Was Mount Vernon FD Ever Prosperous?

[x635 4,066]

I know, after working several years in the city, that Mount Vernon was once a very middle class, and in some cases, affluent city. Seeing some of the houses and buildings shows there used to be much more life in the city.

With that said, was there ever a time where Mount Vernon FD was properly led,staffed and well equipped? I remember hearing some things about how it used to be a volunteer department, and at the time one of the largest, but did that come before or coexist with the career department?

If the fire department was ever comprable to Yonkers or New Rochelle, when did they hit the downward spiral, and what caused it?

Also, how the heck is could the firehouse on Lincoln Ave ever be consider a firehouse? It looks like an old house with a garage built on later as an afterthought.

[61MACKBR1 222]

Seth- I am sure that Chief Campbell could answer your questions the best. Back in the 1950's and into the 1960's and the early 1970's, Mount Vernon Fire Department was considered to be one of the most well equiped, well manned, dedicated departments in Westchester County. Today, the members of FDMV are as dedicated as those that manned the department as either paid or volunteers back years ago. However, from once there was a department that had Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Engine 4, Engine 5, Engine 6, and Reserve/Spare Engine 7, Snorkel 1, Truck 2, Truck 3, and Reserve Truck 4, along with the Classic 1960's Mack C Rescue and FOAM 1, FDMV was once a very well deployed department. Unfortunately, during the rough economic times of the Late 1970's and Early 1980's, the Mount Vernon Fire Department was hit with Major Department Cuts that really ate away from the department, from both a staffing and equipment basis. Money was never put back into the department to upgrade the buildings, apparatus and to bring the Company Levels back to the way it was prior to the Major Budgetary Cuts of the Late 70's/Early 80's. Yonkers FD went thru some similiar cust in their department in the late 70's/early 80's (Engine 301, 302, 305, Truck 76, Rescue 1), but with some "Smart" allocation of funds and excellent management from within their department, YFD was able to improve its departmeent greatly (but I would bet that some within YFD would like to see Engine 301, 302, 305, and Ladder 76 be returned to front line service and maybe with the New Downtown Development and Ridge Hill Projects, we just might see it).

Mount Vernon still to this day, has some very affulent areas. Section of Fleetwood and Down Along California Road have some very expensive houses and property. Mix that in with the Urban Areas that make up the Center of Mount Vernon and you have a need for a top notch fire department, with manpower and apparatus levels that would meet the needs of this city.

I cannot say that when Mount Vernon had both a Paid and Volunteer Department serving the city, that anything was better. I personally think that POLITICS has played a HUGE role into what FDMV has become. I feel for the members of this department, who so want to have the best for the citizens they serve. But to have their buildings that they live in and work out of, falling apart to a point of disgust, appartus breaking down and becoming unrepairabile and them needing neighboring departments to help assist on jobs that normally they could handle on their own, well that is sad.

Just my opinion.

[Anesti 329]

i always hear about issues with the department, but ill put in my 2 cents the firefighters are a bunch of class acts!! the few times i buffed the vern and a firefighter spotted me taking a picture of a rig always he/she would pass by and greet you. One dept that deserves alot but gets gipped more and more.

[61MACKBR1 222]

Could not agree with you more. The Members of FDMV are one the best around and deserve more from the Government Officials in Mount Vernon than they get. Politics - YUK !

i always hear about issues with the department, but ill put in my 2 cents the firefighters are a bunch of class acts!! the few times i buffed the vern and a firefighter spotted me taking a picture of a rig always he/she would pass by and greet you. One dept that deserves alot but gets gipped more and more.