a two-alarm fire at 257 First Avenue and found flames throughout the four-story building. The fire had started in the basement and spread through the dumb waiter. Engine 16 had rescued a couple of men who were trapped on the third floor without much difficulty. The firemen went to work thinking everybody was out of the building. Soon the crowd spotted a man on the top floor front window. Fireman William McNally of Ladder 3, the first to see him, called to other members of the company to get a ladder. As the ladder was being raised, McNally was already climbing it. Just as he got to the top of the ladder he saw the man disappear back into the room and flames explode out of the top of window. McNally tucked his head down and dove through the window below the flames. In a moment McNally returned to the window with the man and was about to climb back on the ladder when another blast of flame erupted from the window. McNally fell back into the room. Fireman McEvoy of Ladder 3 had climbed up the ladder behind McNally and when he reached the top, he went in for McNally. He returned seconds later with his friend and carried him down the ladder. McNally was unconscious when brought down, severely burned and taken to Bellevue Hospital. He regained consciousness in the hospital and suffered terribly before dying on May 5. McNally was twenty-three years old and lived at 425 East 69th Street and was not married. His last words were ?Good-bye all, Good-bye Mother? who was at his bedside when he died." - "The Last Alarm" by Boucher, Urbanowicz & Melahn

BC Martin M. Coleman, Manhattan box 55-189, 180 Mott Street, factory fire, wall collapse, December 21, 1903

LT William J. Dayton, Ladder 3, collision with 3rd Avenue trolley responding, August 13, 1905

FF Francis M. Donelon, Ladder 3, died from injuries, August 30, 1930

BC John P. Williamson, Battalion 6, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/john-p-williamson/

Captain Patrick Brown, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://paddybrown.org/Paddy_Brown_s_Biography.html

FF John K, McAvoy, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/john-kevin-mcavoy/

FF Timothy McSweeny, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.silive.com/september-11/index.ssf/2010/09/timothy_mcsweeney_37_followed.html

FF Gerard Dewan, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.legacy.com/sept11/story.aspx?personid=118226

FF Michael Carroll, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://yyaa-classic.info/MichaelCarroll/

FF Joseph Maloney, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://bravestmemorial.net/html/members/maloney_joseph_fr_l003.html

FF Joseph Ogren, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.silive.com/september-11/index.ssf/2010/09/joseph_ogren_30_firefighter_fo.html

FF Jeffrey Giordano, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.silive.com/september-11/index.ssf/2010/09/jeffrey_giordano_45_decorated.html

FF Steven Olson, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.silive.com/september-11/index.ssf/2010/09/steven_olson_38_fdny_lovingly.html

FF James Coyle, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://www.heroportraits.org/Gallery/default.aspx?id=127

LT Kevin Donnelly, Ladder 3, World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

http://longisland.newsday.com/911-anniversary/victims/Kevin-Donnelly

Never forget.

Ladder 3 installed 9/11 Memorial:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/events/2011/072011a.shtml

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_J4oUxSvhA

East Village:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Village,_Manhattan

1261Truckie · Mar 31, 2015

Patrick Casey (RIP) and Edward Banks (RIP) were two of the lieutenants assigned to 132 when I rode there and both had been firemen in 3 Truck. They had some great stories and, based on how they operated, Ladder 3 was a good training ground.
The first scaling ladder rescue was made by Fireman John Binns, who was a member of Ladder 3 at the time of the rescue.

mack · Mar 31, 2015

Ladder 3 - April 7, 1884 - 1st FDNY scaling ladder rescue - James Gordon Bennett Medal - Fireman John J. Binns

"On April 7, 1884, Fireman 3rd Grade John Joseph Binns of Ladder Company 3, along with Firemen Thomas F. Barrett and Michael E. C. Graham (who both went on to attain the rank of Battalion Chief. Chief Graham died in the line-of-duty in February 1909), made a daring and dramatic rescue of Louis Castaing, the "elevator boy" at a fire at the St. George Flats. It was the first time that the scaling or "pompier" ladders were used by the FDNY. Fireman Binns was the one who "made the grab" and for this action he was awarded the Department's highest honor, the James Gordon Bennett Medal.

Appointed to the FDNY on March 22, 1882, this native New Yorker went on to an illustrious career advancing steadily up the ranks. After the St. George Flats fire he was promoted to Lieutenant on May 20, 1884 then to Captain on August 16, 1884. On December 1, 1897 he became Chief of Battalion 9 in Midtown Manhattan and on August 13, 1903 he rose to the prestigious rank of Deputy Chief.

Chief Binns was "a firefighter's firefighter" exhibiting his courage and dedication time and time again, including at some of New York City's most historic blazes. During the St. Patrick's Day parade down Fifth Avenue in 1899, a quick-spreading fire erupted in the Windsor Hotel at Fifth and East 47th Street. This spectacular fire and the struggle to extinguish it was the responsibility of the Chief of the Ninth Battalion, John Binns. In 1901 at a fire on West 47th Street, although overcome by fumes and smoke himself, the Chief entered the building upon a cry that men had collapsed, and pulled one of them to the safety of fresh air. He commanded a fire in 1907 that claimed the lives of two firefighters and trapped another for over thirty-one hours. It was said that were it not for Chief Binns' quick thinking to evacuate the building when he detected its instability, many more firefighters would have perished. On May 27, 1911 exploding light bulbs ignited the wood lathe buildings throughout the famous Dreamland amusement park. This tinderbox on the remote Coney Island became an uncontrollable conflagration, but the task of extinguishing it fell upon Deputy Chief John Binns. He also played a major role in battling the fire in the Equitable Building on lower Wall Street in the brutal winter of 1912.

On several occasions when the Chief of Department was out-of-town, Binns was placed in charge of the entire Department.

Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of sixty-five, the Chief submitted his paperwork to end his forty-plus years of service. The approval of his request was announced in a Department Order and in the media on February 3, 1923 but unbeknownst to the authors, John Binns passed away the day before." - Find A Grave Memorial# 119432931

Ladder 3 - April 7, 1884 - 1st FDNY scaling ladder rescue - Fireman Michael E. C. Graham (LODD February 14, 1909)

"On April 7, 1884, Firemen Michael E. C. Graham, Thomas F. Barrett and John Binns, made a daring and dramatic rescue of Louis Castaing, the sixteen-year-old elevator boy, at a fire in the St. George Flats. It was the first time that the scaling or "pompier" ladders were used by the FDNY.

On February 14, 1909 fire visited the canning department of the Standard Oil Company's Pratt Oil Works plant. The complex was located on Kent Avenue from North 12th Street to Newtown Creek and along the East River. The fire building was two stories high and measured 75 feet wide, 100 feet along the water with a 75 by 300 foot long building and pier abutting it going into the East River. This building was used to pack cans of oil, naphtha and benzene, that were placed in cardboard boxes and shipped overseas. It was the most dangerous part of the operations and the building was away from the other buildings. Battalion Chief Michael E. C. Graham, with the members of Ladder 108, had been operating near the front door of the building. The three-alarm fire started around 10 o'clock at night and after two and half-hours the front wall collapsed injuring all the members of Ladder 108 and the Chief. His back and both legs were broken when he was hit by the thick blue stone cornice from the upper floors. He died the next morning." - Find A Grave Memorial# 120811670

Chief Barrett - Standard Oil Company Pratt Oil Works fire - February 14, 1909:

Ladder 3 - April 7, 1884 - 1st FDNY scaling ladder rescue - Fireman Thomas F. Barrett

"At the age of twenty-three, Thomas F. Barrett joined the New York Fire Department and one year later had a part in one of its most dramatic rescues.

On April 7, 1884, Firemen, Thomas F. Barrett, John Binns and Michael E. C. Graham, all of Hook & of Ladder Company 3, made the first rescue using the scaling or "pompier" ladders. While known to be the first time they were used by the FDNY, it is believed that it was also the first time they were ever used to make a rescue at any fire.

The fire occurred in the St. George Flats at 225 East Seventeenth Street; described by the New York Times as a "pretentious apartment house." The alarm was sounded by the building's sixteen-year-old elevator boy, Louis Castaing, who became trapped by the flames on the top (seventh) floor after evacuating all of the occupants. The crowd was in awe of the dramatic use of the new devices. The firefighters all received commendations for this historic rescue. (Binns went on to become a Deputy Chief. Graham rose to Battalion Chief and died in the line-of-duty on February 15, 1909.)

Chief Barrett's first promotion came in 1889 to the rank of Lieutenant, then to Captain and finally to Battalion Chief in 1903. In all, he was cited four times for acts of bravery." - Find A Grave Memorial# 117418017

mack · Mar 31, 2015

Ladder 3 - Foreman (Captain) Peter Campbell - 1880s

Appointed Foreman of Ladder 3 in 1883, Peter Campbell was an FDNY legend and was responsible for numerous rescues. rescues.

mack · Apr 1, 2015

Ladder 3 - "Recon" - known as ?Recon? since the 1960s because of the many Vietnam War veterans who were assigned to the house - origin noted below:

2006 FDNY Medal Day - Community Mayors, Inc./ Lt. Robert R. Dolney Medal

Firefighter Terence M. Walsh Ladder Company 3

November 14, 2005, 1908 hours, Box 75-0497, 301 East 21st Street, Manhattan

Appointed to the FDNY on October 28, 2001. Father, FF Terry Walsh (now deceased), was a member of Engine 26; Uncle, Lieutenant Paul Geidel, is retired from Rescue 1; cousins, FF Gary Geidel was a member of Rescue 1, killed at the WTC, and FF Mike Geidel is assigned to Rescue 1; and brother, David Walsh, is a Proby in the Academy. Holds a BA degree in Psychology from Manhattan College. Cited once previously. Resides in Manhattan.

As a graduate of the first Fire Academy class after 9/11, FF Terence M. Walsh arrived at Ladder 3 in January 2002. He came at the low point of the company?s 141-year history, similar to many firehouses around the City. Being the new guy is hard under the best conditions, but FF Walsh was not discouraged. With his quiet determination and character and some help from senior members, FF Walsh became a very capable Firefighter in a short time, culminating in his dramatic rescue on the evening of Monday, November 14, 2005.

Ladder 3, which protects the Manhattan neighborhoods of Union Square, the East Village and Alphabet City, was called as the second-due truck to a reported fire at 301 East 21st Street, shortly after 1900 hours. The company was out of the firehouse, returning from another emergency when the call came in, which expedited their response.

Ladder 3 did not expect to arrive well ahead of other units, but when they pulled up, the company had no choice but to assume first-due responsibilities. Thick, black smoke was seeping out of two windows on the fourth floor of the 10-story, corner building when Ladder 3 rolled up alone.

With reports of people trapped, the inside team of Ladder 3 (known as ?Recon? since the 1960s because of the many Vietnam War veterans who were assigned to the house) raced up the stairs, each member carrying about 100 lbs. of equipment and gear. When the team--made up of FF Walsh (forcible entry), 10-year veteran FF James Andruzzi (can) and Lieutenant David W. Sharp (covering in Ladder 3 for the night)--entered the public hallway, they knew immediately that apartment 4H held the fire.

Under Lieutenant Sharp?s supervision, FFs Walsh and Andruzzi quickly forced open the locked door. Dense smoke and heat funneled over their heads as they prepared for their next move. Knowing that every second counted for the survival of the trapped victim, the three determined rescuers crawled into the darkness.

In zero visibility, FF Andruzzi turned right into a large living room, while Lieutenant Sharp continued down the hallway and eventually found the source of the fire. FF Walsh, using the left wall as a guide, could feel the heat intensifying through his protective clothing as he crawled deeper into the apartment, closer to the source of the fire. He continued to the left, passing the fire, into a dining room, where he felt the body of Michael Dash, 59, who was unconscious on the floor. Time was running out for Mr. Dash in the heat and acrid smoke, but FF Walsh?s discovery was reason for hope.

Ladder 3 in action. After FF Walsh?s call for assistance, FF Andruzzi also crawled past the fire to Mr. Dash?s location. He protected FF Walsh and Mr. Dash as best he could with the limited stream from the extinguisher. This was hardly a match for the intense blaze, but it was the best they had in the absence of a hose-line. The two Firefighters then worked together to drag Mr. Dash to safety.

Dedication to FDNY is nothing new to the Walsh family. FF Walsh?s mother, Margie, became a registered nurse to support the family after his father, FF Terence M. Walsh, Sr.--who was a member of Engine Company 26--passed away. FF Walsh?s cousin, FF Gary P. Geidel, Rescue 1, was killed in the line of duty at the World Trade Center. His other cousin, FF Michael G. Geidel, currently serves in Rescue 1. His brother, David J. Walsh, also will carry on the family tradition; he entered the FDNY Fire Academy in April.

Four-year veteran FF Walsh?s bravery and sound search techniques under extreme conditions saved the life of Mr. Dash, who was treated for severe burns at the Cornell Hospital Burn Center. For his performance at Box 497, without the protection of a charged hose-line, FF Terence M. Walsh is awarded the Community Mayors Inc./Lt. Robert R. Dolney Medal.

mack · Apr 2, 2015

Engine 309/Ladder 159 firehouse 1851 East 48th Street Flatlands, Brooklyn

Engine 309 organized 1851 East 48th Street 1927

Ladder 159 organized 1851 East 48th Street 1947

1851 East 48th Street firehouse:

Engine 309:

Box 44-3498 214 Bay 14th Street

Ladder 159:

Engine 309/Ladder 159:

Videos:

Engine 309 responding from Engine 253:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7FHP2915g

Engine 309 EMS response:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Hj4frSkv8

Engine 309 LODDs:

FF Emanuel Adler, Engine 309, Brooklyn box 3138, 5001 Avenue L, died from injuries, November 16, 1952:

FF Daniel A. Dunphy, Engine 309, injured in quarters, January 25, 1955, died from injuries January 26, 1955

Never forget.

Flatlands:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatlands,_Brooklyn

FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies

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