The 52 Twins were the first companies in FDNY to have the same number Engine & Ladder Co's station in the same quarters. In order to create the second house, the 10's, fire companies were moved around. Engine 6 was near Ladder 10 who was in their own quarters on the west side of lower Manhattan. Eng 6 was relocated to Engine 32 quarters & then Engine 32 was deactivated. Engine 10 was in quarters with Ladder 15 & when the new house was opened, they were moved over to the Trade Center area.
Engine 52 can trace its history back to 1889. For several years they were a combined company until Ladder 52 was established in 1928 as a seperate company. Engine 81 was created in 1905 & Ladder 46 in 1913.
One has to remeber that over the years Engine 48 was second due to the Riverdale area.
Engine 52 at one time had a second section (seperate company) for a little more then a year between 1955 & 1956. After that they were given a hose wagon which in most cases was an older pumper was used to carry additional hose for long stretches caused of a lack of fire hydrants. As years passed, additional fire hydrants have been added through out the area. Fieldstone, a former private community, to the east of the fire house, had their own hydrants through out their community.
The 52 twins over the years have been kept in their area. Its too costly to sent them to multiple alarm fires south or east of the area because the area needs to be covered. Remember on all of there boxes, Engine 81 & TL 46 are their running mates. The "Bailey Ave Station" workload has greatly increased over the years both in first due areas & also 2nd & third due response areas both Manhattan & The Bronx.
In recent years the 'safety net' that protected the Riverdale area has been taken away from the 52's twins & they are responding outside their area on multiple alarm fires. Due to the lay out of local streets, if a fire unit is not knowlegde about they area, They can easily get lost. This will increase their arrival times. Years back upon retirement, one of the 52 firefighters walked the local streets & painted a map of Riverdale in quarters to help all who came after him. Today with GPS, I can only hope that first responders can find their way around that community without too much of a delay.
In past years, a lot of the land had been sold. Large private estates have been down sized with land being sold off to new developers. Mini-masions have been constructed between two existing high end residences. High rise buildings are today common from Broadway to the Hudson River. The area still houses two major colleges, but many other schools, alot of private educational facilities are now housed on the hills of Riverdale. Nursing homes run from Spuyten Duyvil to the Yonkers border line. There is even a private hospital hidden in the northern area of the community. Some of the older medical facilities have closed. Metro North trains still travel along the former NY Central Railroad tracks following the Hudson with several stops in the Riverdale - Kingsbridge areas. The train station at the College of Mount Saint Vincent has been elimated. Years back the Putnam line was shut down. Tracks can still be found along side the Major Deegan Expwy & in Van Cortlandt Park, besides being home to two different golf courses. Wave Hill is another historial site that calls Riverdale its home. In more recent times, Riverdale has changed - international political figures have moved into the quite community. Today Riverdale houses the Russian highrise residential compound. It made history being the first structure to be built up-side down in NYC.
Workload has been creeping up over the years. Riverdale has always been noted as a brush fire area, but construction has been reducing that threat over the years. The commercials areas - Kingsbridge community near B'way & West 231 St, Johnson Ave, North Broadway, or even North Riverdale Ave have always been noted to have one of more multiple alarms every few years. You will get an All Hands fire in a residential structure every few months & an occassional higher alarm yearly.
Water supply is still a problem & in recent years Sat # 2 with Eng 72 respond into this area on the All Hands.
Remember thatin NYC the second highest fatal marine incident took place in the Hudson River off of Riverdale.
Beware of the sleeping communities.
