BADGES: Paid Era

PAID DEPARTMENT BADGES, PINS (post 1890)

August 3, 1891: Rules and Regulations of the Paterson Fire Department re Insignias

Chief: Five trumpets crossed with bell outward and projecting beyond mouthpiece
Assistant Chief: same as chief except there shall be 3 trumpets
Captains of Engine Companies: two parallel trumpets with bell downwards: number in between
Captains of Hook and Ladder Companies: two parallel axes: number in between

Chief Engineer Uniform Breast and Cap Badges -- 5 Trumpets

Hobart Strathearn

Michael Postorino

Chief James Pasquariello

Brian McDermott - 2018 - Marchese photo

Personal Badge collection Courtesy of Chief John Mauro

Breast Badge

Uniform Cap Badge

Chaplain's Badges circa 1960s

Breast Badge

Uniform Cap Badge

Badge Numbering

PFD Badge numbering education: When the paid department started in 1890, each company had a rage of assigned numbers - Badge #s 10-19 were limited to men of Engine Company 1, with the Captain getting #10, Engineer #11 and drivers (hose wagon and steamer) #12 and 13. Other companies had similar patterns for example Engine 5 had #50-59, with #50 being the captain, #51 the engineer, etc. Until 1910 there were 9 engine companies. So, Truck 1 badges were #100-110 with #100 belonging to the Captain, 101 the driver and 102 the tillerman. Likewise Truck 2 was 120-129 and Truck 3 130-139. Chemical Company 1 was issued badges #140-142.

From 1890-1895 there were 5 full time men and 5 call-men. In 1895, all men became full timers. When a firefighter or captain was transferred to a different company, badges remained with original company and the firefighter (or captain) would get a badge of the new company. Chief badges were not numbered.

At a certain point in the 1900s, as men retired and new members were appointed, this strict numbering system faded. Over time as new companies were added (up to 13 engine companies in 1928) and badges were sometimes not returned after retirement or lost, ultimately badges numbers became higher and higher with numbers no longer being related to specific companies.

With respect to the Paterson Volunteer Department, the 9 engine, 3 hose and 3 truck companies were all independent of one another. Each often had hundreds of members and badges numbers ranged from 1 into the 200's.

Fireman's Badge circa 1916-18

John B. Murphy appointed 1916 - Courtesy Brian Fleischer

Edward A. Hancok appointed 1918 - Courtesy Kevin Hancock

Cap & Breast Badge circa 1950s

Firefighter Henry Kettmann appointed 1954

Hank Kettmann

1960 Firemen's Badge of William "Red" Mosca, an FMBA President - which was also later worn by his son FF Brian Mosca

William Mosca - Appointed May 1963

Lieutenant Badge

Engine Company Lieutenant's Breast Badge
(one trumpet)

Engine Company 1

Truck Company 3

Engine Company 10

Engine Company 13

Lieutenant Badges of Joseph Forbes (retired as an Assistant Chief)

Breast Badge

Cap Badge

Uniform Coat Buttons

Captains Badges

Captain of Engine Company 4 Hat and Breast Badge

Captain of an Engine Company had silver color badges with company number
in center surrounded by two trumpets: AT left is uniform cap badge and at right the breast badge.

Engine Company 13 Fireman's Hat and Captain's Breast Badge belonging to Jack Nargiso (circa 1960-80) Also his state and local FMBA badges.

Engine Company 1 and Truck Company 3 Captains Badges of Joseph Dayspring

Above are the Cap and Breast Badges of Captain Joseph Dayspring:
Truck Company 3 and Engine Company 1 (circa 1948-1952)
Below are his lapel uniform buttons (Truck Company Captain)

1942 Fireman's Badge of Assistant Chief Dayspring

Assistant Chief Uniform and Cap Badges with 4 crossed trumpets. These belonged to
Assistant Chief Joseph Dayspring who held that rank 1962 - 1981.

DayspringCollection

Dayspring Collection

Battalion (1953-1957) and Deputy Chief (1957-1962) Badges
belonging to Joseph Dayspring

Dayspring Collection

Many firemen also had smaller badges carried in their wallets (Below are Joseph Dayspring's)

Dayspring Collection

Combustibles

Deputy Chief Combustible Supervisor -- Dayspring Collection

FF Combustibles Badge -- Dayspring Collection

Reines Collection: Deputy Chief, Combustibles

Badge Collection of Deputy Chief Solomon Reines who was long time director of the Combustibles bureau.

Courtesy Richard Reines

Joseph Forbes Collection

Appointed March 1, 1960 and was assigned to Engine 5 (Van Houten Street), which he also captained. He was the last DC ever promoted to Assistant Chief.

Fireman's Badge

Captain Engine Company 5

Captain Engine Company 5 Uniform Cap

AC Joseph Forbes

Captain's Lapel Pins

Deputy Chief Breast Badge

Deputy Chief Uniform Cap

Deputy Chief Lapel Pins

Assistant Chief Breast Badge

Assistant Chief Uniform Cap

Assistant Chief Lapel Pins

Fusaro Collection: Fireman, Lieutenant and Captains Ranks

Courtesy Patricia Fusaro

Captain Fusaro's Wallet Badge

Patsy Fusaro

MASTER MECHANIC & DRILLMASTER

Master Mechanic Badge on Cap of John Carroll (1971 photo)

Angelo Contini Badge -- Dayspring Collection

Dayspring Collection

RESCUE COMPANY BADGES (CAPTAIN)

The badges below are unique to Rescue Company captains. Just as engine company captains have two upright trumpets and truck captains have two upright axes facing one another, the Rescue officer has 2 upright line guns with a rope bag and a diving helmet in the middle and the company number on the front of the rope bag. Rescue 2 operates out of the Southside Firehouse on Getty Avenue. The badge originated with FDNY Rescue Companies. The late Ira Rubin was a helmet shield and badge distributor for Smith Warren and Blackington badges and introduced them to the PFD when Captain Scott Parkin was given command of Rescue 2 in 2005.

Breast Badge

Uniform Cap Badge

Lapel Ornamet

Left collar Insignia

Breast Medal for PFD FF & PPD members who responded to Ground Zero on September 11, 2001

Distributed to active PFD FF on September 11, 2017

HONOR GUARD BADGES

Below is the badge on the Honor Guard Uniform: the embroidered crosses each represent 5 years of service

THEATER DETAIL

CHAPLAIN BADGE

Father Patrick Ryan - 2018 photo

FIRELINE BADGES

Fireline badges, at one time modeled after Gamewell Fire Alarm boxes were handed out to reporters and prominent citizens and allowed them to cross police lines when reporting on or viewing fires. It is of interest that the Founder of the Gamewell Fire Alarm Company actually died in Paterson.

Dayspring Collection

Eifler Collection

Dayspring Collection

Eifler Collection

Dayspring Collection

AUXILIARY FIRE BRIGADE PFD BADGE

Dayspring Collection

Courtesy of Henderson Famiy

HONORARY FMBA BADGE

1947: Chief Troy presented badge to newspaper reporter Max Simon in Match 1947 - For details and photo see FMBA Page

Dayspring Colletion

Dayspring Collection

Reporter Max L Simon receives an Honorary Life Member FMBA gold badge from Chief James Troy at Fire Headquarters on Van Houten Street. FF at left is Harold N Kane, FF in center is Chief's Aide John B. Murphy and at right is FMBA president Frank Dalton. Meyer Jaffe at left is secretary of Fire & Police Commission

RETIREMENT BADGES

Captain James Coyle

Captain James Coyle rear view

Jack Nargiso

Henry Kettmann

Deputy Chief Joseph Dayspring

Carmine Caposella

Shawn Burns 1985 - 2011

Supreme Sacrifice Memorial Pin 2016 and 2017

Badge presented to widow of FF Scott Rogow (Supreme Sacrifice) by Fallen Firefighters Foundation at Memorial Weekend ceremonies October 8, 2017

The St. Florian (patron Saint of Firefighters) pin was issued in October 2016 to commemorate the first annual Red Mass at St. Gerard's Church in Paterson held in 2015. The mass honors those in the Paterson Diocese (Passaic, Morris and Sussex Counties) who have made the Supreme Sacrifice

PFD Fire Association Fire Officers Association Local 202

Police and Fire Commissioner's Badge of Robert Moore