Paterson Auxiliary Fire Brigade
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A local defense program was set up during World War 2 and Captain Joseph (Lester) Devenport was chosen as Paterson's representative to attend various schools for instructors of Auxiliary Fire Brigades as set up by the State Council for Civilian Defense. An Auxiliary Fire Brigade was organized in Paterson and more than 300 Auxiliary Firemen received basic training. Sixteen companies were set up with each company under the supervision of the company captains. Weekly drills were held. Drills are listed at bottom of this page. |
Captain Lester Devenport
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Dayspring Collectiion
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Courtesy Henderson Family
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January 1942: REPORT OF THE PATERSON AUXILIARY FIRE BRIGADE
Chief Thomas Coyle, Instructor Captain Joseph L. Devenport, Clerk Charles Maines
from the Dayspring Collection
Chief Thomas Coyle, Instructor Captain Joseph L. Devenport, Clerk Charles Maines
from the Dayspring Collection
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1942 Report
Dayspring Collection
January 16, 1942: Organization of Paterson's "Volunteer" Fire Department
Morning Call - Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Listed in alphabetical order (Bolded if past or future PFD)
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Max Abramson
James U Ackerman David Appel John Baumann Girri Beinato Fred E Benson James Bevina Sam Blevett Ellis Boonstra Charles Braen Ralph Brooks Anthony Buccelli Robert Campbell Raymond Carr Charles Centesse James Citro Philip Cohen William J Comer Sal Constantino (alderman) James Christie Anthony Collucci Walter Creathorne John Crowley (former Capt) Matt Darfelt Gordon DeBlieck William DeGrott Henry Dell’Orti Salvatore Della Penta Orrie DeRoon David Devine Frank J DiBari S A Dugan Wallace Evans Thomas Feeney Albert Ferner Nicholas Ficca John Fitzpatrick Leo Fitzsimmons Charles Frederick Francis T France John U France Francis L Fuscaldo John Gallo Thomas Giaquinto A A Glassman Philip Gold Alex Gow J Gow R Gordon Norman Gray Leo Gustenhoven Leo V Hanstein David Harrison Samuel Hartman |
Louis T Hasserick
Edward Hawski Harry Hechinger Andrew Hegawald Thomas Henry August Hermanski William Hilton Frank Hochman Harold Hollingsworth Harry Huber Anthony Jobless A Kahn Thomas Kawerling Timothy Kane Irving Kaplan Milton Katz Thomas J Kammerling Thomas Kearney David W Kerr Daniel Kievet George Kilgour George Kinsey Daniel Koning James V La Marta Eugene Laurie Anthony Lavaia Paul Levine A J Lynch George Martin Anthony Martone William Martone John Marshall Alex W Matthews Thomas Matthews Donald McCall Robert McCrowe Frank McElhatien (alderman) John McLaren Clark Merselis William Millar Robert Monaco Joseph Nardella Fred Neil John Nicollai Charles Nolan (former BC) John O’Brien John Osehouski William Patterson John A Peppinghaus Peter Percarpio Paul Peterson Allison S Petrie Jack Pishetta Peter Plavier Jr |
Jack Popper
Leonard Pulford Robert Quinn Andrew Reid William Riggs Peter Ripmeesier Edward Ristan Harold Ritenour Samuel Robb C Spencer Roberts Peter Robinson Ken Rocholl Harry Roe Nick Romanelli John Romano Joseph Romano Thomas Rotella Ernest Salerno Nate Salmanowitz* Jacob Sanford Herman Saracino Joseph Schwab Joseph Schuab Edward Schiller Ralph Schunk Harold Schwartz Albert Seifert Samuel Sierama Richard Shannon David Shothers Jacob Silver Sam Simonton -former Capt James Teeling Jr James Teeling Sr John J Tierney David Tice Theodore Tice P Totino William Van Der Sluys Cornelius Vandervate Frank Vecchiarella Joseph Ververame Ernest Vegelin Charles Vogt James Vreeland Floyd Wagner Charles Ward Francis E Ward Walter Ward Henry Webner Thomas Whyatt John Winkler Mario P Zedeschi Dan Zomerdyk J Zuccone |
* Father of future PFD Captain Nate Salmanowitz
March 14 1942: FMBA Ball Book
October 29, 1942: Editorial call for Auxiliary Fire Fighters
Morning Call courtesy Dennis Morrison
November 19, 1942: Auxiliary department receives 5 pumps
Morning Call courtesy Dennis Morrison
March 4, 1943: FMBA Ball Book
April 3, 1943: 28 Auxiliary FF complete instruction course
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April 4 1943: Chief Coyle staged a demonstration at City Hall to publicly demonstrate the Auxiliary Fire engines. Paterson had eight 500 gallon trailer pumping units and five auxiliary pumping engines each equipped with nozzles and other tools.
Morning Call - Courtesy Dennis Morrison
Courtesy Dennis Morrison
Courtesy Dennis Morrrison
Courtesy Jim Eifler
Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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Auxiliary 13 on Market Street (being fed with hose lines from Company 4) with water tower play pipe in action at top left. One of the Hook and Ladder Rescue Companies is parked at bottom right
Auxiliary Company # 13 using deck pipe
Company # 2 stretching 2 and 1/2 inch lines at Colt Street (near Market) side of City Hall
Auxiliary Firefighters on Engine Company 11
Auxiliary FF on Engine Company 11 ALF apparatus
May 1943 Morning Call Natoli Collection
Drills with Paterson Companies: Ahrens Fox Pumper (Engine 5)
Drilling with Engine Company 5
Drilling with Truck Company 2 (Ahrens Fox aerial)
Demonstration of rescue equipment by firemen Gus Vineis, Joseph Baumann
and Otto Steinberg
and Otto Steinberg
June 13, 1942: Paterson celebrates its 150th Anniversary. The PPD and PFD Benevolent Associations take out a full page ad in the Paterson Morning Call describing the Auxiliary Brigades (forces) (shown as total page and in its quadrants)
Dayspring Collection
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July 30, 1943: Auxiliary Firemen's Association elects new officers. Roy Henderson of Engine 1 becomes president.
Paterson Evening News courtesy Dennis Morrison
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September 9, 1943: Auxiliary Department has 17 new pieces of apparatus (500 GPM pumpers) - they will not have a gas restriction
Morning Call courtesy Dennis Morrison
December 20, 1943: Preparing ice rink at Westside park
Captain Devenport in front row - Morning Call courtesy Dennis Morrison
August 13, 1944: ~ 4PM Auxiliary F/F of E2 provide mutual aide to Palisades Park
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August 14 Paterson News
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September 16, 1944: 2nd annual Auxiliary FF picnic
Courtesy Anthony Natoli
The Auxiliary brigade continued after the War. Below in center is Captain Joseph "Lester" Devenport. AT left is Mayor William P. Furrey
1944 Annual Report
Chief Coyle notes: Of a roster of 180 members there is an active force of 103 . members who are thoroughly trained and constitute a dependable auxiliary department that has proven to be of effective service to the city. There has been no recruiting of new members during the past year. The equipment is to a large extent the same as in the previous year, with the exception of improvement in the manner in which the tools and appliances are mounted on the apparatus. The Master Mechanic has installed various devices for holding play pipes, Y's and other small tools. The trailer pumps have proved satisfactory. The auxiliaries have maintained their voluntary tour of duty assignments at their respective company quarters and have responded to the few large fires we have had in gratifying numbers. During the past year the auxiliary department, in voluntarily serving thousands of man hours in house service as well as at fires, have demonstrated their whole-hearted interest in their chosen duty, and have well acquitted themselves as an effective Auxiliary Brigade.
Chief Coyle notes: Of a roster of 180 members there is an active force of 103 . members who are thoroughly trained and constitute a dependable auxiliary department that has proven to be of effective service to the city. There has been no recruiting of new members during the past year. The equipment is to a large extent the same as in the previous year, with the exception of improvement in the manner in which the tools and appliances are mounted on the apparatus. The Master Mechanic has installed various devices for holding play pipes, Y's and other small tools. The trailer pumps have proved satisfactory. The auxiliaries have maintained their voluntary tour of duty assignments at their respective company quarters and have responded to the few large fires we have had in gratifying numbers. During the past year the auxiliary department, in voluntarily serving thousands of man hours in house service as well as at fires, have demonstrated their whole-hearted interest in their chosen duty, and have well acquitted themselves as an effective Auxiliary Brigade.
March 16, 1944: FMBA Ball Book
February 14, 1945: 4 auxiliary firefighter given temporary PFD appointments to bolster manpower. One, Aloysius Lynch was the brother of Paterson FF William Lynch who died in the 1938 Quackenbush fire.
Morning Call courtesy Dennis Morrison
October 15, 1944: Paterson's Auxiliary Companies win several prizes, including first place, at a competition held in Garfield, NJ
October 16 Paterson News
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March 14, 1945: FMBA Ball Book
A sign found in 2023 during a Totowa Home Renovation - likely not from Paterson as the team assigned to Truck 3 was called "Hook and Ladder Rescue Company 3." Courtesy of FF Craig Puglise.
January 8, 1946: Auxiliary F/F William Comer, son of former B/C Michael Comer, injured (foot laceration) at a fire on 23 Maryland Avenue. Comer was appointed to PFD in April and ultimately rose to rank, of Chief Engineer
January 9 Paterson News
February 1, 1947: Certificate presented to Auxiliary Firefighter Harold Hollingsworth. Signed my Mayor Feeney, F& Police Commisioners, Chief Thomas Coyle and Auxiliary Director Les Devenport
Courtesy of John Hollingsworth
July 15, 1950: Following the War, the federal government reclaimed the pumpers and hose used by Auxiliary department and the State disbanded the auxiliaries. However about 35 members elected to stay on PFD Auxiliary rolls
July 15, 1950 - Paterson News
February 5, 1951: Battalion Chief Rudolph Peppinghaus commands Auxiliary Department
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Morning Call - Courtesy Dennis Morrison
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September 13, 1951: Training at Wayne Avenue Firehouse
October 23, 1952: CD drill
Paterson Evening News
PFD CD Auxiliary aluminum helmet. Cairns & Brothers. Paterson issued these helmets for their Auxillary Fireman from the 1940's right through the early 70's. Although most quickly replaced them with the leather style New Yorker.
Worn with grey uniforms
1953: D/C George Peppinghaus appointed drillmaster and director of Auxiliary FD
George Peppinghaus as a Captain)
March 31, 1954: Auxiliary F/F get new equipment
Paterson News
May 20, 1957: Drill at Valley of the Rocks
October 25, 1957: CD-Auxiliary Drill at Lazarra's Hall - supervised by Chief Strathearn
October 25 Paterson Evening News
August 18, 1959: D/C George Peppinghaus conducts CD training of Auxiliary FF
Paterson Evening News courtesy Dennis Morrison
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March 12, 1960: CD Radchem training
Paterson Evening News courtesy Dennis Morrison
March 28, 1960: CD-Auxiliary FD drills at Brandes Field under tutelage of D/C George Peppinghaus
Paterson Evening News courtesy Dennis Morrison
June 9, 1961: Valley of the Rocks drill
Paterson Evening News courtesy Dennis Morrison
July 7, 1961: Arsonist, an PFD Auxiliary FF at Engine 10 arrested
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December 26, 1961: PFD seeks new auxiliary firefighters
circa 1963 - Auxiliary Badge of FF Robert J Wiech - served at Engine Company 11
Courtesy of son Don Wiech
August 11, 1974 - Coronet Dye Fire River Street and 4th Avenue
Auxiliary FF Frank Malzone III
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Vincent Marchese of Engine 8 Auxiliary being helped by Mayor Kramer
1975 photo of PFD CD firefighters: Walt Spiegel top left in t-shirt. Kneeling in front of Snorkel at right are CD Auxiliary Jack Baker (E-12), Chucky L Walker (E-1), and kneeling at left is Norman Van Rensalier E10. Harry Price (E-3) & Jim Durkin (E-3).Top left Frank Malzone III E3. Chief standing at left is Edward McLaughlin
Photo courtesy Harry Price