Ladder/ Rescue Companies

[Lebby]

In 1988, five ladder companies, one in each borough we're designated to assist the rescue companies. I imagine these were the predecessors to the current SSLs. Does anyone know what companies these were and what their roles were?

 

[turk132]

L27 in the Bronx

 

[JohnnyGage]

From what I remember, the ladder companies supported Rescue Companies particularly with hazmat and trained on wearing the tyvek suits.

 

[Lebby]

Lt. Tom Barry mentions that L*42 "was designated a rescue support truck" in Into The Smoke. (Michael Dick's pictures are fantastic as always.) Which I imagine makes it another of the five.

 

[68jk09]

126 is a SSL..... the designation was given way before Haz Mat came into play for the SSLs.....originally the SSLs assisted mostly at bldg collapses & other Emergencies ....when I was the CPT of 126 we also had gone to some serious Fires as a SSL...one thing that we had put on the table to HQ & was eventually made policy (I hope it still is) is that if a normally assigned 1st Due LAD is a SSL they are not to be designated to act as a SSL since often you would have to return to Qtrs for the 2nd Piece etc delaying the response of the nearest LAD.....I also remember LAD*117 & LAD*27 being SSLs back then.

 

[fdhistorian]

In 1988, the Structural Collapse Utility was established, staffed by Ladder 27 with Ladder 42 as backup.
In 2004, the Structural Collapse Unit became Rescue Collapse Unit 3, staffed by the same companies.

Also in 2004, Rescue Collapse Unit 1 was established, staffed by Ladder 25 with Ladder 14 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 2, staffed by Ladder 132 with Ladder 131 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 4, staffed by Ladder 116 with Ladder 146 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 5, staffed by Engine 160, with Ladder 77 backup.

 

[Lebby]

In 1988, the Structural Collapse Utility was established, staffed by Ladder 27 with Ladder 42 as backup.
In 2004, the Structural Collapse Unit became Rescue Collapse Unit 3, staffed by the same companies.

Also in 2004, Rescue Collapse Unit 1 was established, staffed by Ladder 25 with Ladder 14 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 2, staffed by Ladder 132 with Ladder 131 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 4, staffed by Ladder 116 with Ladder 146 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 5, staffed by Engine 160, with Ladder 77 backup.

So Ladder 27 was both the Structural Collapse Unit and a SSL until 2004?

 

[CVILLE7111]

126 is a SSL..... the designation was given way before Haz Mat came into play for the SSLs.....originally the SSLs assisted mostly at bldg collapses & other Emergencies ....when I was the CPT of 126 we also had gone to some serious Fires as a SSL...one thing that we had put on the table to HQ & was eventually made policy (I hope it still is) is that if a normally assigned 1st Due LAD is a SSL they are not to be designated to act as a SSL since often you would have to return to Qtrs for the 2nd Piece etc delaying the response of the nearest LAD.....I also remember LAD*117 & LAD*27 being SSLs back then.

 

[fdny747]

In 1988, the Structural Collapse Utility was established, staffed by Ladder 27 with Ladder 42 as backup.
In 2004, the Structural Collapse Unit became Rescue Collapse Unit 3, staffed by the same companies.

Also in 2004, Rescue Collapse Unit 1 was established, staffed by Ladder 25 with Ladder 14 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 2, staffed by Ladder 132 with Ladder 131 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 4, staffed by Ladder 116 with Ladder 146 backup;
Rescue Collapse Unit 5, staffed by Engine 160, with Ladder 77 backup.

Rescue Collapse 2 is now in with Rescue 2 and the same for Rescue 3 and 5

 

[fdhistorian]

So Ladder 27 was both the Structural Collapse Unit and a SSL until 2004?

SSL's were organized in 2005

 

[Lebby]

SSL's were organized in 2005

Understood, so it was a Ladder/ Rescue until switching to an SSL in 2005 whilst also being staffing the Structural Collapse Unit until 2004?

 

[68jk09]

SSL's were organized in 2005

Actually prior to being called SSL's (way back) there was another term for them ....in my reply #5 above I used SSL but there was another term for them initially which I can't remember ...maybe Rescue Support Ladder ?.....same basic idea though but only a few LADs were designated back then now were are several now known as SSLs.

 

[JohnnyGage]

There were quite a few Rescue Support Ladder Co's, I remember there was a unit location chart that had all the specific designations listed, including salvage trucks, etc.

 

[mikeindabronx]

Lt. Tom Barry mentions that L*42 "was designated a rescue support truck" in Into The Smoke. (Michael Dick's pictures are fantastic as always.) Which I imagine makes it another of the five.

Thank you

 

[fdhistorian]

Understood, so it was a Ladder/ Rescue until switching to an SSL in 2005 whilst also being staffing the Structural Collapse Unit until 2004?

The history timeline shows that Ladder 27 and Ladder 42 were assigned to assist Rescue 3 with the Structural Collapse Utility. When the Collapse Unit program expanded to Rescue 1 and Rescue 2 in 2004, then to Rescue 4 and Rescue 5 in 2005, additional Ladder companies were assigned (primary and backup). In 2005, 25 Ladder companies were designated SOC Support Ladders (all but one of the original 10 plus 16 additional).

Cross staffed specialty assignments go back to the 1940's. Ladder 78 and Rescue 5 were cross staffed. Super Pumper Satellites were cross staffed and Marine units were co-staffed by Engine companies.

 

[fdhistorian]

In January 1991, Ladder Companies 7, 14, 15, 27, 42, 45, 47, 77, 84, 86, 117, 126, 131, 136, 146, 169, and 175 were designated as Rescue Support Ladder Companies carrying certain rescue and extrication tools beyond that carried by other ladder companies. They could be special called to emergencies when the assigned Rescue Company was unavailable or be special called to emergencies to assist a Rescue Company, in lieu of calling an additional Rescue. They could be special called to fires only to perform regular ladder company duties.

 

[1261Truckie]

Sometime after 2001 Ladders 132 and 170 were added in Brooklyn.