HILLCREST (Union Avenue)

HILLCREST FIREHOUSE
221 Union Avenue

CURRENT OCCUPANT:
Engine Company 2
Ambulance 92

January 10, 1968: New firehouse planned for Hillcrest section of Paterson

February 10, 1970: Groundbreaking ceremony

The Hillcrest Firehouse at 221 Union Avenue opened on July 1, 1971 and Engine Company 8, formerly located at 71 Wayne Avenue relocated. Ambulance Unit 91 had relocated from Wayne Avenue on June 30, 1971 at 4 PM.

Originally the plaque on a wall apart from Firehouse

2006 Photo - Plaque on Firehouse

July 2020 - Vince Marchese photo

Chronological Listing of the Apparatus at Hillcrest Firehouse

At one point, (exact date ?) each Paterson company was assigned its own unique color scheme: specific colored stripes would be on every piece of equipment. Engine 8 (and subsequently E2) color was brown.

July 1, 1971: Engine Company 8 was using a 1953 750 GPM pumper (Serial # G3791) formerly used by Engine Company 6.

July 7, 1971: 1957 FWD Special 1000 GPM pumper (Serial # D81295) formerly used by Engine Company 6 is used by Engine 8. It is shown below with plywood riot roof attached in 1968.

1972: Thomas Dayspring of Ambulance 91 in E8 drivers seat and at watch desk

1972: Spare 1957 FWD apparatus and a Cadillac Ambulance in rear bay at Hillcrest FH

Former E5 & E10 Pumper - (serial D80291) - Dayspring Photo

Hillcrest Firehouse Interior with Engine Company 8 and the 1965 American LaFrance AeroChief Snorkel parked as a spare. Ambulance 91 in right foreground.

Vincent Marchese photo

Auxilliary Fireman Vince Marchese in front of Engine Company 8 apparatus.

Original Running Board with Box Assignments under old bell system

Courtesy Bryan Boru

Dayspring Photo December 2016

April 1, 1976: 1969 Seagrave 1250 GPM pumper (Serial # R4476) formerly used by Engine Company 1 and 6.

Jim Koper Photo

1969 Seagrave parked in quarters

Tour 3: Captain Larry Mazza, Art Salmanowitz, Tony Ziza and Tippy Nicolazzo

Circa 1980: Coat rack at Hillcrest Firehouse

Vince Marchese Photo

March 16, 1981: Apparatus damaged in accident and out for repairs. Company used 1969 Seagrave (R4477) formerly used by Engine 3, 9 and 5 (painted red)

October 16, 1981: 1969 Seagrave 1250 GPM (Serial # R4476) which was in accident in March back in service and painted yellow. Seagrave R4477 went off duty and was sold September 25, 1982.

Standing besides the apparatus below are Sabias Recca, Captain Francis J Carr, Harold "Unc" Nicholas, John A Cichon. Engine 8, tour 2. Circa 1979/80.

October 19, 1981: Engine Company 8 receives a 1969 Seagrave 1250 GPM pumper (Serial # R4476) painted yellow.

June 28, 1982: 115 Van Houten Street Firehouse closes and the 1981 ALF Aerochief rearmount aerial that was used by Truck Company 2 relocates from to the Hillcrest Firehouse for a transient 2 months stay.

September 3, 1982: Department renumbers most of the Engine and Truck Companies (see official order at Overview Page). Truck Company 1 at Hillcrest Firehouse is now called Truck Company 2 and receives the 1975 Pirsch 100' aerial (Serial # 3111) formerly used by both Truck 2 and Truck 1, which was yellow.

September 3, 1982: In the department renumbering, Engine Company 8 remains as Engine Company 8 at Hillcrest Firehouse.

1983 photo

1984 photo

February 11, 1983: Snowstorm

Courtesy Sharon Woodruff

November 30, 1983: The 97 Grand Street firehouse is closed for repairs and Engine Company 7 relocates to the Hillcrest Firehouse. To make room for Engine 7, Truck Company 2 was relocated to the Southside Firehouse. Engine 7 returned to Grand Street and Truck 2 to Hillcrest on August 4, 1984

December 3, 1984: The Third Battalion reopens at Hillcrest Firehouse.

Kitchen View: From L-R: Captain of Truck 2, Thomas Alala, Ray Cusack. Captain of Engine 8 Louis Ponstingel, Eddie Cusack and Glenn Brown

December 4, 1984: Engine Company 8 used a 1971 spare Hahn 1250 GPM pumper.

1980 Beckwith Ave 3rd alarm - Todd Hollritt photo

February 13, 1985: Engine Company 8 receives a 1975 Hahn 1250 GPM pumper (Serial # HCP528127624) with 500 gallon tank painted white formerly used by Engine Companies 6, 10, 6 again, and 1). Apparatus was painted white and is pictured below.

1985: At Hillcrest FH: The Gallagher Brothers - Captains William ("Bill") and Warren ("Tex") and Battalion Chief Alfred ("Ollie)

L-R: Captain William, B/C Alfred, Captain Warren

L-R: Captain Warren, B/C Al, & Captain William

May 14, 1985: Truck Company 2 receives a 1981 American LaFrance AeroChief 100' Rearmount (Serial # 7254). Apparatus, which originally was all white, later had the cab painted white. Formerly used at 115 Van Houten Street and Madison Ave. The 1975 tillered Pirsch which had been at Hillcrest FH was sent for refurbishing and repainting in anticipation of its use at Northside Firehouse (then being built).

1985: Engine 8 receives 1979 ALF CE6621 (former E12, E9) converted to a 55' telesquirt (Reddi Tower). It was initially labelled and planned to be used as E9 in the Northside Firehouse but never saw service at E9. Ultimately number on cab changed to "8."

95th Anniversary Parade on Union Ave

1987: Truck 2 relocates to Northside Firehouse on Temple Street

1989 Emergency One on Spartan chassis (1500 GPM) pumper for Engine 8

1995: Engine 8 Using Thibault Telesquirt

1995 Parade

February 13, 1996: Incident # 960774 17-21 West Broadway General Alarm 3 stores

May 2, 1996: Responding to CCP, Engine 8 has accident on Union Ave

May 3 Herald courtesy Dennis Morrison

1997: Soldiers Monument installed outside of Hillcrest Firehouse

Dayspring photo December 2016

April 10, 1998: Unit Citation for Engine 8: for actions at 197 Liberty Street @ 22:55 Hrs. Captain Ave Fernandez, F/Fs Thomas Straube, Manuel Gonzales and Andrew S. Meyers

Displayed at Hillcrest Firehouse - courtesy Bryan Boru (son of F/F Straube)

Department Reorganization:

October 3, 2006: Engine Company 8 renumbered as Engine Company 2

Ambulance 92 is also located at Hillcrest.

2006: Engine 2 receives a reassigned 2002 Pierce Saber 1500 GPM pumper

1998 RD Murray (Spartan Chassis) 1500 GPM PUmper

Bill Tompkins photo

April 19, 2013 Engine Company 7 relocates from 97 Grand Street, where there were structural weaknesses in the apparatus floor, to the Hillcrest Firehouse

November 2015: Engine Company 2 at Paterson Armory Fire

Armory Fire 2015

2015: The 97 Grand Street firehouse closes because of structural weaknesses of the apparatus floor and the Engine Company 7 moves to (and shares with Engine 2) the Hillcrest Firehouse on Union Avenue

December 2015: Engine 2 receives a reassigned 2006 Emergency One 1500 GPM pumper painted red

May 2016: photos of spare apparatus 2 and 3 quartered at Hillcrest Firehouse (Todd Hollritt photos)

May 19, 2016: 5:45 PM Apparatus accident

May 21 Herald

July 2016: Spare 1 (Emergency One apparatus) filling in as Engine 2 at Hillcrest Firehouse

Vincent Marchese photo

Tour 4 Engine 2: Left - right: Demetrius Davis, Captain Richard Fortino, Samuel Joyner, Robert Tierney (Not pictured: Seamus McGuiness, Jamal Randolph and Kyle Broadfield)

Vincent Marchese photo

July 25, 2016: Engine 2 at auto crash scene Union and Edmund Avenues

Ron Bombaro photo

September 25, 2016: 4 alarm fire 343 Hamilton Ave (Ron Bombaro photos)

November 5, 2016: EMS, E2, Ladder 2 and Battalion chief respond to MVA at Union and Wayne Avenues. Ron Bombaro video

December 11, 2016 Engine 2 exiting Hillcrest Firehouse Ron Bombaro video

December 15, 2016: Slideshow views of Engine 2 E-One apparatus

Running Board (original, displaying the street boxes to which E8 responded on first alarm)

2016 Dayspring Photo

December 15, 2016: Ambulance 92 in bay at Hillcrest FH

January 4, 2016: Engine 2 out of Hillcrest FH on Union Avenue -Ron Bombaro video

April 2017 response Ron Bombaro video

April 17, 2017: 4th alarm on Rose Street

Peter Danzo Photo

May 3, 2017: Ron Bombaro video of E2 response

October 31, 2017: 3rd alarm at 39 Auburn Street Bill Tompkins photo

January 7, 2018: responding into Mill district - Spruce & McBride Ave extension

Todd Holritt photo

March 12, 2018: Engine 2 on Union Avenue Ron Bombaro video

August 16, 2018: Helmet of Captain Ronald Fortino at Engine 2 Tour 4

Captain Ron Fortino

August 22, 2018: MVA Totowa Avenue

Engine 2 - Captain Jorge Perez at left and FF Lamont Garnes at right - Tour 1

October 5, 2018: Ceremony at Passaic Falls; Became the US 397th National Park

Todd Hollritt photo

November 2018: New logo/decal/patch - Designed by members and finalized by Captain Victor Frierson

Courtesy Kyle Broadfield

December 27, 2018:

Vince Marchese photo

Dayspring photo

E2 photo L-R FF Jihad Dunham, FF Winfred Roman, FF Martin Garcia, Captain George Perez, FF Lamont Garnes, FF Sean Dunn

Dayspring photo

March 7, 2019: Graphic of the new Engine 2 pumper made by Ferrara

June 10, 2019: First production photos of Ferrara pumper CLICK TO ENLARGE
Type: Custom Pumper Chassis: Cinder Body: Extruded Aluminum Body
Pump: Side Mount - Hale QTWO 1500 GPM Tank: 500 gallon water
Production: H-6564

July 12, 2019: New Ferrara pumper

August 9, 2019: New pumper at McBride Avenue Headquarters

Chief Brian McDermott and Public Safety Director Jerry Speciale

FF Frank Lozado, FF Amir Alnatur, Captain G Perez, FF S Joyner. Jerry Speciale and Chief McDermott

August 26, 2019: New Ferrara apparatus of Engine 2 at Fire Headquarters

Vince Marchese photo

September 1, 2019: CLICK TO ENLARGE - Todd Hollritt photos

September 23, 2019: Tour 3 Engine 2 placed the new Ferrara Engine in-service @1300 hrs. Former Engine 2 (E-One apparatus) is now designated Spare Engine 2.

Ron Bombaro Photo

September 23, 2019: Tour 3 @1829 Hrs Incident #19-5372 at 287 Preakness Ave - a minor outside fire that extended to the rear wall of the building- no extension to the interior. Engine 2 used 1-3/4 line to knock down fire. Engine 4 stretched a back up line but did not operate. Ladder 2 searched the building and performed overhaul. No injuries reported.

Crew for the first run were; Captain Pablo Camacho, FF Adrian Evans, FF Jean Vargas, FF Zach Panzarella

September 25, 2019: Drill at Fire Headquarters