The Fire Patrol was funded by the Insurance companies. I believe at the time of their closing, they were running three units. Basically they responded to "Commerical Buildings," not just buildings owned by the City of New York, that had sustained water damage from maybe a fire or an activated sprinkler pipe. The employees of the Fire Patrol were Not employees of the FDNY, but a group of Insurance Companies. They would throw Salvage Covers, and help prevent any water damage to any business.
After the Fire Patrol, was disbanded, there were approximately 20 - 30 Ladder Trucks that became what was called a "Salvage Truck". These Ladder Companies carried extra Salvage equipment and would respond wherever special called solely for Salvage operations. Very similar to what a S.O.C. Ladder Co does today. After doing this for two or three years, eventually, ALL FDNY Ladder Cos were given Salvage equipment and training. Today all FDNY Ladder companies do Salvage work, not just a limited few.
I really don"t know whatever happened to the trucks they used.
Along that line, during some of those years, the City funded what was called "The Model City"s Program". The city operated a separate type of Salvage company which handled water problems in "Residential Buildings". They were simply called "Salvage Cos". I believe there were three or four of these mostly used in the hardest hit neighborhoods from fire. I believe the crew consisted of a FDNY Officer (Lt or Capt), and four or five civilians. It was also hoped that these civilians would be introduced into the fire service and make a career with the FDNY. I have no idea if this theory ever worked out. The Fire Salvage companies were started sometime around the ending of the War Years (1975 ?) and were eventually disbanded maybe sometime in the early 80s. Not exactly sure on the dates though.
