My Memories - The Bridgeport Fire Department

[fdny1075k]

At the request of Bill D. (nfd2004), I have some stories posted below written by Bill Bernhard about his memories of growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut (located in Fairfield County, Southwestern CT) during the 1950s and 60s when his father, Howard Bernhard, was on the job on the Bridgeport Fire Department. Bill Bernhard is himself a retired Bridgeport firefighter, having followed in his fathers footsteps. Bill came on the job in 1981, a year before his father retired. These stories primarily focus on Bill B.'s memories of his childhood and his father's career, as well as a couple of stories of his time on the job. They are some great stories about the "The Greatest Generation of Firefighters". I also posted some info on the BFD in general for those who are unaware.

"My Dad, Howard Bernhard, entered the U.S. Navy near the end of World War II and after his military service, he decided to study dentistry at the University of Bridgeport, but with a wife to support and a baby coming, he needed a steady income. His neighbor on Beechwood Avenue, Bridgeport Fire Department Assistant Chief Davis, suggested that he should take the test to become a Bridgeport Firefighter. So in September, 1949, Howard Bernhard was sworn in as a Probationary Firefighter with the Bridgeport Fire Department. He was first assigned to the Norman Street Firehouse (the quarters of Engine 3 and Truck 3). In those days following World War II, the work schedule was five day tours followed by five night tours and then two days off. After several years at 3’s, he was transferred to Fire Headquarters on Middle Street.

I was born in 1951 and my memories of the BFD begin in the mid-1950s. In those days most families had only one motor vehicle, so my Mom would put me in the car each day to go and pick up or drop off my dad at the firehouse. Bridgeport Fire Headquarters was located where Middle Street and Water Street formed a triangle and came together at Congress Street and Housatonic Avenue, just to the north of the firehouse was the parking lot which was that triangle. You were lucky if you could fit a dozen or so cars in it. That is another reason why my Mom would pick up and drop off Dad. The widest part of the firehouse was its south side (“D” side), so looking at the front of Fire Headquarters, there were four bays. The bay far to the right (“A”/”D” corner) held Squad 5 and behind it was Truck 5. Squad 5 was quite busy so many times you would see only Truck 5, which was parked behind it. A 1942 closed cab Mack with a horizontal ladder rack was the apparatus that was assigned to Squad 5. It had a small water tank and pump and ran to many rubbish and vehicle fires. Truck 5 had just received their new 1955 American LaFrance 100’ tillered metal aerial ladder truck. Between the Squad/Truck bay and the Engine 5 bays was an entrance door with a polished brass door knob which opened onto the apparatus floor. The two bays to the left of the small entrance door held the two pieces of apparatus assigned to Engine 5.

In those days, Engine 5 had late 1930s open cab Mack pumpers. Many of Bridgeport’s Engine Companies were two-piece until 1992. The hose wagon would wrap the hydrant with a 2 ?” hose and proceed to the fire where they would break the hose and put a nozzle on the 2 ?” to fight the fire. The pump would go to the hydrant and hook up to it with a 4 ?” hose and attach the 2 ?” that the hose wagon dropped at the hydrant, to a discharge outlet. Some of the BFD pumpers of that era had no water tanks and certainly no pre-connects. The first water on some fires may have been Squad 5’s booster line. There was another small entrance door to the left of Engine 5’s bays which went upstairs to the Fire Prevention Bureau and the third floor Alarm Room. The final bay to the left held all of the Chiefs’ cars.

The firefighters’ schedule changed in the early 1950s, resulting in them working three day tours followed by three night tours and then three days off. There were plenty of windows to wash in those four bay doors at Headquarters as they were all glass between wooden frames. At Christmas time the firefighters would decorate all the windows in front of the firehouse in water colors creating some spectacular scenes. To the south of the firehouse stood two three-story ordinary structures that housed the Topstone Cigar warehouse. On warmer days, the Squad 5 bay door would be open and you would find firefighters leaning up against the cigar warehouse, perhaps enjoying a smoke. Across the street stood the huge Globe Theater which was perhaps as tall as a six-story building. It was torn down in about 1956, creating a parking lot for the many Downtown shoppers (pre-mall days) to park their autos. It also allowed the afternoon sun to shine on the front of the firehouse. Also across the street were a three-story and a four-story brick tenement. The three-story tenement contained the Brass Guitar on the first floor and was directly across the street from the firehouse parking lot. It was rumored that on more than one occasion a few firefighters would sneak across the street for a little liquid refreshment and have to come running when the klaxon sounded.

In those days there was very little respiratory protection provided for firefighters. The BFD had some MSA filter masks which did not protect the wearers from deadly carbon monoxide. There were only two SCBA’s on each BFD Engine Company in 1981 when I came on the department. Some BFD firefighters in the 1950s had no respiratory protection at all. I remember my Dad coming home and throwing up from smoke inhalation on more than one occasion. There was a three-story brownstone on Fairfield Avenue near West Avenue where a smoky fire occurred, causing my father to hang out a window attempting to get some clean air. A photographer from the Bridgeport Post caught a picture of him in that window. A General Alarm fire started in the First National Grocery Warehouses off of lower Main Street on May 14, 1957. It burned throughout the entire complex and caused numerous firefighters to go down with smoke inhalation including my Dad. After that tough fire, Dad decided that he would have to become a Pumper Engineer because he didn’t know how he could continue as a firefighter. I can remember him studying for hours for the upcoming test. His efforts were rewarded and in 1958, he was promoted from firefighter to Pumper Engineer. His days at the Middle Street Firehouse were now behind him."

(Up Next...Engine 16)

 

[fdny1075k]

"Usually with a promotion comes a transfer and that was my father?s case in 1958, when as a new Pumper Engineer he was sent to the recently opened Engine 16 at 3115 Madison Avenue. It was certainly a culture shock going from the urban center of Bridgeport to an area that still had a working dairy farm down the street. Engine 16 was built on the edge of 90 Acres Park. Looking out the rear bay doors only the woods can be seen, even to this day. The suburbs of the city were just beginning to be built and no condos lined Madison Avenue and Vincellette Street as they do today. It was the post-war baby boom and everyone wanted their own small one or two-story home with a grass lawn and a barbeque area. The firehouse was new and all on one floor with light green tile walls in the interior. The three apparatus bays were enormous, dwarfing the American LaFrance pumper that sat in the bay furthest to the north. In the middle bay sat Truck 16, which was a 1950 open cab American LaFrance 85? tillered metal aerial ladder truck. According to the book, ?Bridgeport Firefighters?, published by Images of America, ?An 85? aerial ladder was stationed there and was briefly activated as Truck 16, but was mostly used as a spare.? The few men on duty where lost in the large bunkroom that today is the BFD?s Maintenance Shop?s offices and supply room and part of the BFD?s Credit Union.

Mom dropped me off one day to spend the day at the firehouse. I climbed up into the tillerman?s seat of Truck 16 and held that steering wheel in my hands, pretending to steer the back end of the truck, racing to a fire. To a young boy, the sheer length of that aerial ladder was just incredible. My dream of racing off to a fire almost came true when the speaker clicked and announced, ?Signal 29, Signal 29? (a Box Alarm coming in). I became so frightened that the truck would take off with me tillering that I leaped from the tillerman?s seat to the apparatus floor.

Dad found it difficult at 16?s because there were numerous little streets, with new ones being added every day. Names like Nancy Driver, Minturn Road, Sunburst Circle, Wellner Drive, Donald Court, and Raleigh Road replaced names so familiar for Headquarters firefighters, such as Fairfield Avenue, Broad Street, Golden Hill Street, and State Street. He was busy learning the new area and making his own personal maps since he was now the one behind the steering wheel. Also, the adjustment of going from a firehouse with twenty-one men on duty to four men including him was a big change.

It certainly was easier in the wintertime there once Engine 9 moved in with Engine 16 in 1964. The long front ramp of the firehouse was snow shoveled by hand in those days. The days were long with almost no multiple-family dwellings to inspect (long before smoke detector awareness inspections). Firefighters at 16?s and other firehouses would keep busy doing some wood crafting projects such as building Christmas tree stands with eight colored lights all around the perimeter and a set of steps which lead to a gate which opened. It had a 3? by 3? center board with a 3? pipe that eld the tree trunk. A good many of these tree stands ended up in the homes of Bridgeport Firefighters and their relatives. The one big fire of note which happened in those early days of Engine 16 was a department store, W.T. Grant, which was completely destroyed at the Brookside Shopping Center. Thankfully, firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to some of the adjacent stores. My Pop only stayed at Engine 16 for two years and was then transferred to Engine 14."

(Up Next...Bridgeport's Lower East Side)

 

[fdny1075k]

"In 1961, my Dad was transferred from Engine 14 to Engine 2 on Bridgeport?s Lower East Side. Engine 2 was a two-piece company like most Engine Companies in the BFD. He started out as a Combat Pumper Engineer there, but quickly moved up to Senior Pumper Engineer on ?C? shift, a position which he held until he retired in April, 1982. I remember Dad taking the family on a ride in the car shortly after he was transferred, showing us his new area of the city where he would work and witness widespread destruction by fire in his twenty-one years there. I remember thinking ?Wow, these buildings are all built right up against each other and don?t have any grass lawns?. We rode by Father Panik Village, which was forty-six buildings of all-masonry, three-stories, and parts of some buildings were four stories tall. There were thousands of people living there with only asphalt and concrete for a yard. The density of the buildings was very similar to areas of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York.

There were three-story row frames mixed with three and four-story brick and some frame tenements. Then there was the huge Bridgeport Brass Factory at the corner of East Main Street and Crescent Place. I photographed that building on fire during an extremely cold night in the early 1970s with my first 35mm camera. But back in 1961, it was a busy factory providing jobs for residents in the area. We toured streets like Walter Court, Hamilton, Green Street, and California Street: many streets that no longer exist on any Bridgeport map. I was so impressed with the frightening living conditions I witnessed on Walter Court, where ugly grey-colored row frames stretched down both sides of the street. It was there during the mid-1960s that a tragic multi-fatal fire occurred. I rode my bicycle over three miles to the fire when my dad came home and told me the fire engines are still on the scene. It was very scary to be in that neighborhood on my bicycle, but I had to see that fire scene.

The neighborhood also had the New Haven Railroad running through it on tracks elevated above the street. North of the tracks were several huge industrial complexes of five-story factory buildings. They including Remington Arms and Singer Sewing Machines, along with many smaller industrial concerns. The large tenements and businesses continued all the way up East Main Street. Those firefighters would not forget the bitter cold night spent on East Main Street fighting a fire in Gladstein?s Hardware and Watson?s Department Store in March, 1967. The south end of the district had many very old wood-frame buildings, along with some three-story brownstones and four-story brick tenements along East Main Street and Stratford Avenue. Also, there was the massive Steel Point electric generating plant where tug boats would bring barges of coal to be unloaded in the massive pile. The district ended as the land formed a peninsula on Bridgeport?s harbor. There were boat yards, dock slips, and boating-related businesses along with old wooden houses built in the 1800?s on those crowded, narrow streets. The area was ripe for a conflagration."

(Up Next...Engine 2 and the 1960s)

 

[fdny1075k]

"At Engine 2?s Clarence Street Firehouse, which was built in 1927, was also the Fire Department?s Training Division. It was just one room located on the left side of the corridor, just as you entered the rear entrance door of Engine 2?s Firehouse. Assistant Chief Parks was the Training Office at the time. I can remember him in his blue uniform jacket with three gold stripes on the sleeves and cigarette ash always sprinkled down his chest area. I would go over to 2?s on my bicycle in the 1960s to visit Dad frequently, and came to know many of the men stationed there. Besides having Engine 2 stationed there, also the East Side Assistant Chief and his aide manned Car 3 (now called Battalion 2).

Out in the back yard of Engine 2 was a paved fenced-in area of about 100? by 100?. It was a busy place with the training tower located there. All the city?s ladder trucks would visit and set up their ground ladders and aerial ladders. Firefighters would practice with the new Scott SCBA in the enclosed first floor of the tower. The original Engine 2 firehouse was located at 48 Crescent Place, adjoining Engine 2?s building on the south side at the ?C?/?D? corner. The old Engine 2 firehouse, built in the 1880?s was the BFD?s Maintenance Shop. It was a dark, dreary place with greasy parts lying in every corner. The shop faced north on Crescent Place, while Engine 2 faced south on Clarence Street.

Also, the fire hydrant repair vehicles and new fire hydrants were kept in the yard. There were also the trucks of the Fire Alarm Division which had ladders for the linemen who had to climb poles to fix the wires for the city?s fire alarm boxes. There were several coils of rope to pull wires up from the ground. That all changed in 1964, when Bridgeport went to the ERS system that had telephone handsets inside the boxes on the poles. That system was maintained by the Southern New England Telephone Company and the Fire Alarm Division was becoming more involved with two-way radios on all the fire apparatus and cars.

The 1960s were a time of great change in the U.S. with many institutions of society breaking down. The civil rights protests all over the country turned into violence when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. Hundreds of fires broke out in many of our major cities. In Bridgeport, many of the fires that occurred were of the nuisance variety, such as rubbish fires and abandoned building fires. The BFD Maintenance Division also was very busy at that time constructing fiberglass-covered plywood roofs for the many open cab American LaFrance fire apparatus that the BFD had purchased in the 1960?s. There were some instances of rock and bottle-throwing, especially in Father Panik Village, P.T. Barnum Apartments, and Beardsley Terrace during those tense days, so those roofs were welcome."

(Up Next...The South End and the Ridge Avenue Fire, 1992)

 

[fdny1075k]

"My mother’s family came to Bridgeport in 1941 as jobs were extremely plentiful in the city’s numerous factories. With World War II coming, Bridgeport was buzzing with activity and jobs. They moved to Bridgeport’s South End on Gregory Street, between Park Avenue and Columbia Street. It could not have been a better place to live with Seaside Park within walking distance. The neighborhood began to decline in the 1960s and ‘70s and with it fires increased. In particular I remember one fire in that neighborhood. It happened in 1992 on Ridge Avenue, across the street from the Marina Village Housing Project.

There were rumors that the locals wanted some people out of a three-decker and if they didn’t leave, there would be a big fire. Nearby, neighbors were warned to leave their homes also. The fire began about eight p.m. and immediately the original building, which was one building east of the corner of Walnut Street, was completely involved. Fire was spreading to both the “A” and “D” exposures as only an alley separated them from the original fire building. The power lines out in the street were also live and on fire. Engine 4 Pump took a hydrant on the corner of Columbia Street and Ridge Avenue. Engine 4 Hose Wagon operated its deck gun from a position on Ridge Avenue just east of the three buildings now burning. Engine 4’s two firefighters stretched a 2 ?” handline into the street on Ridge Avenue across from the original fire building, but had trouble holding their position as the radiant heat was unbearable. I was across the street, ducking behind a dumpster, coming up long enough to snap a few photos. The locals wanted these buildings gone so they made sure beforehand that the fire hydrants would not work. It was amazing what can be done to a fire hydrant with a sledge hammer. Six out of the eights fire hydrants in the area were either out of service from vandals or from other maintenance issues.

I watched as fire spread down Walnut Street now involving a forth building with no water flowing from fire engines in that area. I was an off-duty member of BFD Engine 3 and I asked the officer if I might take Engine 3 Hose Wagon and get him some water. He replied, “If you can get us water, then go on and do it.” I game the pump operator of Engine 3 Pump (a 1986 Hahn), the 3” hose from the hose bed of Engine 3 Hose Wagon and instructed him to hook it up to his intake. I took off down Ridge Avenue, turned left onto Iranistan Avenue, then right into Seaside Village where I found a fire hydrant on the next corner. Hooking up the soft sleeve to the 1970 American LaFrance and the fire hydrant I now had available water. Quickly I attached the 3” hose to a discharge and radioed Engine 3 Pump that water was on the way. I had dropped about 800’ of 3” hose but despite friction loss, some water was better than none.

Bridgeport had a new Fire Chief, Gerald F. Grover, who had been a Deputy Chief in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and this was his first major fire in Bridgeport. Four large wood-frame buildings were now fully involved with a significant ember storm threatening many more. With all of Bridgeport’s Engine Companies carrying no hose larger than 3”, Chief Grover requested mutual aid from the Long Hill Volunteer Fire Department in Trumbull for their 5” hose. He had them lay their line from Walnut and Gregory, up to Park Avenue where they hooked to a hydrant and fed the Bridgeport Engines. To him, it was a Pipeline Company, as that is what the Philadelphia Fire Department called their Engines that carried 5” hose.

Bridgeport had just received four new pieces of apparatus in 1992. They were all Pierce Lances with three of them being pumpers and the other being Rescue 5. Initially, they were equipped with 3” hose but after that fire, Chief Grover wanted the new Engine’s 4, 10, and 12 to be his Pipeline Companies with 5” hose. Also, the two-piece Pump and Hose Wagon concept was scrapped and soon all of Bridgeport’s Engine Companies were single piece units. I was working at BFD Engine 7 in 1996 and we had a dual lay of 3” hose (1000’ each bed) and by 1998 everyone had 5” hose."

(Up Next...The Projects)

 

[fdny1075k]

"Here is one story from my days at BFD Engine Co. 10/Ladder Co. 10, also known as 'Camp Putnam'. One day I was working an overtime on Ladder 10 when a "Signal 29" came in for an apartment fire at the Beardsley Terrace Apartments. It was a vacant apartment, but it was filled with trash and some furniture and heavy smoke was showing out several windows on the top floor when we arrived. Myself and Firefighter Joe Tesla of Squad 5 ran up the stairs to the top floor and crawled to the doorway to the apartment. Joe and I forced the door to the apartment and I crawled in and started putting water on the fire with a 2 1/2 gallon water extinguisher. Joe crawled in to start a search and I put the first water on the fire. The standpipe connections on most all the buildings in the complex were either stolen or vandalized so the procedure was to gain entry into an adjacent or nearby apartment and drop down a rope. Bridgeport in those days (1970s - 1980s) would pull up a booster line (yes a booster line) and extinguish the fire. The use of a booster line on apartment fires in all the city projects was standard procedure. The reason was because in the housing projects you never knew when you might come under attack and picking up the booster was very quick so you could make your get away. Nowadays Bridgeport and many other cities don't have booster lines on their fire engines. I am sure they almost never run into those problems we had with vandalized standpipe systems.

I just remembered another interesting housing project fire I went to. It was at the Charles F. Green Housing Project on Washington Avenue and extremely heavy black smoke was billowing from the basement. I was assigned to Ladder 5 (then called Truck 5), and we put smoke ejectors in the doorway or some basement opening to pull out the smoke. I will never forget that when we cleaned the blades on the fan the smoke or carbon/plastic stuck to the blades was at least 5/8" thick. What the heck was burning down there? The locals had build a fort of those plastic milk crates and there were several hundred of them on fire. We had those old Scott 2 A's with the elephant trunks in those days with either flat top Aluminum cylinders or steel bottles with round tops."

 

[fdny1075k]

For those who are unaware, here is a little background on Bridgeport, Connecticut, and the Bridgeport Fire Department.

The Bridgeport Fire Department currently serves the largest city in the state of Connecticut, and one of the largest cities in the New England area. Bridgeport currently has a population of 147,000 people living in 16 square miles. Bridgeport is located on the Long Island Sound in eastern Fairfield County, located in southwestern Connecticut. Bridgeport is home to two hospitals (Bridgeport and St. Vincents), a university (University of Bridgeport), and Connecticut's only zoo, the Beardsley Zoo.

Bridgeport had it's "War Years" of its own, like many other smaller cities surrounding New York City, and even some larger cities across the nation. Cities like Newark, Jersey City, Yonkers, Camden, New Haven, Providence, and Hartford all saw action like Bridgeport, and in some cases many more fires. However, Bridgeport was still a pretty busy place. Bridgeport's War Years went into full swing as New York's began to decrease and wind down. Many of the people burned out of their homes in places like the Bronx and Brooklyn moved into Bridgeport for housing. They often brought the fire load with them as Bridgeport started to develop a major arson problem (as well as a sharp rise in crime), beginning in the mid-late 1960s and ending in the 1990s. During the late '70's and early '80s, Bridgeport firemen would respond to 30-40 Working Structural Fires, or "Signal 29's" a month. These weren't can jobs or car fires next to structures, but several rooms off and fire showing, with at least one line in operation. Bridgeport is still a tough town to this day with crime and gang-related violence, but the fire load has dramatically decreased and gone are the many burned out vacant buildings and cars that once lined the Park City's streets.

At the beginning of Bridgeport's War Years, and the time setting for the stories above, the Bridgeport Fire Department operated 14 Engine Companies (E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, E8, E9, E10, E11, E12, E14, E15, E16), 6 Truck Companies (T3, T5, T6, T10, T11, T12), and 1 Squad Company (SQ5), under the command of 2 Assistant Battalion Chiefs (Car 2 & Car 3) per shift. Most of the Engine Companies in the city were two-piece units (Pump and Hose Wagon), and three of the city's Truck Companies had no powered aerial ladder, but were instead classified as "City Service Trucks", carrying only a complement of ground ladders. The Squad Company, Squad 5, responded to all fires and motor vehicle accidents throughout the city. A "Signal 29", or Alarm of Fire in Bridgeport was initially 2 Engines, 1 Truck, Squad, Chief. It was then moved up to 3 & 2, Squad, Chief.

Today, the Bridgeport Fire Department operates out of 8 Fire Stations, organized into 2 Battalions (B1 & B2). The BFD now operates a total of 9 Engine Companies (E1, E3, E4, E6, E7, E10, E12, E15, E16), 4 Ladder Companies (L5, L6, L10, L11), and 1 Rescue Company (R5), as well as several special units. The BFD operates 3 Marine Rescue Units (Fireboats), and 1 Command/Air & Light/Rehab. Unit, as well as a Haz-Mat. Decon. Unit and Trailer. Two of the Ladder Companies are mid-mount Tower Ladders. The Bridgeport Fire Department currently runs approximately 15,000 emergency calls a year, with EMS-related calls accounting for most of the incidents. Out of those 15,000, only around 70-80 a year are Working Structural Fires, a massive drop from 30-40 Fires a month some thirty years ago. Also, today, a "Signal 29" as they are still referred to, or a Box Alarm in Bridgeport gets 4 Engines (1 for R.I.T.), 2 Ladders, the Rescue, 1 Battalion Chief, and the Safety Officer's Unit. Safety Officer 1 is manned by a Lieutenant from the BFD's Training Division and responds to all fires and major incidents. It was implemented after the double LODD's that occurred on 7/24/2010.

 

[mack]

Thanks 1075k.  Bridgeport had their "War Years" as the city was incinerated like the South Bronx and Brownsville and East New York and Newark and ..... 

BFD - a tough place to work and a very good department.

 

[johnd248]

Excellent stuff on Bridgeport.  I lived in Fairfield for 26 years and was a volunteer there with both Willy D and Billy B.  Buffed many jobs in Bport.  I also worked for a bank in the city from 1985 to 1993.  Great respect for the BFD.

 

[nfd2004]

The first sign that Bridgeport was in trouble came from an address known as 422 West Ave., sometime in the 1970s.  The building was a 5 brick "H" type multiple dwelling. Next door to it was a similar type building. That building was the scene of many smaller fires over a few weeks. Then the same thing started with the next building.

  My brother George, now a retired Bridgeport Firefighter, Billy B and myself had already seen what was going on in the South Bronx. But we never thought it would happen in Bridgeport. At one of these fires, I asked the occupants where they had lived before moving to Bridgeport and they quickly told me, the Bronx. They told me they left there because of the fires. Now the same thing was happening to them in Bridgeport. In a short period of time, on a smaller scale, Bridgeports West Ave was starting to resemble the burned out Charlotte St of the South Bronx. From then on, the fires started to spread throughout many of Bridgeports other neighborhoods.

  As a buff in the 80s, it wasn't only Bridgeport (and the FDNY) that was catching a huge amount of work. I could go to Newark, Jersey City, Yonkers, Hartford, New Haven, Providence or Boston, any city in the northeast and those firefighters were putting water on fires. It was all so routine then.

  Sometimes members of this site, who remember these very busy days, get together and talk about how busy things were then. As a buff or maybe a guy on the job, strange, but in some cases, we often feel somewhat "privileged" to have been around then. The reality is that it had to end. Not only because so many people lost their belongings or were hurt, but because in some cases, entire blocks of cities are gone because of the arson. A trip along I-95 north in Bridgeport will show what I am talking about. Between Exits 27 and 29 there is nothing left. A area once full of 2 1/2 and 3 story frames are now gone. For years just one big empty lot. Only recently has there some development starting there.

  I think today if you were to ask Billy "B" and my brother George, if what they learned from buffing the FDNY a few years earlier, prepared them for what they eventually faced in Bridgeport, they would both agree, it certainly did. They could see it coming. They were the first guys to use a piece of tire tube to hold a light onto their helmet. They showed how much easier it would be to carry the can or saw using a sling over your shoulder. In a short time all the companies were doing the same thing, just like the FDNY had showed them. I can remember talking to them and they could almost predict what neighborhoods would be next to burn. 

  There were no FAST Cos, few had portable radios, no hoods to protect them, an air pack was a luxury, no air conditioned rigs, and every once in awhile, they got a few rocks or bottles thrown at them. Sometimes shots fired in their direction. They fought fires during the busiest time in our nations history. So with that said, I think they all deserve to be included into the Brotherhood and Hall of Fames-Greatest Generation of Firefighters.

  I also remember seeing "Johnd248" at some of those Bridgeport jobs.

 

[fdny1075k]

Here's some photos from Willy D (nfd2004) of some of Bridgeport's "War Years" rigs and firehouse. Photos by nfd2004 unless otherwise noted.

30 Congress St. - Fire Headquarters





Engine 1





Engine 5





Truck 5 - 1971 American LaFrance 100' Rear-Mount





Truck 5's Snorkel - 1974 Ward LaFrance/Ranger Snorkel







Squad 5 - Ford C



135 Clarence St., Lower East Side

Engine 2









233 Wood Ave., West Side

Engine 3 - 1986 Hahn 2000gpm./500gal.



Engine 4 - 1982 Mack CF 1250gpm./500gal.

Truck 3 - 1970 American LaFrance 100' Rear-Mount



1035 Central Ave., East End



Engine 6 - 1985 Hahn

Engine 8



Truck 6





245 Ocean Terrace, Black Rock



Engine 7





Engine 11

Truck 11 - 1978 Seagrave 100' Rear-Mount



Truck 11 (Lime Green)





3115 Madison Ave., North End



Engine 9

Engine 16 - 1983 Mack CF

Truck 16

268 Putnam St., Upper East Side



Engine 10 - 1983 Mack CF

Truck 10 - 1971 American LaFrance 100' Rear-Mount





265 Beechmont Ave., Brooklawn



Engine 12 - 1983 Mack CF

Truck 12(City Service)



1395 Sylvan Ave., North End



Engine 14



104 Evers St., North End



Engine 15 - 1983 Mack CF

 

[fdny1075k]

Some more rig and firehouse shots:

Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown (former quarters of Engine 1, Engine 5, Truck 5, Squad 5)

http://www.allhandsworking.net/Old-School-Fire-disasterPhotos/Old-School-Fire-Photos/i-gML3xBp (last 3 photos)

John St.& Lafayette Blvd., Downtown (former quarters of Engine 1)

http://www.allhandsworking.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-fire-headquarters-companies/bridgeport-engine-co-1-john-street/ (7th Photo)

Madison Ave. & George St., The Hollow (former quarters of Engine 4, Engine 5)

http://my.firefighternation.com/photo/889755hoto:220249/next?context=album&albumId=889755%3AAlbum%3A6266561

Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side (former quarters of Engine 6, Truck 6) (9th Photo)

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-station6-f2/

Engine 5

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-e5-f2/

Engine 8

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-e8-f2/

Engine 15

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-e15-f2/

Truck 1 (Truck 3) Tiller

http://my.firefighternation.com/photo/l1-1935-mack-tractor-alf-100?context=album&albumId=889755%3AAlbum%3A6266561

Truck 3 Tiller

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-tk3-f2/

Truck 6 Tiller

http://my.firefighternation.com/photo/889755hoto:220252?context=album&albumId=889755%3AAlbum%3A6266561

Squad 5

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-sq5-f2/

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-apparatus/bridgeport-olde5-f2/

 

[fdny1075k]

Bridgeport "War Years" fire photos:

http://www.beyondthefireline.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-working-fires/bridgeport-001/

http://www.allhandsworking.com/#/gallery/bridgeport-miscellaneous/img1476/

 

[fdny1075k]

Bridgeport Fire Department - Company History:

Engine 1 - Org. in 1871 at John St. & Lafayette St., Downtown from a volunteer company (Sterling) / moved to Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown in 1964 / moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown in 1976
Engine 2 - Org. in 1872 at 48 Crescent Pl., Lower East Side from a volunteer company (Protector) / moved to 135 Clarence St., Lower East Side in 1928 - Disbanded in 1989
Engine 3 - Org. in 1872 at Norman St. & Hanover St., West Side from a volunteer company (Fountain) / moved to 233 Wood Ave., West Side in 1982
Engine 4 - Org. in 1872 at Madison Ave. & George St., The Hollow from a volunteer company (Empire) (new firehouse in 1888) / moved to 399 Maplewood Ave., West Side in 1964 / moved to 233 Wood Ave., West Side in 1982
Engine 5 - Org. in 1872 at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown from a volunteer company (Excelsior) / moved to 268 Middle St., Downtown in 1908 / moved to Madison Ave. & George St., The Hollow in 1964 / moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown in 1976 - Disbanded in 2005
Engine 6 - Org. in 1985 at 555 Seaview Ave., East Side from a volunteer company (Americus) / moved to 1637 Seaview Ave., East Side in 1899 / moved to Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side in 1922 / moved to 1035 Central Ave., East End in 1982
Engine 7 - Org. in 1900 at 575 Bostwick Ave., West Side / moved to 245 Ocean Terrace, Black Rock in 1970
Engine 8 - Org. in 1907 at 556 Newfield Ave., East End - Disbanded March 7, 1934 / Reorganized in 1949 / moved to 1035 Central Ave., East End in 1982 - Disbanded in 1992
Engine 9 - Org. in 1907 at Allen St. & Lafayette St., South End / moved to 399 Maplewood Ave. in 1933 / moved to 3115 Madison Ave., North End in 1964 - Disbanded in 1967
Engine 10 - Org. in 1913 at 268 Putnam St., East Side / moved to 950 Boston Ave., East Side in 2007
Engine 11 - Org. in 1917 at 2656 Fairfield Ave., Black Rock / moved to 245 Ocean Terrace, Black Rock - Disbanded in 1976
Engine 12 - Org. in 1917 at 265 Beechmont Ave., Brooklawn
Engine 13 - Never Organized
Engine 14 - Org. in 1948 at 1395 Sylvan Ave., North End (firehouse built in 1945) - Disbanded in 1992
Engine 15 - Org. in 1947 at 1395 Sylvan Ave., North End / moved to 104 Evers St., North End in 1948
Engine 16 - Org. in 1957 at 3115 Madison Ave., North End
Truck 1 - Org. in 1871 at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown from a volunteer company (Rescue) / moved to Norman St. & Hanover St., West Side in 1894 / renumbered as Truck 3 in 1940 / moved to 233 Wood Ave., West Side in 1982 - Disbanded in 1995
Truck 2 - Org. in 1893 at 268 Middle St., Downtown / renumbered as Truck 5 in 1940
Truck 3 - Org. in 1906 at Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side / renumbered as Truck 6 in 1940
Truck 4 - Org. in 1917 at 2656 Fairfield Ave., Black Rock / renumbered as Truck 11 in 1940
Truck 5 (Ladder 5) - Org. in 1917 at 265 Beechmont Ave., Brooklawn / renumbered as Truck 12 in 1940 / reorganized in 1940 from Truck 2 at 268 Middle St., Downtown / renumbered as Snorkel 1 in 1976 / moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown in 1976 / renumbered as Truck 5 in 1981
Truck 6 (Ladder 6) - Org. in 1940 from Truck 3 at Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side / moved to 1035 Central Ave., East End in 1982
Truck 10 (Ladder 10) - Org. in 1940 at 268 Putnam St., East Side / moved to 950 Boston Ave., East Side in 2007
Truck 11 (Ladder 11) - Org. in 1940 from Truck 4 at 2656 Fairfield Ave., Black Rock / moved to 245 Ocean Terrace, Black Rock in 1970
Truck 12 - Org. in 1940 from Truck 5 at 265 Beechmont Ave., Brooklawn - Disbanded in 1994
Truck 16 - Org. in 1957 at 3115 Madison Ave., North End temporarily / used as a Reserve Truck
Squad 5 (Rescue 5) - Org. in 1940 at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown / moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown in 1976
Squad 6 - Org. in 1946 at Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side - Disbanded to form Engine 15 in 1947
Chemical 1 - Org. in 1906 at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown - Disbanded to form Squad 5 in 1940
Chemical 2 - Org. in 1908 at 399 Maplewood Ave., West Side - Disbanded in 1935
Chemical 3 - Org. in 1912 at Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side - Disbanded in 1933

 

[fdhistorian]

Bridgeport Fire Department - Company History:

Engine 1 (Sterling) - Org. at John St. & Lafayette St., Downtown 1871 from volunteer company
/ moved to Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown 1964 ex Station 5
/ moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown 1976

Engine 2 (Protector) - Org. at 48 Crescent Pl., Lower East Side 1872
/ moved to 135 Clarence St., Lower East Side 1928
- Disbanded in 1989

Engine 3 (Fountain) - Org. 1890 at Norman St. & Hanover St., West Side 1872
/ moved to 233 Wood Ave., West Side 1982

Engine 4 (Empire) - Org. at Madison Ave. & George St., The Hollow 1872
/ new station 1888
/ moved to 299 Maplewood Ave., West Side 1964
/ moved to 233 Wood Ave., West Side 1982

Engine 5 (Excelsior) - Org. at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown 1872
/ moved to Truck 2, 268 Middle St 1908
/ moved to Madison Ave. & George St. former station 4 1964
/ moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown 1976
- Disbanded in 2005

Engine 6 (Americus) - Org. at 555 Seaview Ave 1895
/ moved to 1637 Seaview Ave 1899
/ moved to Truck 3, Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side 1922
/ moved to 1035 Central Ave., East End 1982

Engine 7 - Org. at 575 Bostwick Ave., West Side 1900
/ moved to 245 Ocean Terrace, Black Rock 1970

Engine 8 - Org. in 1907 at 556 Newfield Ave., East End
- Disbanded March 7, 1934
/ Reorganized in 1949
/ moved to 1035 Central Ave., East End 1982
- Disbanded in 1992

Engine 9 - Org. in 1907 at Allen St. & Lafayette St., South End
/ moved to 299 Maplewood Ave., with Chemical 2, West Side 1933
/ moved to 3115 Madison Ave., North End, with Engine 16 in 1964
- Disbanded in 1967

Engine 10 - Org. in 1913 at 268 Putnam St., East Side
/ moved to 950 Boston Ave., East Side 2007

Engine 11 - Org. in 1917 at 2656 Fairfield Ave., Black Rock
/ moved to 245 Ocean Terrace, Black Rock 1970
- Disbanded in 1976

Engine 12 - Org. in 1917 at 265 Beechmont Ave., Brooklawn

Engine 13 - Never Organized

Engine 14 - Org. at 1395 Sylvan Ave., North End 1948 (station built in 1945)
- Disbanded in 1992

Engine 15 - Org. in 1947 1395 Sylvan Ave, with Engine 14
/ new station at 104 Evers St., North End 1948

Engine 16 - Org. in 1957 at 3115 Madison Ave., North End

Truck 1 (Rescue) - Org Middle St 1871
/ moved to Norman St with Engine 3, 1894
/ renumbered as Truck 3, 1940

Truck 2 - org Middle St 1893
/ renumbered as Truck 5, 1940

Truck 3 - Org. at Barnum Ave 1906
/ renumbered as Truck 6, 1940
/ reorganized Norman St with Engine 3 from Truck 1, 1940
/ new station Wood Ave. with Engine 3 & 4, in 1982
- Disbanded in 1995

Truck 4 - org at Fairfield Ave, with Engine 11, 1917
/ renumbered as Truck 11, 1940

Truck 5 - Org. Beechmont Ave, with Engine 12, 1917
/ renumbered as Truck 12, 1940
/ reorganized from Truck 2, Middle St, with Engine 5, 1940
/ renumbered as Snorkel 1 1976
/ new station, 30 Congress St, with Engine 1 & 5, 1976
/ renumbered as Truck 5, 1981

Truck 6 - org from Truck 3, Barnum Ave, with Engine 6, 1940
/ moved to 1035 Central Ave., East End, 1982

Truck 10 - Org. in 1940 at 268 Putnam St., East Side
/ moved to 950 Boston Ave., East Side, 2007

Truck 11 - org from Truck 4, 2656 Fairfield Ave, with Engine 11, 1940
/ new station 245 Ocean Terr, with Engine 7 & 11, 1970

Truck 12 - org from Truck 5, 265 Beechmont Ave, 1940
/ disbanded 1994

Truck 16 used as a Reserve Truck - never organized as a staffed company

Squad 5 (Rescue 5) - Org. at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown from Chemical 1 1940
/ moved to 30 Congress St., Downtown 1976

Squad 6 - Org. in 1946 at Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side.
- Disbanded in 1947 to form Engine 15

Chemical 1 - Org. at Middle St. & Gold St., Downtown 1906
- Disbanded to organize Squad 5, 1940

Chemical 2 - Org. in 1908 at 299 Maplewood Ave., West Side
- Disbanded in 1935

Chemical 3 - Org. in 1912 at Barnum Ave. & Central Ave., East Side
- Disbanded in 1933

fdny1075k - some additional Bridgeport history details for you.

 

[fdny1075k]

Thanks fdhistorian, corrections made.

 

[fdny1075k]

Bridgeport Fire Department Radio Signal Codes:

Signal/Code 1 - Fire-Related Fatality
Signal/Code 7 - Request Fire Marshall's Office
Signal 21 - Unit is In Service
Signal 24 - Unit is In Quarters
Signal 29 - Alarm of Fire
Signal 30 - Transmission of a 2nd Alarm
Signal 31 - Transmission of a 3rd/General Alarm

 

[fdny1075k]

Bridgeport Fire Department Alphabetical Response Districts -

After numerical fire alarm boxes and their locations were removed from active service in the late 1970s and early '80s, the Bridgeport Fire Department adopted a new form of fire company response assignment that corresponded with each Engine Company's first-due district in the city. Each Engine Company's "still district" was given an alphabetical name corresponding with the company number. For example, Engine Co. 1's district was named "Adam" as "A" is the first letter of the alphabet. Thus, below is how the districts were named. The BFD no longer uses this system as of the mid 2000s.

Engine 1 - "Adam" - Downtown
Engine 2 - "Baker" - Lower East Side
Engine 3 - "Charlie" - West Side
Engine 4 - "David" - West Side
Engine 5 - "Edward" - Hollow/Madison
Engine 6 - "Frank" - Mill Hill
Engine 7 - "George" - West End
Engine 8 - "Henry" - East End
Engine 9 - N/A - N/A
Engine 10 - "John" - East Side
Engine 11 - "King" - Black Rock
Engine 12 - "Lewis" - Brooklawn
Engine 13 - N/A - N/A
Engine 14 - "Mary" - North End
Engine 15 - "Nancy" - North End
Engine 16 - "Otto" - North End
Airport - "Peter" - Sikorsky Memorial Airport (Stratford, CT)

Since Engine Co. 9 was disbanded prior to this system being put into effect, there was no response district for Engine 9, thus, there was no district name with a letter beginning with the 9th letter of the alphabet, i.e. "I". Additionally, since there was never an Engine Co. 13 in the BFD's history, the response district name corresponding with the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, "M", was given to Engine 14's still district. Up until the system was taken out of service, the districts of disbanded Engine Companies were absorbed into the response areas of other Engine Companies. For example, since Engine 11 was disbanded in the 1970s, Engine 7 then responded to fires at both George and King Boxes.

Each district name corresponded with a certain assignment of fire companies. If one company was unavailable, another company would move up on the assignment cards and fill in. For example, a "Frank 1" Box Assignment would consist of the following companies: Engine 6, Engine 10, Ladder 6, Rescue 5, 2nd Battalion Chief. Engine 6 is the first due Engine Co. as the "F" in Frank is the 6th letter of the alphabet. All "Frank" Assignments would get Engine Co. 6 as the first due Engine Co. A "Frank 2" Assignment would consist of the following companies: Engine 6, Engine 1, Ladder 6, Rescue 5, 2nd Battalion Chief. Note, the normally assigned 2nd Engine Co. on the assignment is switched out with another company. Usually responses for each alphabetically named district could alter up to five or six different times depending on fire company availability to respond, thus, you could have a "Frank 6" Assignment. The only response district that did not follow this protocol was the "Peter" District. Since there was no Engine 17 for the 17th letter of the alphabet, "Peter" referred to the district encompassing the Airport. A "Peter 1" Assignment was for a fire on the grounds and a "Peter 2" Assignment was for a fire off the grounds. Companies responding to these Assignments were a combination of airport fire apparatus and city fire companies closest to the airport.

Below is an example of how a radio dispatch would be said over the air:

"Signal 29, Signal 29...The assignment for this fire is Adam 1...This is reported to be a building fire at 1000 Main Street, between Congress Street and Golden Hill Street...The following companies are to respond: Battalion 1, Engine 1, Engine 3, Ladder 5, and Rescue 5." (Repeated)

 

[BFD389]

Thanks  To  the  Bridgeport Public Library  here is a  video  circa 1912 which is was titled  "Our Finest and Bravest"  footage  is of Parade (unknown) and  Features Early motorized Pumps & Horse drawn steamers and  Hose  Wagons,  2 horse drawn  tillers and a City Service, as well as  Chemical companies...  For all the discussion  of the  War  years, It amazes me  the shear  number of  Folks  (in the  general  "man On the street"  footage before and after  the parade lots  of general interest  stuff too !!!  its  slow  to start and does a bit of Jumping  at 1st...  The Engines  at tought  to  ID as  are the wagons  the Motorized rig  with BFD on the  radiator is Chemical 1 (@ 1:42)  which  became  The  Squad  after the 30's , and is followed (@1:59)  By Truck 1  85'  (west side) which is  Pulled  By a Cross  Tractor,  Truck 2  100'  (HQ) @ 3:19 BPD @ 3:56  followed  at 4:51  By  dignitaries (Mayor?)  what  looks  Like a Hearse (remember  ambulances were hearses)  followed by a Horse  Ambulance Which  may or  may not have  been Bridgeport Fire or  even the City's... The  Chiefs  follow in 2 cars and Then  Truck 3  which is  a horse  drawn city  service  rig @ 5:14  some  of motorized Rigs  You  can  see  the lead belching  forth,  suprised no horses or  folks on the sidelines  collapsed..lol 
http://youtu.be/8lsfGUu4hHc

 

[mack]

Thanks BFD 389.  Looks like a good percentage of both BPD and BFD on parade.  Great demonstration of BFD transition from horse to motorized apparatus.  Potholes in street were quite obvious - rigs bouncing in every hole with tires of the day.