97 Grand Street
Chronological Listing of Events and Apparatus at Grand Street
March 18, 1912: The Firehouse at 97 Grand Street (corner of Quinn Street) opened less than one month after the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. Engine Company 11 relocated to this house from its 10 Hotel Street quarters.
March 18, 1912: Used the Autocar Automobile the company had in the Hotel Street location.
July 1, 1916: Two Platoon System begins: (Day and Night Shifts
Day Shift
|
Night Shift
|
Captain John Crowley
William Walsh |
Lieutenant Thomas Hunt
James Brady |
October 1916 photo: Commercial Truck Company Combination Hose and Chemical Wagon with Electric Motor (Serial #7102)

If you blow up the photo and look closely at the hat badges you will see the man on the far right has a single horizontal trumpet: that is a lieutenants's hat badge: he is William Loughlin. The Captain (John Crowley) at the far left has two vertical trumpets on his cap badge. The firefighters have maltese cross PFD badges on their caps. Note also that the two firefighters (non-officers) in the middle have a single row of coat buttons whereas the two officers (Captain on the left and Lieutenant on the right) have a double row of buttons. Also the Captains lapel pins are larger than the lieutenants. The two firefighters have no lapel pins.
1918 Ball Book Roster
Captain John J. Crowley
Lieutenant William Loughlin |
John Brady
William Walsh |
1930 Company Roster
B Shift
Acting Captain John Hess Robert Campbell Hubert O'Connor John Reardon |
January 1935: Ball Booster Program: Captain Edward Cusack Sr.
1935: Men of Engine Company 11 A Shift: Captain James Troy, John Dougherty, Isaac Reigotte, Luke Cannon
1935: Men of Engine Company 11 B Shift: R Campbell, Acting Captain John Hess, Hubert O'Connor, John Reardon
November 30, 1932: 1922 chain-driven second size American LaFrance Triple Combination Hose and Pumping Engine (500 GPM), Serial # 5030) acquired from Haledon NJ Fire department: this apparatus had been severely damage, in an accident. The Ahrens Fox representative had it repaired and gifted it to Paterson. In PFD records this is referred to as either a type 12 or type 75 model. The apparatus is seen in this 1942 fire scene photo.
WW II era photo of Auxiliary Firemen on E 11 ALF apparatus
1940 Paterson Evening News Golden Jubilee - Engine Company 11 Roster
1944 Annual Report Roster
A Shift
Acting Captain Isaac Reigottie Robert Summers John Dougherty |
B Shift
Captain John Holly James Rafferty John Reardon Edward Westhoven |
November 15 1948: 1927 Ahrens Fox Model N-S-4 1000 GPM (Serial 331) pumper formerly used by Engine Companies 3 and 1
1948 Engine Company 11 Journal with Roster and Badge Numbers
1949 Ball book photo of Engine Company 11 "A Shift" Captain James Coyle, John Dougherty, James Rafferty, and Issac Reigotti
1949 Ball book photo of Engine Company 11 "B Shift" Captain John Holly, John Kedash, Basil Brosnan and Robert Magee
March 1953: 1930 Ahrens Fox Model H-P-4 1000 GPM pumper (Serial #2312) formerly used by Engine Companies 1 and 4. Photo below is as Engine Company 4. This apparatus was retired in March 1958 and sat in a field in West Milford NJ before being sold in 1961 to Community Fire Company of Wayne, NJ where it was restored.
1954 Ball book photo: First row L-R: Roger Brosnan, George Reid, Jack Nargiso, Joseph Raneiri. Second row L-R: Captain George Findlow, John Dougherty, John Cichon, George Kilgour, Captain Elia D'Addario. The above Ahrens Fox is in the background.
January 23, 1958: 1953 Seagrave 750 GPM formerly used by Engine Company 3 (serial G3793)
E 11 quarters with Pellegrino "Bill" Vitale, Patsy Fusaro, Pat Giglio and Bob Lenoy in front of Seagrave pumper
1967: Men of Engine Company 11 with 1953 Seagrave: Captain Patsy A. Fusaro, Captain Fred Armona, Robert Lenoy, N Ricciardi, Joseph Mendillo, John Minardi, Leonard Saia, Patsy J. Giglio.
1967: Men of Engine Company 11 with 1953 Seagrave: John Alexander, Edward W. Hunt, Captain Joseph O'Neill, Vito Tiritilli, Captain David R. Pickels, George Reid, John Donohue.
with 1953 Seagrave: Front: L-R John Alexander, Edward W. Hunt, Captain Joseph O'Neill, Vito Tiritilli, Captain David R. Pickels. On top George Reid and John Donohue.
with 1953 Seagrave: Front: L-R John Alexander, Edward W. Hunt, Captain Joseph O'Neill, Vito Tiritilli, Captain David R. Pickels. On top George Reid and John Donohue.
December 1, 1969: 1957 FWD Special 1000 GPM (Serial D80294) formerly used by Engine Company 1.
April 1975: Firemen assembled at Engine Company 11 for the funeral cortege of Captain Fred Armona (Supreme Sacrifice). L-R: Captain John Walton, Vincent Zito, Captain Robert Woodruff, James Ramundo, Nicholas Ricciardi, James O'Neill, Captain Terry Pelligrino, and Gary Knorr
February 1, 1978: Company receives a 1971 Hahn 1250 GPM (Serial HC523127120) formerly used by Engine Company 1 and 6.
Interior views of quarters: Note gasoline tank - apparatus would be filled through window while parked on street
September 3, 1982: Department renumbers the Engine Companies (see official order at Overview Page). Engine Company 11 ceases to exist but the company becomes Engine Company 7
November 30, 1983: 97 Grand Street Firehouse closed for repairs and Engine Company 7 relocates to the Hillcrest Firehouse - This came about starting with a Saturday inspection Assistant Chief Joseph Forbes discovered evidence of a floor collapse due to the weight of the Hahn Pumper. A report was sent to Chief Kane and Mayor Graves did a follow up inspection and approved the repair funds.
Partially refurbished FH photo (note new door frame)
August 4, 1984: The refurbished firehouse reopens and Engine Company 7 (note new sign on FH) now operates here using a 1971 Hahn 1250 GPM pumper which had been painted white)
1987: Engine 7 receives a new Emergency One 1500 GPM pumper
97 Grand Street Firehouse with a West Paterson FD pumper on Mutual Aide assignment
2006: Engine 7 receives a new Emergency One 1500 GPM pumper painted red
April 19, 2013: The 97 Grand Street firehouse closes because of structural weaknesses of the apparatus floor and the Engine Company and apparatus moves to the Hillcrest Firehouse on Union Avenue