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.
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Originally the plaque on a wall apart from Firehouse
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2006 Photo - Plaque on Firehouse

​​​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.
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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.
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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
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Former E5 & E10 Pumper - (serial D80291) - Dayspring Photo
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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.
Auxilliary Fireman Vince Marchese in front of Engine Company 8 apparatus.
Original Running Board with Box Assignments under old bell system
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Courtesy Bryan Boru
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Dayspring Photo December 2016
April 1, 1976: 1969 Seagrave 1250 GPM pumper (Serial # R4476) formerly used by Engine Company 1 and 6.
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Jim Koper Photo
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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
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Vince Marchese Photo
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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.
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1983 photo
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1984 photo
February 11, 1983: Snowstorm
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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.​​ 
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1980 Beckwith Ave 3rd alarm - Todd Hollritt photo
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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)
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L-R: Captain William, B/C Alfred, Captain Warren
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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).
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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."
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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
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1995 Parade
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1995 Parade
February13, 1996:  Incident # 960774     17-21 West Broadway   General Alarm    3 stores
1997: Soldiers Monument installed outside of Hillcrest Firehouse
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Dayspring photo December 2016

​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
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1998 RD Murray (Spartan Chassis) 1500 GPM PUmper
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 
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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
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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)
July 2016: Spare 1 (Emergency One apparatus) filling in as Engine 2 at Hillcrest Firehouse
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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)
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Vincent Marchese photo
July 25, 2016: Engine 2 at auto crash scene Union and Edmund Avenues
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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)
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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
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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
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Todd Holritt photo
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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
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Captain Ron Fortino
August 22, 2018:  MVA Totowa Avenue
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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
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Todd Hollritt photo
November 2018: New logo/decal/patch - Designed by members and finalized by Captain Victor Frierson
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Courtesy Kyle Broadfield
December 27, 2018:  
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Vince Marchese photo
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Dayspring photo
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Dayspring photo
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E2 photo L-R FF Jihad Dunham, FF Winfred Roman, FF Martin Garcia, Captain George Perez, FF Lamont Garnes, FF Sean Dunn
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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
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Chief Brian McDermott and Public Safety Director Jerry Speciale
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FF Frank Lozado, FF Amir Alnatur, Captain G Perez, FF S Joyner. Jerry Speciale and Chief McDermott
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