Bnechis

Today’s Special Anniversary When the New York City newspapers were delivered to the New Rochelle train station on the morning of March 4th, 1861 the front page news was that today was the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States. Washington D.C was a long way off and New Rochelle had not supported Lincoln and there was important business in the Village of New Rochelle. The Village Board was to meet today to consider a petition to appropriate $400 to purchase New Rochelle’s first fire truck, $800 to erect or procure its first fire house and appointed 29 men as volunteer firemen to protect the 3,500 residence of the growing Village of New Rochelle. The New Rochelle Fire Department was born. The Village of New Rochelle Fire Department’s first company became known as the Enterprise Hook and Ladder and Bucket Company #1. Not to be out done by the Village, two week later the Town of New Rochelle formed its first fire department. Much of the early records talk about how the two departments competed in races up and down Main Street to prove who was fastest. On September 2, 1867 the Huguenot Hook and Ladder Company became the Huguenot Fire Company #1 with the Fire Departments first Engine, or Pump. Prior to this, the fire department’s only ability to extinguish fire was using buckets. That first engine was first used by the NYC Volunteer Fire Department and was obtained at the cost of a whopping $1,500. In 1882 the department received it s first fire bell and placed it on the new Huguenot Fire House on Lawton Street (now the library parking lot). The Building later burned to the ground but the bell was saved and reused. Today the bell is a memorial to fallen Firefighters and is in front of Station #1 on Harrison Street. In 1885 the department purchased its first steam-powered pumper to augment the hand-powered one. In 1899 the Town and Village of New Rochelle merged to become the City of New Rochelle. The Fire Department was forced to consolidate as well and became the Fire Department of the City of New Rochelle. On March 4th 1901 the department hired William Rinck, making him the first paid fireman. Additional paid firefighters were added each year and on May 1st 1903 Chief Ross became the first paid fire chief. He had served as volunteer chief starting on July 16, 1889. The City continued to grow and the Fire Department grew with it, adding new apparatus, fire stations and paid firefighters. In 1920 Chief Jones reported the department had its busiest year in its history as the firemen had responded to 200 alarms that year. On May 13, 1927 at the recommendation of the Chamber of Commerce, City disbanded the Fire Department volunteers The reason stated was to improve the fire insurance rating, thus reducing insurance premiums. This professional system is still in place today. Over the decades as the City has grown, the fire department has kept pace, adding new technologies such as horseless pumpers, tower ladders, the Jaws of Life and computers. The fleet and the stations have been and continue to require upgrading. New neighborhoods particularly in the north end required protection, and stations were replaced to provide room for development. The Fire Department has been challenged in many ways, and early firefighters would be shocked to learn that number of calls for help has exceeded 9,000 annually. During these years New Rochelle Fire Department has responded to many emergencies small and great, the most notable earliest one being in 1875. The Ferguson’s Grocery and Feed store Fire on Main Street, took much of the downtown shopping district. Ferguson rebuilt it (this time of brick) and on November 5th 1890 it burned again. The second fire was worse than the first with mutual aid needed to save the Village. Larchmont, Pelham, Mt. Vernon came along with Port Chester who placed their hand engine on a railroad flat car to get to Lawton and main within 25 minutes. The Rye Fire Department arrived later, having pulled their pumper down the post road. Firefighting remains one of the most dangerous professions. Many firefighters have been injured, some critically, and six New Rochelle Fire Fighters have made Supreme Sacrifice. May they Rest in Peace. They gave their all for New Rochelle. Many things have changed in New Rochelle in the 150 years since March 4th 1861. But the one true constant is that when someone needs help the New Rochelle Fire Department will be there in minutes and that is something that the citizens can always count on. Over the upcoming months, the department will celebrate their legacy and century and a half of service with a number of special events and displays.

Then why are new safety standards developped? If a model t was safe, why produce anything safer?

Thanks for the offer..... Cake.bmp

First New Rochelle Apparatus 1861 Revere & Kershow Hand Cart Main Street at Maple Avenue Photo is from the Dominick Bruzzese collection

1861 Revere & Kershow Hand Cart Exempt Firemans Association in front of Blessed Sacrament School (Maple Ave) after the 250th New Rochelle Anniversary Parade in 1938 Photo is from the Dominick Bruzzese collection

1861 Revere & Kershow Hand Cart 250th New Rochelle Anniversary Parade in 1938 Main St. at Memorial Highway This apparatus was dissasembled in 1942 during a scrap metal drive. Photo is from the Dominick Bruzzese collection

Fire Chief James Ross Volunteer Chief 1899 - 1903 First Paid Chief 1903 -1919

Paid Drivers (firefighters) 1915 At Main St & Stephenson Blvd. Relief Engine Company #2. Last Meeting in the old town hall - 515 Main St. (corner of Mechanics Street now Memorial Highway) Prior to opening the new FD HQ on Church St. 11/14/1899 Enterprise Hook and Ladder Station #1 192 Huguenot Street Photos are from the Dominick Bruzzese collection

Sign on our 1894 Chemical Tank. Located in the lobby of Fire Headquarters. 90 Beaufort Place

Squad opposite Fire HQ on Church St. Note the 2 deck guns Ladder 1 Lang Bldg Fire, 1905 South East Corner of Main Street & North Avenue

Engine #5 (Webster Avenue) Chief Walter Bell Early Chiefs Car infront of Fire HQ on Church Street. Early Ladder 1 Ladder 2 (Webster Avenue)

Perfect. You got them all down to a "T"

The Emergency Squad with minimum manning Note: I should have shown this pic in the thread about tire chains Early Fire Prevention Efforts Olympia Hose Company

October 1895 Fireman's Parade, Centre Avenue near Trinity Place Huguenot Co #1 (Lawton Street) 1895 After the Parade Photos from the Dominick Bruzzese collection

Huguenot St near Cedar St. 1910 NRFDLT's was in the "jump seat"...lol Ladder 1 on Huguenot St. 1960's picture The building in the backround was torn down to become parcel 1a (now Trump Tower) Downing Building Fire Nov, 10 1917 Huguenot and Lawton Sts These 3 photos are from the Dominick Bruzzese collection

Probie Class 1986 In this photo: , Marc Burrell, Tom Moriarity, Kevin Ferguson, Mike Johnson, Joe Narciso, David Mclean, Marty Gotte & Mark Mclean

Add a description American LaFrance Type 31 2-wheel front-drive tractor 75' ladder, Factory Photo prior to delievery to NRFD The Type 31 was manufactured between 1915-1929 Photo from the colection of John Maguire

Looks like the SCBA Bottle is out of hydro date.....lol

"Greenwich volunteer firefighters are counting on the help of their newest member, state Rep. Alfred Camillo, R-151st District, to push through legislation they say would afford volunteers the same legal coverage as career emergency responders.Camillo, who became an associate member of the Cos Cob Fire Patrol two weeks ago," If firefighers figh fires and fire patrol directs traffic Can anyone tell me what an associate fire patrol member does?

Yes the impressionable young guys should know the facts about firefighter arsonest. Now can you give some examples of a career firefighter arsonest that committed his crimes after these impressionable young guys were born? John Leonard Orr was a career fire officer and was convicted of arson and murder 20 years ago. He is currently serving a life + 20 year sentence for his crimes. Now since Orr's conviction the ATF reports 1,000s of volunteer firefighter arsonest have been caught. The problem being so bad that one county police dept in NYS offers police a video it produced called "spotting the firefighter arsonest".

Its kind of sad that we have to "negotiate" for minimum staffing. Doesn't the Dept and the municipality have the responsibility of providing that to the community and if they acually did, there would be no reason to "negotiate". BTW I put "negotiate" in quotes, because in NYS it is a non-mandatory item (meaning if either side says we are not talking about it then its off the table). ps. I think there is another term for "non-mandatory", but cant remember what it is.

Marc, do you really want to go there? I may have to publish all the P.I. tapes we have on you....hehehe

300' electrical reels (small compartment)

As should he

Very good point, except in the case of the cathedral ceiling particularly in the "great room". I think in the area of bedrooms the compartmentation may by us time and protection, but how do you know what’s above you when you are making your assessment (beyond the pike pole out & up in front)?