Connecticut Fire Activity "2015" (Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury)

[fdhistorian]

The idea of consolidating companies into one centralized house, then disbanded one of the companies (usually the second engine) is not a new one, as grumpy mentioned. This occurred in many cities, particularly in New England, as a means of budget cuts.


This also occurred in Worcester, MA, Springfield, MA, Jersey City, NJ, Buffalo, NY, and Newark, NJ. Companies were merged into one location and at least one was disbanded in the end or reincarnated in the form of another squad, rescue, or tactical company. Providence, RI was the exception, as the only engine closed during the '70s-'90s was Engine 1 to make Special Hazards 1, the PFD's heavy rescue, a fully-manned and operational independent company.

Worcester double engine houses:
(Engine 1), Engine 16 - later Engine 3, Engine 16
Engine 2, Engine 13
Engine 7, Engine 10 - later Engine 4, (Engine 10)
Engine 6, Engine 12

Worcester operated separate engine companies and hose companies as late as 1971.  Engine 15 and 16 were the last hose companies that were converted to engines.

Springfield double engine houses:
Engine 1, (Engine 6)
Engine 1, (Engine 7)
(Engine 2), Engine 16
(Engine 2), Engine 5
Engine 8, (Engine 13)
Engine 9, (Engine 15)

Providence double engine houses:
(Engine 1), Engine 3
Engine 6, Engine 7 - now separate
Engine 10, Engine 11 - now separate
(Engined 16), (Engine 17)

Jersey City double engine houses:
(Engine 1), Engine 6
(Engine 4), Engine 5
Engine 8, (Engine 16)

Newark double engine houses:
(Engine 1), (Engine 3)
(Engine 1), (Engine 24)
Engine 14, (Engine 31)
Engine 18, (Engine 25)
(Engine 21), Engine 26
(Engine 23), (Engine 30)

Buffalo double engine houses:
Engine 1, (Engine 12)
Engine 4, (Engine 9)
(Engine 11), Engine 37
(Engine 16), Engine 21
Engine 25, (Engine 30)

Hartford double engine houses:
(Engine 3), Engine 7
Engine 11, (Engine 12)

Engine 3 was doubled up with Engine 7 pending its new firehouse which was never built.
Engine 12 was closed because it had staffing of 5 while Engine 11 had staffing of 6.

New Britain double engine houses:
Engine 1, (Engine 3)
Engine 2, (Engine 6)

Waterbury double engine house:
Engine 1, (Engine 9)

Fall River double engine houses:
Engine 2, (Engine 3)
Engine 5, (Engine 10)
(Engine 7), Engine 9

New Bedford double engine house:
Engine 1, (Engine 2)

Pittsfield double engine house:
Engine 3, (Engine 4)

and the list goes on. . . . .

 

[nfd2004]

"fdny1075k", "fdhistorian", and "grumpy", you guys have presented some excellent facts on the closings of some of the busiest companies in the northeast.

  In most cases, what was learned here was that "With Consolidation-Comes Elimination". A guy who worked for ISO (Insurances Service Offices (?), once told me that.

Even in the small city that I worked in (Norwich, CT), with the construction of a new firehouse, a 2 man Rescue (Rescue 1) and a 3 man Engine Co (Engine 6) was closed down, leaving just three engines and a truck. 

  I remember going to Worcester and there were three firehouses that contained two engines and a ladder company each. But during the summer months with vacations etc, an engine company from each firehouse would be shut down. Most people in the neighborhoods never even knew that.

  I made the trip to Newark (about 140 miles) one time to get a rig shot I needed. When I got to the firehouse, the rig was there, but nobody was assigned to it. It had been paired up with a ladder truck and nobody even knew the company was closed down for the day. They call it "Brownouts". People in the neighborhood saw cars in the parking lot and trucks in the firehouse, but didn't know their first due engine company was not in existence that day.

  Of course during the budget crisis of NYC in the 70s, maybe 76/77, we saw the closing of about 50 FDNY fire companies and the lay offs of approximately 300 firefighters. Never before, including during the Great Depression, were any firefighters ever laid off. For the FDNY, most of us here know, this was a time we now refer to as the FDNY War Years. A time in the history of the entire fire service that has never been broken and I'm betting, "never will". A record number of serious building fires were fought with 50 less companies. There were times when one or two companies pulled up to an occupied building fire asking for help and nobody was available to respond.

  Today, we have to ask this question. "I wonder how many more people could have been rescued or how much more property value could have been saved if those companies were left open and not closed down". None of us will really ever be able to answer that question. But I have to believe that by closing fire companies, no matter where they are, there is a much steeper price to pay, then just dollars and cents.

 

 

[fdny1075k]

Thank you, fdhistorian for all that added information. A lot of smaller cities had houses with multiple companies as well.

And thanks for the story, Bill. It's amazing how many companies, in New York and other cities, were closed due to budget cuts during years of peaked fire activity.

 

[fdhistorian]

Engine 1, Engine 11, Truck 2, Emergency Unit 4 - Howard Ave.
Engine 2, Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 1 - Grand Ave.
Engine 3, Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 5 - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7, Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14, Truck 6 - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.

Eventually, Engine 3 was disbanded to form Tactical Unit 1, which ran out of the quarters of E6/T4. Engine 7 was also closed to form Tactical Unit 2, which ran out of the quarters of E10/T3/C32. Tac. 1 was disbanded to form Squad 1, which now runs out of E8's quarters and Tac. 2 as closed to form Squad 2, which now runs out of the quarters of E9/C34.

Engine 1 (1962), Engine 11, Truck 2,  Emergency Unit 4 (now 2) - Howard Ave.
Engine 2 (1980), Engine 4, Truck 1, Car 35(Central BC), Emergency Unit 5 (200?) - Grand Ave.
Engine 3 (1981), Engine 6, Truck 4 - Goffe St.
Engine 5, Emergency Unit 3 (now 1) - Woodward Ave.
Engine 7 (1981), Engine 10, Truck 3, Car 33(East BC) - Lombard St.
Engine 8, Engine 14 (1971), Truck 6 (1991), Emergency Unit 1 (200?) - Whitney Ave.
Engine 9, Car 34(West BC), Emergency Unit 2 (2001) - Ellsworth Ave.
Engine 12 (1961) - Crown St.
Engine 15, Truck 5 (1999) - Fountain St.
Engine 16 - Lighthouse Rd.
Engine 17 - E. Grand Ave.
Fireboat (1980)

Was there any system to determine which company got disbanded?  Seems like the oldest engine got disbanded in most cases.

From NHFD's historian:  (Thanks, Ed)

Engine #14 station on Highland Street was closed and the Company was transferred to the new Whitney Avenue Station with Engine #8 and H&L #6.  The area that 14's covered when they were taken out of service was divided between Engine #6 and Engine #8.

Engine #1 was taken out of service and Engine #11 took over the area as they covered a larger portion of the Hill Neighborhood.

Engine #2 was taken out of service at the Central Station on Grand Avenue as they did not have a still district but went on all multiple alarm assignments in the city.  Engine #4 covered downtown New Haven.

Engine #3 was taken out of service and became known as Tactical Unit #1 riding out of the Dixwell Station with Engine #6 and H&L #4.  Previously to that Engine #3 occupied the station on the corner of Park & Elm and when the new station was built on Goffe Street they rode out of there.

Engine #7 became Tactical Unit #2 riding out of the Lombard Street Station with Engine #10 and Hook & Ladder #3.  Engine 10 was the still response company for decades while Engine #7 rode out of the Water Street Station that was taken out by I-95/I-91 construction.