History of the Squad Co's?

Darrell

Darrell

Joined
Mar 30, 2023
Messages
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Anyone know why the FDNY decided to create the Squad Companies, it looks like SQ1 was founded in 1955 at E59. Anyone know how the rest of the Squads came into being.
 
Someone can add to this or correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is as follows. The historical version of the squad companies (pre-1990s) were manpower units. SQ1 was the last one standing. In the 1990s, there was an increased focus on terrorism and HAZMAT capabilities, while at the same time the city was pushing to shut down a handful of slower engine companies. FDNY leadership including Chief Downey convinced Fire Commissioner Von Essen and in turn Mayor Giuliani of a plan where the department's need for increased HAZMAT capability could be met by converting these engine companies into squads. I believe they were initially conceived as basically HAZMAT engines, but the department ultimately decided to add them to 10-75s and rescue operations to ensure enough members wanted to be assigned there. Apparently there was a concern that if they were simply an engine with HAZMAT capability, nobody would sign up. In terms of the order they were stood up, SQ1 as mentioned was a holdover from the previous era. After that I believe in the mid 1990s E41 was operating as an "enhanced engine", a term devised to deal with political resistance to the squad concept. Squads 18, 61, 252, 288, and 270 came online July 1, 1988, followed by Squad 41 the next day. Squad 8 was organized December 10, 2018. I believe the rationale behind forming SQ8 was the department moving toward a model where each borough has its own independent compliment of resources and can operate self sufficiently (i.e. each borough having at least a rescue, squad, collapse rig, etc).

Much of the evolution of the squads is covered in a Gettin Salty Podcast Episode on the founding of the modern squads, where they sat down with four of the original squad captains. It is a great show:
 
www.nycfire.net

SQUAD COMPANIES

Since there seems to be alot of members who're up on there history. Where was Squad#2 located, was it discontinued or form a new company and what was it function??
www.nycfire.net www.nycfire.net
 
FAJ/John Calderone did an excellent book "Squad Company Apparatus" of the FDNY. Lots of pixs as well as historical information.
 
The FDNY Squad Companies were started back to the late 1940s or early 1950s. Yes originally the squads were manpower units, and outside of Rescue Companies had Scott 1-A ,SCBA, before regular units had any SCBA's. They were, back then, assigned to respond and relieve Engine Companies on the hoselines utilizing their SCBA. Then when the fire was under control they gave the hoseline back to the Engine Companies for final extinguishment and overhuaul. As the FDNY got busier in the late 1960's to 1980s= "The War Years" the Squads started arriving at fires and with other than a few lengths of rolled hose could do little until an Engine Company arrived. The answer give, the Squad Companies an Engine apparatus instead of the "Bread wagon" step vans apparatus, they were assigned. up to the mid 1960s. The squads became among the busiest units in the FDNY. Squad 4 in Brownsville, Brooklyn one year did over, 10,000 runs and massive amount of working fires. At one time the F.DN.Y. Had 9 Squad Companies, mainly assigned in very active fire areas. In the early 1970s with the NYC financial crisis ALL the squad Companies were closed, but not before some of them were converred into new Truck and Engine Companies. Then in the 1980s Squad 1 was reopened, insted of in Harlem tyhe new Squad 1 was quartered on Union St. in Brooklyn. The a few months later the very active Engine 41 in the South Bronx was designated as an "Enhanced Engine Company" which meant nothing because Engine 41 was really operating as a Squad. With the grownth of hazardous materals responses more Squads have open over the years, the last being Squad 8 in Staten Island. Squads respond as any Engine does in its immediatea area, but also responds to 10-75, &/or All Hands fires and Muiltiple Alarms in large area. Squad also responds to Special Operations such has Hazardous Materials, Collapses, 10-60 =Major Disasters, Trench Collapses, High Angle rescues. The Squads in FDNY are all assigned a
"2nd Piece" for use at Haz. Mat and other major incidents. FDNY Squads do many things one of them is being a training ground for firefighters wishing to be assigned to Rescue Companies in the Future. As a firefighter, in the 1970s, I worked a few tours in Squad 3 in Williamsburg Brooklyn and as a Captain, in the 1990s I worked a couple of tours in Squad 1 on Union Street in Brooklyn. I have some online photos of both old and new FDNY Squad apparatus.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY engine 26 retired.
 

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Captain784 said:
The FDNY Squad Companies were started back to the late 1940s or early 1950s. Yes originally the squads were manpower units, and outside of Rescue Companies had Scott 1-A ,SCBA, before regular units had any SCBA's. They were, back then, assigned to respond and relieve Engine Companies on the hoselines utilizing their SCBA. Then when the fire was under control they gave the hoseline back to the Engine Companies for final extinguishment and overhuaul. As the FDNY got busier in the late 1960's to 1980s= "The War Years" the Squads started arriving at fires and with other than a few lengths of rolled hose could do little until an Engine Company arrived. The answer give, the Squad Companies an Engine apparatus instead of the "Bread wagon" step vans apparatus, they were assigned. up to the mid 1960s. The squads became among the busiest units in the FDNY. Squad 4 in Brownsville, Brooklyn one year did over, 10,000 runs and massive amount of working fires. At one time the F.DN.Y. Had 9 Squad Companies, mainly assigned in very active fire areas. In the early 1970s with the NYC financial crisis ALL the squad Companies were closed, but not before some of them were converred into new Truck and Engine Companies. Then in the 1980s Squad 1 was reopened, insted of in Harlem tyhe new Squad 1 was quartered on Union St. in Brooklyn. The a few months later the very active Engine 41 in the South Bronx was designated as an "Enhanced Engine Company" which meant nothing because Engine 41 was really operating as a Squad. With the grownth of hazardous materals responses more Squads have open over the years, the last being Squad 8 in Staten Island. Squads respond as any Engine does in its immediatea area, but also responds to 10-75, &/or All Hands fires and Muiltiple Alarms in large area. Squad also responds to Special Operations such has Hazardous Materials, Collapses, 10-60 =Major Disasters, Trench Collapses, High Angle rescues. The Squads in FDNY are all assigned a
"2nd Piece" for use at Haz. Mat and other major incidents. FDNY Squads do many things one of them is being a training ground for firefighters wishing to be assigned to Rescue Companies in the Future. As a firefighter, in the 1970s, I worked a few tours in Squad 3 in Williamsburg Brooklyn and as a Captain, in the 1990s I worked a couple of tours in Squad 1 on Union Street in Brooklyn. I have some online photos of both old and new FDNY Squad apparatus.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY engine 26 retired.
Click to expand...
Is it true that when they put the Squad in 269's old quarters that they ran on 10-75's citywide?
 
Darrell said:
Can you explain what those are? Or are they units assigned to Special Service/Limited Service or something else?
Click to expand...
What the Brits call non-operational. Basically, they were organizational placeholders for members doing office work and available for firefighting duty (in an emergency) or members still on the job (light duty) who had been found to be disabled and therefore not available for fire duty.
 
The concept of manpower squads was initially used by the NYPD precincts to provide reinforcements for emerging major incidents such as civil disturbances. FDNY adopted the concept during World War 2 to support companies depleted by members on military duty. Squads reappeared beginning in 1955, with as many as 9 companies by 1961, and then diminishing from 1966 to none during 1976. Squad 1 was reorganized in 1977 as the sole squad until 1998 when six engines became additional squads. Squad 8 was reorganized in 2018.


Squad 211943-1945
Squad 221944-1945
Squad 241943-1945
Squad 1 Manhattan1955-1962
Squad 1 Bronx1972-1976
Squad 1 Brooklyn1977-
Squad 21955-1976
Squad 31955-1975
Squad 31975-1976
Squad 41955-1975
Squad 41975-1976
Squad 5 Manhattan1959-1974
Squad 5 Bronx1974-1975
Squad 5 Bronx1975-1976
Squad 61959-1972
Squad 71959-1966
Squad 8 Manhattan1960-1966
Squad 8 Staten Island2018-
Squad 91961-1967
Squad 181998-
Squad 411998-
Squad 611998-
Squad 2521998-
Squad 2701998-
Squad 2881998-
 
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Is there a reason why squad 8 didn't become squad 154 like the rest of the squads using their old engine co numbers?
 
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