FDNY and NYC Firehouses and Fire Companies

[68jk09]

After 213 was closed & the meter maids were organized the old FH became one of their local quarters for awhile .....  in the '40s & '50s  213 had a famous well known Buff named Joe White who owned a roofing Co w/a bldg right by the FH on Powers St....... being in the business his bldg had an ornate tin cornice w/his name on it.

 

[mack]

Foreman (Captain) Matthew Fohey, Engine 113, died in quarters after a false alarm on August 24, 1900:

   


Unfortunately, Fohey had been disciplined for political comments just prior to his death.  He was transferred from Engine 128 (228) close to his home and family, to Engine 151 (251), future site of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, back to Engine 128, and then to Engine 113 (213) in Greenpoint/East Williamsburg.  This was considered a very undesirable firehouse due to inaccessibility.  Back then, members spent most of their time in the firehouse and it was very important to be able to walk home for meals and visits when possible.

   

 

[wfd444]

QUESTION: Is there a time-line of FDNY history beginning with 1865? and moving forward to the present? I would like to know because that way i can grasp better the developments of the department.

 

[mack]

wfd444 - Good question - a comprehensive FDNY timeline.  Hard to capture major organization changes, new leadership, innovations, new firehouses/new units, new apparatus, major fires and events.

There are some timelines at the NYC Fire Museum website:  http://www.nycfiremuseum.org/history_laying_ground.cfm

Wikipedia offers historical timeline:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Fire_Department

Other members on site should have better responses.

 

[wfd444]

I have begun work on one and I am NOT getting anywhere fast.....

 

[mack]

Engine 218  firehouse  650 Hart Street    Bushwick, Brooklyn

    Engine 18 BFD organized 112 Seigel Street                                                    1877
    Engine 18 BFD new firehouse 650 Hart Street                                                1887
    Engine 18 BFD became Engine 18 FDNY                                                        1898
    Engine 18 became Engine 118                                                                      1899
    Engine 118 became Engine 218                                                                    1913
    Engine 218 disbanded  (July 2)                                                                      1975
    Engine 218 reorganized (July 4)                                                                    1975

    Engineer 7 BFD organized 112 Seigel Street                                                  1885
    Engineer 7 BFD moved 55 Morgan Street at Engine 37 BFD                            1896
    Engineer 7 BFD became Battalion 7 FDNY                                                      1898
    Battalion 7 moved to 650 Hart Street at Engine 18                                        1898
    Battalion 7 became Battalion 27                                                                  1898
    Battalion 27 disbanded                                                                                1906

    Battalion 37 organized and operated at 650 Hart Street at Engine 118 (218)  1906-1949
   

    Note:
          - Ladder 8 BFD (became Ladder 108 FDNY) operated from 112 Seigel Street 1887-1971



Engine 18 BFD at 112 Seigel Street:
   
   


Engine 18 BFD:

   


Engine 118 FDNY at 650 Hart Street:
   
   


650 Hart Street 1980s:
   
   


650 Hart Street:

   

   

   

   

   

   


Engine 218 1936 Mack pumper:

   


Engine 218 Mack CF pumper early 1970s:

   


Engine 218:

   

   

   


Engine 218 responding:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsTjqRLhA3A


Engine 218 at location:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD57e8BlTSU


Engine 118 (218) LODD:

    FF William Maurer, thrown from rig responding from quarters, November 2, 1912

   

   

    Never forget.

 

[mack]

Engine 270/Squad 270/Ladder 125/Division 13  firehouses    Richmond Hills, Queens

    Engine 170 organized 86-40 122nd Street former quarters volunteer Columbia Hose Company 1        1907
    Engine 170 became Engine 270                                                                                                      1913
    Engine 270 new firehouse 91-45 121st Street w/Ladder 125                                                            1913
    Engine 270 became Squad 270                                                                                                      1998

    Ladder 75 organized 91-45 121st Street former quarters volunteer Richmond Engine Company 1        1907
    Ladder 75 moved 91-62 111th Street at Hose 2                                                                              1912
    Ladder 75 became Ladder 125                                                                                                        1913
    Ladder 125 new firehouse 91-45 121st Street w/Engine 270                                                            1913
    Ladder 125 moved 159-06 Union Turnpike at Engine 315                                                                  1953

    Division 13 located at 91-45 121st Street                                                                                1953-present

   
    "The Columbia Fire Department, was organized in 1893, and manned by volunteers. The original wooden firehouse was located on the west side of Willow (122nd) Street between Jamaica and Hillside Avenues. The brick building was erected in 1902.

    86-40 122nd Street - Columbia Hose 1/Columbia Ladder 1  - original firehouse and second firehouse - built 1893 and 1901, respectively  -  brick firehouse became original quarters of FDNY Engine 170 (270) and remains standing:

   

   

    Before telephones, a whistle would alert the volunteers. The first volunteer to arrive at the firehouse took hold of the hose cart and dragged it out. Others would hold on while the cart was driven the shortest route to the fire, through farmland and backyards, trampling over flowerbeds...The Columbia Fire Department and the Richmond Hill Exempt Volunteer Fireman's Association was considered one of the best organizations in the country."

    - from "Images of America: Richmond Hill")


Engine 170 firehouse 1910:

   


86-40 122nd Street former firehouse current use:

   

   


91-45 121st Street Engine 270 new firehouse model:

   


91-45 121st Street:

   

   

   

   

   

   


Engine 270 1938 Ahrens Fox 1000 GPM pumper:

   


Engine 270 1946 WLF 750 GPM pumper:

   


Engine 270 1958 Mack 750 GPM pumper:
   
   


Squad 270:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   


Division 13:

   

   


Squad 270:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f74xATBK5iw

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7zc9Mo8Etw

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlQ1V3AksW0


Emily Trevor Mary B Warren Medal - FF Gregory D Haynes, Detailed to Squad 270, Queens Box 33-5004, March 5, 1999:

   


Thomas F. Dougherty Medal - Lt James L Earl, Squad 270, Queens Box 22-8943, June 3, 1999:

   
Engine 270 LODD:
   

    Lt Herman G. Berny, Engine 270, Box 33-8485, 100-07 101st Street, October 15, 1972

   

    Never forget.


Richmond Hill neighborhood:

    - The formation of Richmond Hill came about as a result of the 1869 purchase of the Lefferts and Welling farms by one Albon Platt Man, a prominent New York attorney. 
    - The town name 'Richmond Hill' is either from a town in England or it might be inspired by an architect of the time named Edward Richmond. (Incidentally, Richmond Hill was the name given to the 138 foot hill which stands north of Metropolitan Ave. on 116th Street where a water tank now stands.

    http://www.richmondhillhistory.org/quickinfo.html

    http://forgotten-ny.com/2007/02/richmond-hill-queens/

    http://queens.about.com/od/photogalleries/ss/richmond-hill.htm



   

   

   

 

[mack]

After 213 was closed & the meter maids were organized the old FH became one of their local quarters for awhile .....  in the '40s & '50s  213 had a famous well known Buff named Joe White who owned a roofing Co w/a bldg right by the FH on Powers St....... being in the business his bldg had an ornate tin cornice w/his name on it.

E 213 mascot Buster - Joe White's dog:

 

[fdhistorian]

I have begun work on one and I am NOT getting anywhere fast.....

For a meaningful timeline, you should decide which events you want to capture to provide the particular details that your timeline is trying record (i.e. Organization, administration, personnel, innovation, resources, events)

Most of these are already done:

Fire Chiefs by year
Hirings by year
Stations & Units by year
Innovations as they happened
Major organizational changes as they happened
Statistics by year (LODD's, fatalities, injuries)
Activity by year (Runs & Workers)
Apparatus purchases by year
Government by year, annexations, new highways and bridges, etc
Major unusual fires and emergencies as they happened

The challenge is to choose topics that influenced the direction and development of the department.  Singular events, such as WTC, and recurring events, such as new Fire Chief, are equally important.

 

[mack]

Engine 229/Ladder 146  firehouses  Williamsburg, Brooklyn

    Engine 29 BFD organized new firehouse 246 Frost Street                        1890
    Engine 29 BFD became Engine 29 FDNY                                                1898
    Engine 29 became Engine 129                                                              1899
    Engine 129 became Engine 229                                                            1913
    Engine 229 new firehouse 75 Richardson Street w/Division 11                1915

    Ladder 146 organized 75 Richardson Street at Engine 229                      1916

    Division 11 located at 75 Richardson Street at Engine 229    1915-1927, 1930-1948, 1951-1990


Engine 29 BFD:
   
   

   


246 Frost Street former firehouse 1980s:

   


246 Frost Street former firehouse current use:
   
   


75 Richardson Street:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   


Engine 229 2nd alarm1957:
   


Engine 229:

   

   

   

   

   



L 146 1913 LF 75 foot aerial:

   

Ladder 146:

   

   

   

   


Engine 229/Ladder 146:

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

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSEUVj0YWJE

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4qBl_RbXDY


LODDs:

    FF Peter Clark, Engine 129 (229), responding to alarm - engine crashed to avoid child, September 11, 1904

   


    FF George Nigro, E 229, SSG US Army, World War II, KIA, February 13, 19451945

   

   
   
   


    FF William Kot, Engine 229, Brooklyn Box 0098, April 5, 1954

   


    FF Daniel F. Pujdak, L 146, fell climbing onto roof, Brooklyn Box 75-0247, June 21, 2007

   

    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/bravest-60-foot-horror-plunge-article-1.221699

    http://www.dannypujdak.com/index_b.html

   
    Never forget.



   

   

   

   

 

[68jk09]

Interesting lettering over the doors....the Truck side has the only FDNY Tower Ladder  ID in letters over the door .....the Tower portion came from the old Water Tower 7 ID that was over the ENG side doors before 229 moved in....The large ENGINE 229 chromed letters over the now ENG door were made from sand castings by a 229 LT years ago.

 

[mack]

Interesting lettering over the doors....the Truck side has the only FDNY Tower Ladder  ID in letters over the door .....the Tower portion came from the old Water Tower 7 ID that was over the ENG side doors before 229 moved in....The large ENGINE 229 chromed letters over the now ENG door were made from sand castings by a 229 LT years ago.

Could not find anything about a Water Tower 7 unit being organized at Richardson Street.  Engine 229 was in a relatively new firehouse at 246 Frost Street built for them when organized in 1890.  Maybe the plan for the Richardson Street firehouse in 1915 was to organize a new truck company, a new water tower company, relocate Division 11 (which was quartered alone), and keep Engine 229 at Frost Street. 

Water towers were critical assets at major fires from the late 1800s until ladder pipes in the 1950s and later the tower ladders in the 1960s.  There were no other water towers located in Brooklyn or Queens other than Water Tower 6 in Downtown Brooklyn.

The locations of FDNY water tower units in 1915 were:

        Unit                      Boro              Company              Location
    Water Tower 1        Manhattan      Engine 31      Lower Manhattan
    Water Tower 2        Manhattan      Ladder 3        Lower Manhattan
    Water Tower 3        Manhattan      Ladder 24      Midtown
    Water Tower 4        Manhattan      Ladder 26      Uptown
    Water Tower 5              not organized until 1932
    Water Tower 6        Brooklyn          Ladder 118  Downtown Brooklyn
    Water Tower 7              not organized


Water Tower 6 1914 at 365 Jay Street:
   

 

[68jk09]

Agreed i would say WT*7 was not organized but the lettering was in place on what is  now the ENG side of the FH. ........DV*11 was on Richardson St until the closing of DV*10 & DV*12 then DV*11 moved to it's current location on Tillary St.

 

[mack]

25 Pitt Street - opened 1973 - another firehouse planned and built for unit that went somewhere else - Squad 5:

 

[mack]

Engine 160 firehouse on Clove Road in SI built in 1915 - apparently planned for H&L 81:



H&L 81 actually organized at Engine 159 in former volunteer firehouse on Richmond Road in 1915.

 

[nfd2004]

25 Pitt Street - opened 1973 - another firehouse planned and built for unit that went somewhere else - Squad 5:

  Also interesting to see in that picture is the old and new color scheme for the NYPD cars parked on the street.

 

[memory master]

25 Pitt Street - opened 1973 - another firehouse planned and built for unit that went somewhere else - Squad 5:

  Also interesting to see in that picture is the old and new color scheme for the NYPD cars parked on the street.

RMP color scheme changed in 1973 from the green/black/white to the blue white.

 

[mack]

Engine 88/Engine 88-2/Ladder 38  firehouse  2225 Belmont Avenue,  Belmont, Bronx

    Engine 88 organized 2225 Belmont Avenue w/Ladder 38                      1908

    Engine 88-2 organized 2225 Belmont Avenue at Engine 88                    1969
    Engine 88-2 disbanded                                                                      1972

    Ladder 38 organized 2225 Belmont Avenue w/Engine 88                      1908


2225 Belmont Avenue firehouse:

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   


Engine 88:

   

   

   

   

   

   


Ladder 38:

   

   

   

   


Engine 88/Ladder 38 responding:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FjPDpCv3tM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZDsZ0Nuqic

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d8Mgr-ZgU8


1st Responder Newspaper - April 2013 - Engine 88/Ladder 38:

   


   

Ladder 38 LODD:

    FF Charles J. Grieco, Ladder 38, March 26, 1968

   

    Never forget.


Belmont, Bronx:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont,_Bronx

    http://forgotten-ny.com/2012/01/concourse-to-parkchester/

    http://www.arthuravenuebronx.com/

 

[mack]

Engine 88/Engine 88-2/Ladder 38 Runs and Workers 1964-2013:






















Year  Engine  Runs  EMS  Workers  OSW  All Hands
1975    88    6197    0      3638        0 
1976    88    6705    0      4697        0 
1977    88    6307    0      4862        0 
1978    88    5797    0      4749        0 
1979    88    4296    0      3615        0 
1980    88    4979    0      3635        0 
1981    88    5002    0      3419        0 
1982    88    4915    0      3307        0 
1983    88    4305    0      2804      285 
1984    88    4352    0      2746        0 
1985    88    4144    0      2542      336 
1986    88    4014    0      2498      272 
1987    88    4067    0      4245      275 
1988    88    4214    0      2386      279 
1989    88    4458    0      2531      277 
1990    88    4636    0      2590      311 
1991    88    4638    0      2803      287 
1992    88    4815    0      3000      271 
1993    88    4783    0      2792      268 
1994    88    4228    0      2570      284 
1995    88    4065    0      2485      292 
1996    88    2862  333    1794      293 
1997    88    3152  860    2141      297 
1998    88    3275  892    2421      337 
1999    88    3425  804    2467      410 
2000    88    3388  767    2379      346 
2001    88    3452  808    2704      487 
2002    88    3167  849    2336      309 
2003    88    3273  1001    2430      265 
2004    88    3401  1105    2475      291 
2005    88    3760  1093    2523      368 
2006    88    3823  1186    2626      397 
2007    88    3986  1310    2815      348 
2008    88    3801  1165    2498      291 
2009    88    3884  1157    2470      315 
2010    88    4141  1335    2616      361  67
2011    88    3979  1254    2519      343  86
2012    88    3871  1350    2490      282  52
2013    88    3969  1429    2490      282  74
Year  Engine  Runs  EMS  Workers    OSW All Hands

Year  Ladder  Runs  EMS  Workers    OSW All Hands
1975    38    5171    0        2938      0 
1976    38    4860    0        2987      0 
1977    38    4194    0        2652      0 
1978    38    4035    0        2718      0 
1979    38    4061    0        2797      0 
1980    38    4493    0        3114      0 
1981    38    4484    0        2910      0 
1982    38    4629    0        2756      0 
1983    38    4191    0        2422    316 
1984    38    4292    0        2355      0 
1985    38    4071    0        2151    341 
1986    38    3868    0        2037    286 
1987    38    3847    0        1954    263 
1988    38    3973    0        1976    265 
1989    38    4205    0        2120    240 
1990    38    3979    0        1970    243 
1991    38    4047    0        2196    270 
1992    38    4021    0        2607    421 
1993    38    4175    0        2876    450 
1994    38    3675    0        2581    475 
1995    38    3497    0        2416    498 
1996    38    2402  14      1571    371 
1997    38    2401  126      1549    346 
1998    38    2206  39      1398    295 
1999    38    2344  22      1387    368 
2000    38    2289  34      1434    333 
2001    38    2332    0        1520    314 
2002    38    2168    0        1418    312 
2003    38    2222    0        1452    298 
2004    38    2248    0        1558    380 
2005    38    2307    0        1654    351 
2006    38    2242    0        1683    352 
2007    38    2472    0        1441    329 
2008    38    2318    0        1627    337 
2009    38    2446    0        1600    343 
2010    38    2583    0        1704    386  56
2011    38    2480    0        1701    366  56
2012    38    2217    0        1463    339  45
2013    38    2060    0        1463    339  49
Year  Ladder  Runs  EMS  Workers    OSW All Hands

  -Thanks Frank Raffa

 

[mack]

Belmont, Bronx, was also home of all members of Dino and the Belmonts, a popular recording group in the late 1950s.  Two members lived on Belmont Avenue and two group members lived off Belmont Avenue.  Dion DiMucci split from group and became solo performer in the 1960s.

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


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