History of Stamford Fire Apparatus

Hale QMax-150 1500 gpm Single Stage Pump, a 1000 Gallon Poly Water Tank w/30 Gallon Foam Cell and a Elkhart #241-150 150 gpm Inline Portable Foam Eductor.

35 kW PTO generator, 6,000W light tower.

Features include a 2000 GPM, 600 gallon water tank, 30 gallon foam tank, 75′ RK Aerial, 10 kw Onan Hydraulic generator, Stainless Steel pump house, rear body, & piping.

In Service as Engine 5 from Juy 21, 20014 to October 30, 2008.

Refurbished in 2001 and given to PD in 2010.

Purchased by the SFD in 1988 and re-painted.

Acquired from the Long Ridge Fire Company.

1/17/1973: Arrived at Stamford Fire Department 1pm. from the Maxim Motor Division, 170 Wareham St., Middleboro, Mass. Model #FCC-82L-100 – Serial #3071 (Diesel Fuel)4/13/1973 Put into service at Station 3

11/16/1973: Put into commission at Station #2

2/14/1972: Arrived at Central Fire Headquarters at 4pm from The Maxim Motor Division of The Seagrave Corp. 170 Wareham St. Middleboro, Mass. (Diesel Fuel)

Put in Commission @ 1:41pm. Purchased from Eastern Coach Sales, Inc. 115 Edison Ave. Mt. Vernon, N.Y. Price $18,700.00 – Trade In, 1966 Miller Amb. Cadillac- $8,200.00 – Balance -$10,500.00

Purchased from Maxim Motor Co., Middleboro, Mass. on Purchase Order #A39252 – June 7, 1965. Price $58,780.00 1st Diesel Truck for Stamford Fire Department Trade In $7,000.00 Amount Due $51,780.00 Delivered @ 4:05PMon April 4, 1966Detroit Diesel Model 6 171N – Eng 138804 Serial 2519Shipping Weight 32,900Radio Installed 4/19/66In Commission on May 25, 1966 @ 2:00 P.M.First Box Alarm for new #1 Truck – Box 616 @ 9:52 AM -5/26/66

9/26/1976: On this date #1 Truck was picked up from Middleboro Conn after having a automatic transmission installed.

This machine replaced #4 Truck which was wrecked in an accident on 12/31/63.

10/27/1964: #4 SNORKEL – The First Snorkel In Service In The Stamford Fire Department, Effective October 27, 1964 at 8:00 A.M. in place of #4 Truck.

10/2/1962: Replaced 1942 Mack Pumper. Arrived at Central Fire Station at 11:00 A.M. QUALIFIED DRIVERS: Albert Marsden, George Heinlein, Frank Maciolek, Julian Nosenzo, William Mocher, Italo Tamborino, Martin McNamara, Thomas Conklin, Barcaly Berg, Harry Gluz, William Densky, Jr., Thaddeus Zurkowski, Robert Davidson, Michael Coppola and James Williams.

10/19/1962: First Still Alarm for the New 750 GPM Mack. Tel. Alarm #62 Location-Rear of Stamford High School On Fri. Oct. 19, 1962 At: 6:22PM – Returned: -6:35PM Owner-City of Stamford Occpt. – Same Fire Orig. Rubbish Extended to-Same Cause-Children & Matches Ex. By-Brooms Time worked-13 min. Miles Traveled-1.5 Running Miles-7.7 Apparatus Present-$1 Mack Driver-Marsden Firemen Present-Salatino, Wood, Wetmore, Officer in Command-Lt. Bienkowski First Box Alarm for the New 750 GPM Mack. At Alarm #116 From Box #153 at 9:34 PM Recall-9:36PM Friday Oct. 19, 1962 Street-Dyke Lane Owner-Hart. Electric Light Co. Occupant-Vacant Land Fire Originated-Brush Ext. to Same. Ext. by-Water Cause-Children with Matches. Road Mileage-2.5 Running Mileage-4.7 Damage-None #1 Co. & #2 Co’s. responded to this Box.

4/7/1959: Received to replace #3 Engine

9/21/1955: Arrived from factory at 4:24pm with company engineer Fred Haskins and R. Bartholemew sales representative. This truck officially #4 Truck.9/22/1955: #4 Maxim Aerial Ladder Truck after testing and breaking drivers went in commission at #4 Station as #4 Truck.#2 Maxim Aerial Ladder Truck which had been serving as #4 Truck out of commission at #4 Station and returned to #2 Station and put in commission as #2 Truck at #2 Station at 3:15pm. Old American LaFrance #2 Truck out of commission at 2:42pm and all equipment removed. This machine to leave Stamford.

12/31/1963: Box #32 @5:46AM – #4 Truck involved in Accident with Sealtest Milk Truck @ Elm St. & North Frontage Road. Fireman Arthur Betz – Injured Right arm & Shoulder, Back & ShockFireman Walter Donovan – Injured Right Shoulder, Back & Shock

Nelson Van Popering-Driver of Sealtest Milk Truck was admitted to St. Joseph’s Hospital with a possible concussion. An estimate of $17,000.00 damage done to #4 Truck.

9/19/1955: Arrived at Headquarters at about 3:00pm with Factory mechanic C. N. Gifford and Mr. R. Barthoemew, of O.B. Maxwell, sales representatives for Maxim Motors.

9/20/1955: New Maxim #2 Engine to Mill River for pumping tests with C. N. Gifford and Mechanics McAuliffe and O’Brien. This makes the second new Maxim Engine to be delivered this month. Assigned drivers from #2 Station being instructed in driving and pump operations.9/21/1955: New #2 Engine (Maxim 750 GPM Pumper) in service at #2 Station at 10:15am.

2/12/1957: #2 Maxim Engine returned from Maxim Motor Co. at 9:00pm. While at the factory they raised front of pump 5/16” with shims installed new bearings on pump drive and new drive flange on front of pump.

8/19/1955: New 750 G.P.M. Engine for #4 Station arrived at Headquarters at 4:30pm. This machine is to be #4 Engine. Factory mechanic C. N. Gifford and Mr. Russell Bartholemew, of O. B. Maxwell, sales representative for Maxim Motors accompanied the machine.

9/8/1955: Officially assigned as #4 Engine and put in service at #4 Station at 10:18am.

8/9/1954:New 85’ – 4 Section Aerial Ladder – Maxim – arrived.

This apparatus belonged to Civil Defense, not the SFD.

3/30/1951: Aarrived from the Mack Factory, Long Island, N.Y.

4/5/1951: The City’s new 65-foot Mack Aerial Ladder Truck and 750 Gallon-per-minute Mack Pumper were officially accepted today with a picture of it and its sister Engine being taken in front of the Central Fire Station. The Pumper will be housed at the Central Station and the Truck will be housed at either #2 or #3 Station. Those shown in the picture were: Reading from left to right: Edward Spellman, District Representative of the Mack Co., Safety Board Members Paul T. Osterby, Michael J. Drotar, Mayor George T. Barrett, Safety Board Chairman Nathan E. Martin and Fire Chief Victor H. Veit.

4/13/1973: 1951 65’ Mack Ladder Truck transferred to Belltown Fire Dept.

4/5/1951: The City’s new 750 Gallon-per-minute Mack Pumper were officially accepted today with a picture of it and its sister Truck being taken in front of the Central Fire Station. The Pumper will be housed at the Central Station and the Truck will be housed at either #2 or #3 Station. Those shown in the picture were: Reading from left to right: Edward Spellman, District Representative of the Mack Co., Safety Board Members Paul T. Osterby, Michael J. Drotar, Mayor George T. Barrett, Safety Board Chairman Nathan E. Martin and Fire Chief Victor H. Veit.

4/6/1972: 1951 Mack Engine put in reserve at 4:30pm at Central Fire Headquarters.

4/17/1942: New arrived here at 7:30 P.M. Purchased and in commission April 3, 1942

2/19/1940: A new 4-Door Dodge Sedan was purchased for a Deputy Chief’s Car

8/26/1939: The new 85 Aerial Peter Pirsch Hook & Ladder Truck put in commission at 2:00 P.M.

8/13/1939: Received a prize of a cup for the best appearing Truck (New Aerial Ladder Truck – Peter Pirsch) in the parade at Bridgeport, Conn. (State Firemen’s Association convention)

2/10/1939: Brockway Service Car put in commission as a Foamite Car

8/12/1938: New 1000-Gallon Ahrens-Fox Pumper arrived at Headquarters at 10:40 A.M. it was marked for #2 Station but was too wide for the doors so it was put in commission at Headquarters at 10:52 A.M. Aug. 17, 1938.

8/17/1938: #4 Engine (Reg. No. 3847) placed in service at 11:15 A.M. First Alarm responded to was Station 147 at 8:10 P.M. August 27, 1938 (43 Cedar St)

2/1/1938: A New Pontiac Sedan purchased for a Chief’s Car, Put in commission at 11:00 A.M. February 21, 1938 First alarm responded to was from Station 442 on February 25, 1938 (Grass Fire)

10/18/1937: The New 600 gallon Triple Combination Engine Reg. No. l-926 arrived here and was unloaded, Underwriters Test – November 5, 1937, Purchased November 8, 1937, Put in commission at #2 Station at 3:40 P.M. November 16, 1937.

4/25/1935: The new 1250 gallon Seagrave Pumping Engine arrived here at Fire Headquarters at 1:29 P.M.

9/21/1955: #2 Engine (Seagrave 1250 GPM Pumper) out of service at 10:15am

10/22/1955: 1935 Seagrave Pumper bought by CD – Chief A. McCarthy took machine to Lockwood Ave. Fire Station.

3/4/1930: Reo service car made over and put in commission as a chemical car to cover grass, chimney and automobile fires.

2/10/1939: Reo Chemical & Foamite Car discarded as unfit for further use

Labeled as May 7, 1930, but records seem to indicate 1913

The Chief’s new Buick car was purchased and put in commission April 7, 1929. The first alarm it responded to was from Box 142 April 9, 1929 with Chief V. H. Veit, Deputy Chief L. Y. Krom, Mechanical Supervisor C. B. Krom, Electrician F. F. Veit and J. R. Murray driving.

5/22/1925: purchased (Engine No. 2 Chemical).

11/10/1955: Old #1 Chem. & Hose Wagon (American LaFrance 1925) out of Comm 2:1xpm.

2/7/1956: Old # Chemical and hose wagon (American LaFrance, 1925) sold to Rubino Bros. Inc., 560 Canal St., Stamford, Ct. on bid for $125.00. This machine was purchased May 22, 1925 for the City of Stamford and saw many years of active service in this department. This apparatus left fire headquarters at 3:15pm driven by Mech. McAuliffe and was delivered to RUbino’s Junk Yard.

6/12/1922: Purchased (Engine No. 4).  Pictured on Broad Street in 19226/21/1924: Engine No. 4, an American-LaFrance, was wrecked. It skidded off the road while responding to a fire at Stamford Hall above Bull’s Head.

4/11/1941: #4 Engine — American LaFrance Triple Combination – purchased June 12, 1922 — Broke down August 30, 1948 – Mechanics started to dismantle this entire machine at #3 Station on April 11, 1949. Equipment and parts usable by Chief to be stored away for the future. Tires and tubes turned over to Mr. Case of the Service Dept. on Nov. 8, 1949.

7/25/1921: Chief’s Cadillac Car purchased.

5/9/1916: American LaFrance Combination Hose and Pumper purchased (Engine No. 1).

2/9/1935: Old Pumping Engines Reg. No. 65 purchased December 2, 1911 and Reg. No. 1165 purchased by May 9, 1916 was sold to Casimer DeMott (Post Road Wrecking Co.) for $75.00

5/21/1915: Ladder TruckNo. 1 purchased.

9/14/1939: The Old American LaFrance Aerial Ladder Truck that was purchased in 1915 was sold to John A. Ferro Inc ($100) and was taken down to his junk yard at 1:37 P.M. by Mechanical Supervisor Charles B. Krom (Driving) and Asst Mech. Sup. Walter F. Seely (Tillering)

5/31/1916: American LaFrance motor City Service Truck with chemical equipment purchased (Truck No. 2).

1/8/1942: The City Service Truck at #3 Station put in commission at 8:00 A.M. (Purchased May 31, 1916)

///////////6/16/1951: 1916 American LaFrance Service Truck know s #3 Truck sold for $175.00 to Theodore Hoisington of Kirby Lane, Rye, N. Y. The sale was negotiated by Mr. William Heming, Purchasing Agent for the City of Stamford, Conn. Letter of Confirmation to Chief Veit may be found in “Purchasing Agent” file. It left Headquarters at 9:50am 6/26/51 being driven by its new owner./////////

9/23/1955: American LaFrance City Service Truck, known as #2 Truck left Fire Headquarters at _______ with _______ driving going to Manchester, Conn. to be scrapped.

8/19/1913: purchased (Engine No. 3).

5/4/1937: American LaFrance Type 12 Triple Combination Engine Reg. No. 351 Purchased August 19, 1913 broke crank shaft responding to an alarm from Station 325. this machine was discarded July 17, 1937

7/30/1938: The old #3 Engine (Reg. No. 351) was towed to Fire Hdqtrs and dismantled and all of the parts that could not be used was sole to Rabino Bros. Inc. for junk ($60 received)

11/25/1913: Chief’s Automobile purchased. (Pope Hartford).

12/2/1911: First motor drive purchased ( Engine No. 2).

5/19/1910: First motor driven apparatus

Pictured July 6, 1912

10/3/1906: Amoskeag Steam Fired Engine purchased.

12/26/1951: Old Horse drawn Steam Fire Engine station in the garage in the rear of #2 Sta. sold to Rubino’s Junk Yard for $325.00

10/3/1906: Purchased

5/1/1905: First Chemical Apparatus purchased.

1/28/1930: Old Locomobile Chemical discarded (First motor piece of fire apparatus purchased).

9/1892: American LaFrance Steam Fire Engine purchased.

2/1/1883: Button Engine Purchased

10/9/1862: “ARRIVAL OF THE HOOK & LADDER TRUCK” (Advocate headline Oct. 10, 1862) “Yesterday afternoon, the handsome truck, manufactured in Waterford, N.Y., arrived in this village. The Engine Companies assembled at the depot, where a procession was formed of firemen and citizens; and its advent in Stamford was the occasion of appropriate ceremonies. In the evening there was a collation at the engine house.”

3/1/1916: Old horse drawn Aerial Truck No. 1 sold.

9/1859: In September, 1859 the Rippowam company purchased a used engine, the “Good Intent No. 13” of Troy, [N.Y.] [It likely was a Button built just across the river from Troy.] Rebuilt and modernized, it took the old name “Rippowam.”Writes Easterbrook in 1911: “It probably had folding brakes similar to those of the “Gulf Stream” and probably has not been destroyed.”

As to the first “Rippowam,” the older model 10″ Button, it “may have been one of the original stationary-brake engines, and…may have been demolished.”

11/18/1857: On Nov. 18 and Dec. 2 1857, No. 2 Engine Co. held meetings to discuss purchase of a larger engine. The Jeffers company in Pawtucket, RI offered one for $1700 with a $200 trade-in of the Hunneman. After much comparison, a 10″ Button engine was decided on, an improved version of the “Rippowam” in town.

5/16/1854: “The engine purchased for the No. 2 engine company was made by the Hunneman Company of Boston. It was a 5-1/2″ engine, maker’s number 504, and was shipped to Stamford May 16, 1854…This may be the engine located [in 1911] at the Stamford Foundry, [formerly J. D. Warren Co.] where tradition says an old engine resting in innocuous desuetude.” [Orig. source H. H. Easterbrook letter][During its short career here it was named “Stamford No. 2” or “The Stamford.”

Per Dunshee, it may have been an end-stroke engine, Hunneman’s specialty.

12/1/1854: In December, 1844, “Rippowam Fire Engine Company No. 1” having been formed with Sands Seely as foreman, the new engine was placed in its charge. The cost of this machine was $500, and the committee – James B. Scofield, Edwin Bishop and Enos B. Waterbury — also purchased 197 ft. of hose for $118.20. According to H. H. Easterbrook*, a fire historian, this engine was a “goose-neck” model, hand-drawn, hand-pumped. The new fire company soon petitioned the State for a Charter which was granted in the 1845 Session.*H. H. Easterbrook wrote a letter on June 9, 1911 to H. W. Parker, Chief of the Stamford Fire Department in which he gave many details of the early Stamford fire engines. This letter was published in the Stamford Advocate June 24, 1911 and also quoted in Sherwood. The original is at the Fire Department.

7/4/1855: H. H. Easterbrook, in the Advocate Jun 24, 1911, refers to “the old [1844] gooseneck, now at the plant of the Stamford Manufacturing Co.” (The Cove Mills.) Cove Engine was organized by one of the Leeds Family, owners of Stamford Mfg. Co. after a bad fire at the mills. It would be natural for the mills to sponsor the Cove fire company, and it would be natural for the ancient engine to rest there until its removal to Central Station’s relic room. (ca. 1919?)

An updated picture (Advocate?) shows a small gooseneck engine captioned: “First hand-drawn pumping engine: Rippowam Engine No. 1, purchased for $500 with 197ft. of hose for $118.20 – Sands Seely foreman.”

A photo in the Advocate’s Tercentenary (1941) shows it in front of the South End firehouse, titled: “…a hand-drawn pumping engine used by volunteer firemen in 1844 and for 12 years thereafter.” A zipatone drawing in the vertical file is merely tracing of this engraving.

Programs of the “Grand Ball of the Stamford Fire Department” (1923-29) show it sitting in the 3rd-floor Relic Room at Central Station, titled: “one of Stamford’s first fire engines.” [R.D. Towne remembers seeing there ca. 1930]

A Photo of this engine at a parade was in the Advocate May 15, 1931, titled “1856 hand pumper” which the text calls “the old hose wagon of 1856 known as “Cove No. 1.”