​Evolution of the Paid Department

Chronologial List of Important Events

1960 - 1979

January 1, 1960: The Paterson Fire Department hires its first African American fireman: Henry O. Harris Jr. He was assigned first to the FAO and then to Engine Company 5. 

Dedication Plaque on Ladder 2

April 14, 1960: Deputy Chief Harold Kane, despite finishing third in the Civil Service examination is appointed Chief Engineer. 

AC Joseph Forbes Collection

​May 18, 1960: Executive officer established and defined. The first to assume the title was DC Daniel J Carroll

DC Daniel Carroll

AC Joseph Forbes Collection

​March 4, 1961: Captain Lester Reiche of Engine Company 3 collapses and dies at a fire on Ellison Street. See Supreme Sacrifice

Captain Reiche and Company Dalmatian "Skipper)

​1961:  (Summer)   -- PFD installed two way radios in the apparatus. Here is Engine Company 5 in front of Headquarters with Captain William Comer demonstrating the radio. Driver is Joseph Forbes

Courtesy Joseph Forbes

February 3, 1962: The Lakeview Firehouse on Trenton Avenue opens and Engine Company 13 and truck 1 relocate there.

June 1962: Truck Company 2 at Van Houten Street receives a new open cab Pirsch 100' aerial. It is the first 100' aerial the department has ever had. It is pictured below across the street from the firehouse.

July 2, 1962: To make way for Interstate Route 80 construction the Firehouse at 72 Jackson Street closes. Engine Company 4 goes out of service.

​August 29, 1962: The Riverside - East Side Firehouse opens on Lafayette Street and Engine Company 3, Truck Company 3 and the Third Battalion relocate there.

1962: The rank of Assistant Chief is re-established. Lester Titus and Daniel Carroll was appointed. Joseph Dayspring who refused the title in 1960 accepted the position June 1, 1962.

1963: The rank of Battalion Chief and Lieutenant are eliminated from the department. Joseph L. Devenport and Ruldolph Peppinghaus were promoted to Assistant Chief.

April 28, 1963: A new Exempt Fireman's Home on Walnut Street is dedicated.

May 1, 1963: For the first time since department inception in 1890, men do not have to report for duty wearing full uniform.

September 1, 1963: A 42 hour work week, after lots of lobbying, approved in the November 1962 election goes into effect. Firefighter Joe Parkin on the left and ​Ralph Di Guglielmo on the right.  Belowis a related bumper sticker.

Dayspring Collection

October 1963: Truck Company 3 apparatus  destroyed by flames in the General Alarm Fire at the Franklin Finishing Corp.

January 27, 1964: The Southside Firehouse on Getty Avenue opens and Engine Companies 7 and 9 relocate. The older houses at 78 Gould Ave and 586 Main Street which date to the days of horse pulled apparatus close. E7 Mack pumper show below with riot roofs installed dating the photos to 1968 or later.

April 10, 1964: Off-duty Firemen (Al Capter, John Vanderhook, Captain Joe Dougherty and Angelo Mazza) led by FMBA President Fred Ricciardi clean up (steam bath) statue of Alexander Hamilton at Post Office Plaza in preparation of its move by Ottilio Construction company on April 11 to the new Overlook Park by the falls.

Dayspring Collection

Dayspring Collection

June 30, 1964: The department obtains a new Pitman 60' Snorkel on an FWD chassis and it enters service at Engine Company 7. Even though the Firehouse Bay was labeled as Snorkel 1, it always operated as Engine Company 7. 

April 1965: A second Snorkel, a new American LaFrance 85' Aerochief was put in service as truck Company 3 at the Riverside Firehouse.

​From a Paterson NJ publicity pamphlet describing five years of construction progress

Mar. 20, 1967 Award winning photograph of Engine 5 Captain Mario Colitarci performing a rescue at   100 River Street 4 alarm tenement fire,  In 2016 it graced the cover of the annual PFA ball book

Hancock Collection

May 17, 1967:  Firefighters help Captain Joseph Bauer of Engine 12

Northwest corner Haledon Avenue and North 9th Street

Captain Joseph Bauer

July 1, 1967: Regulation re proper display of US Flag at Firehouse

97 Grand Street Firehouse Engine 11

 July 10, 1967:  Department uses its portable foam machine, less than a year old, which is quartered at Southside FH at a 3rd alarm fire at National Shore Store on Main Street

Seen here at Paterson Museum

Assistant Chief Joseph Dayspring in white helmet

October 5, 1967: Another order from Chief Kane regarding officer uniforms (note hand written phrase on bottom)

October 20, 1967: Off duty Paterson firefighters and the department Honor Guard assemble at Southside FH with Mayor Kramer before leaving for a funeral of Ridgefield firemen who mad Supreme Sacrifice.

R Salmanowitz/A Natoli Collection

​June 1968: Squad One  enters service as an official new company at 115 Van Houten Street Headquarters: Left to right Assistant Chief Joseph Dayspring, Captain Leon Sopuch, firefighters Joe Guerrieri, Tommy Coppo and John Alexander. It responded to every box alarm. 

Asst. Chief Dayspring, Captain L Sopuch at left

​July 8, 1968: The Reo Rescue Truck moved from 115 Van Houten Street to the Southside Firehouse and was operated by the men of Engine Company 9.  The order is posted below.

June 1968: Because of the inner city rioting occurring across the United States and in Paterson, plywood "riot" roofs were installed over the open cabs and rears of the apparatus.

Courtesy Anthony Natoli

Engine Company 1 FWD

Truck Co 2 1962 Pirsch

Courtesy Anthony Natoli

September 11, 1968:  Salary increase rally

D Salmanowitz/Natoli Collection

​Numerous names are misspelled at right

​December 10, 1968 at10:58 PM. 8 persons died at the arson-related General Alarm Midtown Hotel  fire at 2 Park Avenue.

January 7 1969: Engine Company 10 and Truck 1 sustained serious damage in a collision at Park Avenue and Summer Street. Engine 10 was responding west on Park Avenue to a two alarm fire at 178 Market Street while Truck 1 heading north on Summer Street was relocating to Headquarters after responding to a false alarm at Straight and Essex Streets. William Siss, driver of E10 was admitted to Paterson General Hospital and Tillerman Leo Quigly of Truck 1 at St. Joseph's Hospital. Treated at St. Joseph's were Captain Ray Allex, Captain Harry Davatellis, and firemen John Baschetti, Thomas Hughes and Francis Bealer.

March 12, 1969: New Captain's uniform rules

July 1, 1969: Paterson receives three new Seagrave 1250 GPM pumpers and one Seagrave 100' Aerial (the first ever Paterson pumpers or Trucks with closed cabs). They are pictured below upon arrival at the Lakeview Firehouse. Assigned to Engine Companies 1, 3, 5 and Truck 2.

Below: L-R: Chief Harold Kane, Peter Leslie of Steelfab Inc., Kenneth Hayden (clerk to Fire & Police Commission), Fred Ricciardi, Commissioner Edwin Englehardt and Mayor Pat Kramer

Hancock Collection

Engine Company 1 1250 GPM pumper

November 1, 1969: Paterson's first Puerto Rican firefighter is appointed. Avelino Fernandez is assigned to Truck Company 3. He retired as a captain

FF Fernandez is standing 2nd from right - E McCran Collection

Avelino Fernandez

​November 14, 1970: The Fire department Ambulance service is established under the direction of ​Assistant Chief Joseph Dayspring. For full details visit the EMS page

Below is the journal entry of Ambulance Unit 92, located at Southside Firehouse on Getty Avenue, which made the first PFD ambulance response 5 minutes after going on duty. Note the presence of Mayor Kramer, Chief Kane and DC Peterson in quarters.

June 1971: Engine Company 1, 5 (shown below at Headquarters on Van Houten Street) as well as 3 and 12 receive new Hahn 1250 GPM pumpers painted red

May 4, 1971: Residency requirement announced

July 1971: The Hillcrest Firehouse opens on Union Avenue. Engine Company 8 and Ambulance #91 are relocated there. 

March 17, 1972:  Order from Chief re Dress Uniforms

1972 Captain swearing in Ceremony  Mayor Arthur Dwyer: Top row Bob Gabriel, Norman Morley, Dominic Cotroneo, Dennis Diguglielmo, Frank Giordino, Frank Crampton
2nd row John Elwood, Joe Pelligrino, Carl Larson, Jim Tasca, John Minardi
Bottom row Bill Shortway, Jack Gregg, Ed Hancock (being promoted to Deputy Chief) , John Mauro, Terry Pelligrino

March 1, 1973: Captain Frank Mancinelli of Truck 3 makes the Supreme Sacrifice when he was fatally injured falling from a roof fire on Paterson Street.

October 12, 1973:  Civil service required for ambulance service

December 28, 1973: The Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) became law. Full-time jobs were provided for a period of 12 to 24 months in public agencies. The intent was to impart a marketable skill that would allow participants to move to an unsubsidized job. 27 men joined the PFD CETA roster.

1973: Controversy regarding use of the badge from Chief John Stagg:  Stagg served as Chief of the Volunteer Department in 1887 and then was appointed Chief of the paid department in 1891 and served until his retirement in 1912. He was a nationally known fire chief. Click here for biography. 

John Stagg

The letters below are between Chief Kane and Stagg's family

June 1974: Fire and Police Commission is disbanded. The control of the department passes to the Director of Public Safety. 

November 7, 1974: The position of Chiefs aides are eliminated for Assistant and Deputy Chiefs.

April 5, 1975: Captain Fred Armona of Engine Company 11 makes the Supreme Sacrifice in a roof collapse during a church fire on 4th Avenue.

April 15, 1975: Firemen approve the first written contract (with a uniformed service) in Patercon city history.

June 24, 1975: A new Pirsch 100' aerial enters service at Truck Company 2. It is the first ever yellow apparatus in department history. 

March 17, 1976: Two new 1975 1250 GPM Hahn Pumpers are assigned to Engine Companies 1 and 5 (shown below after company names were changed to 10 (on left) and 6 (at right)

June 6, 1976: Parade for President Gerald R Ford visits Paterson to dedicate the Great Falls Historic Park. Two of PFD's newest apparatus (1975 Hahn pumper and1975 Pirsch aerial) were placed at Hillcrest Firehouse for this event

R-L: Capt. George Kilgour E. 8; Fireman Pellegrino C. Vitale; Fireman Roy Vonderhayden;  Fireman William Downey; Bn. Chief Albert Capter; Deputy Chief Edward McLaughlin Front in Center; Civilian in Checkered Trousers is off Duty Deputy Chief Edward J. Hancock.

President Ford and Mayor Kramer

March 9,1977: Department mandates Burke Eye Shield on all helmets

Helmet of Assistant Chief Joseph Dayspring

July 28, 1977: The old bell alarm system is replaced by the EVRS system at 8:15 AM

​Shown at right is the Gamewell Gong at 115 Van Houten Street

​The last alarm transmitted over the old system was station 623 for a car fire on 5th Avenue.

​January 1978: Three new 1977 American LaFrance 1250 GPM Pumpers are assigned to Engine Companies 1, 3 and 5.

Engine 1

1978: The rank of Battalion Chief was re-established with Norman Morley and John Mauro being the first appointed. The rank of Assistant Chief was officially eliminated. 

April 30, 1978: The Fulton Street Conflagration destroys two apparatus (Engine Companies 2 and 5) and a chief's car. 

Engine Company 2 1969 Seagrave

Engine Company 5 1978m ALF

Chief's Gig

1979: The Madison Avenue Firehouse opens and Engine Company 6 relocates there in September and Engine Company 10 in October

November 5, 1979: Two new American LaFrance 1250 GPM pumpers enter service at Engine Company 5 at 115 Van Houten Street and Engine Company 12 at Circle Avenue