Fire Engines Photos

Hi Andy:

Even though I lived in New York for many years, I never fully understood how a squad company engine was different from a regular engine.

I believe the pump was only 1000 GPM, but otherwise it was never very clear how or why their pumpers were different.

The concept of the Squad Company was (and maybe still is?) that these Companies were a less extensively equipped Rescue Company, able to function as engine, truck or rescue personnel but riding what was originally essentially only a personnel carrier.

Do you have any deeper understanding of the "Squad" phenomenon?

Added by Rob Johnson on 25 February 2017.

Comment removed at request of Commentor

Thanks Andy. Makes so much sense that I am surprised this approach is limited to FDNY and a handful of other departments.

Here in Chicago we have five Squads, and two of them operate a 55 foot Snorkel as well as a conventional Rescue Truck. There are another two at O'Hare International Airport.

Added by Rob Johnson on 02 August 2017.

I've been told by a New York fire buff that Squad companies are a typical engine but with added Haz-mat capabilities.

Added by Yelp Bullhorn on 04 August 2017.

Comment removed at request of Commentor

Hi Andy:

I know a lot of CFD firefighters and I do agree it is a very impressive service. Squad 1 on Illinois Street is close to my building and I have looked at their new Snorkel and seen it responding several times.

The rear portion of what would otherwise be the crew cab accommodates a small boat, which makes sense as the station is only a few blocks away from the Chicago River, and the new riverwalk has greatly increased the numbers of inebriated tourists falling in!

The older Snorkels only ran with two crew members anyway, even though they had a crew cab, and always turned out with the other four squad members on the conventional rescue truck along with them.

The new units are a bit longer than their predecessors, and some of the firefighters are a bit concerned that they have compromised their ability to squeeze into some of the city's narrow alleys and other constricted spaces, where the snorkels used to be the only aerials that could operate.

Squads 1 and 2 are very busy, because of the flexibility these units bring to working structure fires, but for some reason they remain the only two in the city itself - which has 49 full-size 100 foot aerials and towers. The other city-based Squads have conventional heavy rescue trucks but do not operate snorkels. The two at O'Hare are new additions...

CFD also still keeps an older 95 foot snorkel quint as a reserve. It is turned out with only a driver to multiple alarm fires, when it is expected that many aerial monitors will be in use for a prolonged time, to free up one or more regular ladder trucks.

Hi Yelp!

This is correct. Each FDNY Squad also has a HazMat "breadvan" tender as a tag-along for hazmat calls, as the engine itself does not have space for this extra gear.

This is a necessity because FDNY only operates one dedicated HazMat company, and of course it has an immense and often heavily congested response area, so it is not often on scene very quickly.

Added by Rob Johnson on 08 August 2017.

Please add your comments about this picture using the form below.

Comments

Your Name

Your email address - this will be shown on the page and will allow the system to notify you of further comments added to this picture.