Bridgeport, CT Fire Headquarters

[signal29]

Attached are a few photos of Bridgeport, CT Fire Headquarters consisting of Engine 1, Tower Ladder 5, Rescue 5, Battalion 1 and Safety 1

[signal29]

A close up view.

[signal29]

Engine 1 and Tower Ladder 5

[hank]

Good photos!

tHANKs

[Guest]

Attached are a few photos of Bridgeport, CT Fire Headquarters consisting of Engine 1, Tower Ladder 5, Rescue 5, Battalion 1 and Safety 1

Does this house have Poles ?

[Guest]

I'm not 100% sure if they have poles in HQ, I believe they do but I can check.


 

Bridgeport's station / apparatus number is unique for CT as the Truck Companies share the same number as the Engine.  This dates back to the 1930s when the chief at the time requested to change Trucks 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 to the same number as the Engine / Station.  They actually had to request this from the State General Assembly through a special act since Bridgeport FD's original charter for operation was issued by the state in the late 1700s / early 1800s.


 

So with that Truck 1 at Engine 3 became Truck 3, Truck 2 at Engine 5 became Truck 5, Truck 3 at Engine 6 became Truck 6, Truck 4 at Engine 11 became Truck 11 and old Truck 5 at Engine 12 became Truck 12 (city service).  During this time, Engine 10 became a combination company with their hose wagon being replaced with a city service ladder like Truck 11 and Truck 12's units.  Old Chemical Co. 1 whihc was quartered at Engine House 5 became Chemical 5, then re-named Squad 5 and is now known as Rescue 5.


 

Eventually Truck 11 and Truck 10 were replaced with ALF rear mounts and Truck 12 was disbanded.  Also during the 1970s, several of the old firehouses were closed and units moved in together.  Engine 1, Engine 5, Truck 5 and Rescue 5 occupied HQ with Engine 1's quarters (forgot what street they were originally on) and the old FD HQ building (Station 5) on Middle Street were replaced.  The lot for the old HQ can be seen across Washington Street from the present HQ.  Engine 3, Truck 3 and Engine 4 were housed together on Wood Avenue, Engine 6, Truck 6 and Engine 8 were house together while Engine 7, Engine 11 and Ladder 11 are housed on Ocean Terrace.


 

Unfortunately over the years, Bridgeport faced closures; 


Engine 11 Disbanded in 1976;


Engine 9 was disbanded in the 70s I 
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">believe.  Engine 9 moved around and was also closed for a short time, when they disbanded they were located up at Engine 16's station in the North End;</span>

Engine 2 was disbanded in 1990, the busiest engine company at the time by what I was told;


Ladder 12 was disbanded in 1991 (still was a city service rig if I remember right);


Engines 8 & 14, disbanded in 1992, Engine 8 was closed for a long time during the depression era before being reactivated and housed at Central Ave, Engine 14 was located on Old Town Road really close to the Trumbull town line;


Ladder 3 disbanded in 1995;


The most recent company to be disbanded was 
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);">Engine 5 at HQ in 2005.</span>

 

There were also two additional chemical companies (Chemical 2 and Chemical 3) both disbanded in the early 1930s.


 

Also Bridgeport ran two piece engine companies (engine and hose wagon) up into the 1980s / 1990s  with some of their Engine Companies also.

[Guest]

Duplicate post, please delete.

[signal29]

We have three poles at headquarters.

[Marc]

Would love to see pics of the other active and disbanded Bridgeport firehouses!

[Roto-Ray]

 

Bridgeport's station / apparatus number is unique for CT as the Truck Companies share the same number as the Engine.  This dates back to the 1930s when the chief at the time requested to change Trucks 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 to the same number as the Engine / Station.  They actually had to request this from the State General Assembly through a special act since Bridgeport FD's original charter for operation was issued by the state in the late 1700s / early 1800s.


 

 

Interesting.  I know having truck companies numbered differently than the house is very common in the northeast (as opposed to down here, where it's the norm), but I'm surprised that Bridgeport is the lone department in all of Connecticut that has this.  Does the BFD still have to request administrative matters through the General Assembly, or have times changed in the past 80 years?

[Guest]

 

Interesting.  I know having truck companies numbered differently than the house is very common in the northeast (as opposed to down here, where it's the norm), but I'm surprised that Bridgeport is the lone department in all of Connecticut that has this.  Does the BFD still have to request administrative matters through the General Assembly, or have times changed in the past 80 years?

Its all through the city for all I know.  I think that the 1930's request to the General Assembly was more a formality than anything.  Unless Glenn knows more about it since he is a member of the BFD.

 

Hi Glenn!  How yah been???

[signal29]

The department can renumber the trucks as they see fit and call them what they like, trucks, tower ladders, etc.  I do not have pictures of the BFD houses.  I think It will be a future project of mine.  Thanks for the idea.