History of Ladder Co. 21

By Captain Michael T. Farrell


Hi Don,

Here it is.

		

1890 - At the meeting of the Board of Fire Commissioners the Chief of
Department recommended that Ladder 21 be established.  On June 1st
Ladder 21 was organized and located at 432 West 36 street.

1890 - Ladder 21 had 147 runs and 76 workers.  The truck had a three (3)
horse team, two (2) of which were purchased for $300.00 each.  Ladder
21's first job was on June 5th at box 454 located at 10 avenue and West
37 street @ 0330 hours.  A second alarm (2-2) was transmitted @ 0332
hours.

1891 - Water Tower 3 was organized and assigned to Ladder 21

1901 - Water Tower 3 was moved to Ladder 24

1902 - Ladder 21 designated a double company on June 1st

1939 - Ladder 21 reverted back to single company.  Because of
construction of the Lincoln Tunnel their quarters had to be destroyed. 
On September 1st Ladder 21 with Engine 34 moved into their new quarters
at 440 West 38 street.

	Original Members of Ladder 21, June 1, 1890

		FM	George S. Searle
		AF	James J. McCartney
		FR	Pierce English
		FR	Thomas R. Godfrey
		FR	Thomas Larkin #1
		FR	William H. Kleinfelder
		FR	Henry E. Hanley
		FR	James R. Fogarty
		FR	Michael F. Power
		FR	Andrew Clarey
		FR	Thomas Kehoe
		FR 	John J. Kane



	Members who made the supreme sacrifice.

Thomas R. Godfrey	L21	Fireman		May 23, 1892
Thomas Behan		L21	Fireman		September 12, 1921
Henry P. Reinhardt	L21	Fireman		March 5, 1922
William Kostinec Jr.	L21	Lieutenant	March 22, 1932
	
		THEY SHOULD AND WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN!

Ladder Co. 21 was assigned a Tower Ladder in 1985 as a result of the
major fire that destroyed Rescue 1's quarters on West 43 street
(formerly the quarters of Engine 2).  The first three trucks responding
to this fire, Ladder 21, Ladder 4 and Ladder 24 were all 100' aerial
ladders. 

	The current members of Tower Ladder Co. 21

	Captain		Michael T. Farrell

	Lieutenant	Michael N. Fodor
			Matthew Moog
			Peter Campanelli

	Fireman		Gerald Atwood
			Frank Chara
			Gerard Duffy
			Brian Eagers
			Gerard Gavin
			Thomas Hammerton
			Michael Harris
			Henry Lombardi
			Edward Luciani
			John Marr
			Juan Marrero
			Frederick McKeon
			James McNally
			Kevin Meehan
			Thomas Merenyi
			Paul Nugent
			Thomas Oswald
			Vincent Prisco
			James Rosinsky
			Clinton Schmitterer
			James Shannon 
			John Sheehan
			Leo Skorupski
 			Bryan Weckmann
			Robert Wheeler

Thanks,

Mike Farrell

by: DONALD VAN HOLT (Ladder 103 / Engine 216 / Ladder 108 Retired, 1983)

[Return to Main page]