The History Of Eastchester Fire Department?

[x635 4,066]

Eastchester FD covers Eastcher, Tuckahoe, and Bronxville. I know all are in the Town Of Eastchester.

HOWEVER, in mostly all instances in Westchester, each village would have it's own FD.

Has Eastchester always been one FD for the three areas, or at one point was there some sort of consolidation?

Also, at what point did Eastchester become career?

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Why limit your consolidations to 2 or 3 depts. We started our consolidation studies with 5 depts, went up to 9 then the final was 10. with each increase we saw improved response times, more perssonel and reduced costs.

In addition many of the IA's list 5-10 VFD's and/or smaller depts needed at a working fire.

I do not think calling 10 or so departments to a fire means they are all needed. These are almost always clusterf****. Most of the time, the majority of personnel are just standing around. I feel that a lot of the time, departments are called when they are not needed and to many departments are invited to the get together.

Edited February 12, 2011 by PFDRes47cue

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Eastchester Fire Department was formed in 1897. The first career guys were hired somewhere in the 1930's. The exact date is on the IAFF Charter the Union possesses, designating us as IAFF Local 916.

No wait, the career guys were on the job for a while before they were able to organize themselves and join the Union.

Tommy Gorman was Badge #1, and Pauly Gormsen, a very gracious former Assistant Chief, is credited with being a driving force in getting the union organized.

The Eastchester Volunteer Ambulance Corp. was formed by volunteer firefighters (need an EVAC member for the formation date). Their original quarters was the North end firehouse, where they shared the apparatus floor with Engine 31 and Ladder 17.

[wraftery 1,275]

Eastchester Fire Department was formed in 1897. The first career guys were hired somewhere in the 1930's. The exact date is on the IAFF Charter the Union possesses, designating us as IAFF Local 916.

Showing that we never forget a brother, here's to Tommy Gorman EFD Badge #1.

[wraftery 1,275]

Eastchester Fire Department was formed in 1897. The first career guys were hired somewhere in the 1930's. The exact date is on the IAFF Charter the Union possesses, designating us as IAFF Local 916.

No wait, the career guys were on the job for a while before they were able to organize themselves and join the Union.

A plaque on my office wall says Eastchester UPFA Established 1932

[efdcapt115 1,511]

A plaque on my office wall says Eastchester UPFA Established 1932

I'm going to defer to the Chief here, he goes back further, as his father worked for EFD and I believe was a single digit shield number as well?...Take it away Chief..

[wraftery 1,275]

I'm going to defer to the Chief here, he goes back further, as his father worked for EFD and I believe was a single digit shield number as well?...Take it away Chief..

No single digits here. My father was #27. Hired after WW II. I think there was a big EFD expansion at that time'

Yes, Pauly Gormsen was a gracioous man, but I have heard from more than one source that if you were hesitating in a "hot" doorway, you would probably receive a not-so-graciuous boot in the wazoo. It was kind of a signal to advance the line.

As far as EFD originals, remembring them randomly from picnics and softball games when I was a kid:

Chief White

A/c Wadelton

Capt Blackie

Capt Catano ( Later Chief)

Ed Sorden

Dan McCurdy

Whoops, my brain just locked in to Gus Fisher's Crystal Tavern, the after-game place to go, so I can't think of any more Pre WW II names that I can be sure of. Attached, though, is EFD's "Emergency Squad," the predecessor of Rescue 5.

I now defer to Rick Dempsey. Rick. Please sit in the kitchen and look up at the pictures on the wall for us.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Did you ever hear the story of Otto Dinger cooking the neighbor's cat?

[61MACKBR1 222]

Does anyone know if Tommy Gorman was from the same "Gorman Family" who once owned the Gorman Gulf Station in Bronxville (Next door to McGrath's Funeral Home)?

Showing that we never forget a brother, here's to Tommy Gorman EFD Badge #1.

[x635 4,066]

Was there ever a Tuckahoe FD, Bronxville FD, or another FD in Eastchester?

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Was there ever a Tuckahoe FD, Bronxville FD, or another FD in Eastchester?

Negative. Only volunteer companies that later joined forces to create the great EFD K.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Was there ever a Tuckahoe FD, Bronxville FD, or another FD in Eastchester?

Negative. Only volunteer companies that later joined forces to create the great EFD K.

But how many people in Bronxville believe they have their own dept.?

Edited February 12, 2011 by Bnechis

[wraftery 1,275]

But how many people in Bronxville believe they have their own dept.?

The number is less than the number who "live in Scarsdale"

[Anesti 329]

What was eastchester Fd at their height with engines and ladders? I know the rescue was taken out of service and the manpower relocated to the engine,and samething happened to engine 28?? the manpower was transfered to ladder 16. My cousin and his wife live less than a mile away from the tuckahoe fire house, and on late nights when the highway traffic has quieted down, you can hear ladder 16's siren as it responds.I have a video of the ladder responding.

Edited February 13, 2011 by Anesti

[61MACKBR1 222]

If you thought that Ladder 16 Siren was loud, try remembering what the Old EFD Rescue 5 (Brockway) was like when it would respond up on Midland Avenue. That rig was a "BEAST" and between the Air Horn and Siren, it was an "adventure" being just in front of that rig coming towards you.

[efd1674 5]

My Grandfather was Badge #13, Henry Collins.

Yes, we know the cat story.

[ptwatson 82]

If you thought that Ladder 16 Siren was loud, try remembering what the Old EFD Rescue 5 (Brockway) was like when it would respond up on Midland Avenue. That rig was a "BEAST" and between the Air Horn and Siren, it was an "adventure" being just in front of that rig coming towards you.

When I was a student at Immaculate Conception on late spring days when the windows would be open and you had a class on the Winterhill Rd side of the building you could hear the rescue truck leave station three and hear the siren get louder and louder as it came up Midland toward Winterhill. That thing sure was loud!