SPECIAL OPERATIONS

Rescue, USAR, Hazmat, Marine Units

December 1, 1954: The department obtains a 1954 Reo Chassis Truck and organizes its first rescue company, called Rescue Co 1, which was operated by the men of Engine Company 5. In radio transmissions it was referred to as "PA 14" short for Paterson apparatus 14. A small boat with an outboard motor was also part of the company.

Circa 1958 at Westside Park

Unknown Reo rescue Truck

1954 Saddle River NJ gets the first Reo Rescue Truck

December 2, 1954: PFD announces new Rescue Truck will be used for first time on December 6 in a drill at Garfield Avenue and Jefferson Street.

December 2 Paterson News

at 115 Van Houten Street - FF Robert Woodruff of Engine 5

FF James Johnstone, Chief's Aide Joe Leitner in blue shirt and Lieutenant Earl H Plavier circa 1958

Malzone photo

July 8, 1968: The Reo Rescue Truck moved from 115 Van Houten Street where it was operated by Engine Company 5 to the Southside Firehouse where it was operated by the men of Engine Company 9

1970s photo by Jim Koper - Southside Firehouse (operated by Engine 9)

In rear bay at Southside Firehouse - photo courtesy Alan Crawford

Master Carpenter John Thompson and Rescue Boat - Malzone Photo

May 13 1970: Scuba team initiated with D/C Paul Peterson as supervisor. To be transported by Rescue Truck. Shown are D/C Paul Peterson, Captain Charles Recca, FF James Slootmaker, John Merlino and Richard Hoffman.

Paterson News courtesy Dennis Morrison

Captain Frank Malzone photos

Dennis DiGuglielmo

Dennis DiGuglielmo & John Merlino

Click the Photos below to enlarge

Passaic River behind Libby's on McBride Avenue

Rescue Company boat in river - Al Graf and Don McDaniels

April 11, 1985: New Rescue truck purchased with grant from Meyer Brothers

At City Municipal Safety Complex

Courtesy Dennis Morrison

April 19, 1985: A new Saulsbury Rescue truck on a Ford Chassis enters service replacing the old 1954 Reo Truck.

January 10, 1994: Rescue 1 opened as its own company consisting of 1 captain and 3 privates on each shift. Chief Mauro's order is below.

Courtesy Michael D'Arco

T Shirt courtesy Michael D'Arco

August 20, 1994: Rescue 1 closed as an independent company and was assigned again to Engine Company 6.

August 21, 1994

Herald Courtesy Dennis Morrison

August 25, 1994

Herald courtesy Dennis Morrison

Blue Shield worn by F/F of Engine 6/Rescue Truck

Courtesy Hancock Collection

Rescue 1 at Southside Firehouse

Captain McLean photo

L-R Ray Allex, Rich Gurlacz, Jerry Behnke, Jose Bermudez and Capt. Manny Torres.

F/F Michael D'Arco

F/F Mike D'Arco and Howie Anderson - Marty Pelta photo

September 18, 2006: Rescue 2 opened as a full time company consisting of 1 captain and 5 firemen on each shift. Rescue 1 was designated as the Urban Search and rescue Truck and manned by men of Rescue 2. The truck is seen below outside of Madison Ave house.

Each Paterson company was assigned its own unique color scheme: specific colored stripes would be on every piece of equipment. Rescue 2 color is blue and black.

Circa 2006-2009: L-R are F/F’s Chris Tiritilli, Frank Morrell, AJ Woods, Javier Tovar, Captain Brian McDermott and F/F Saul Cintron.

Then F/F Saul Cintron, F/F Chris Tiritilli, then Captain Frank Lisco and then F/F Artjur Woods

? Date Built: Large Special Operations building (Annex) behind the Southside Firehouse

USAR Unit

2015: Heavy duty, military type Special Operations truck enters service

April 27, 2016: New Rescue Truck to be purchased

Herald courtesy Dennis Morrison

2018: Training exercises - In the boat underway are firefighters Marwin Torres and Rob Zeidler.

Firefighters Dave Leporini, Marwin Torres, Rob Ziedler and Captain Scott Parkin

June 3, 2018: New Rescue 2 patch unveiled: Members of Rescue 2 put together different concepts of a rescue 2 patch. Those ideas were submitted to Michael J Somma of JCFD. After several different ideas and months of changes the members and the captains made a final decision to go with the logo / patch seen here. Note Halligan Bar, Ax and Jaws of Life.

Courtesy Captains AJ Woods & Scott Parkin - photo enhanced by VT Marchese

June 28, 2018: Plans of new Heavy Duty Rescue Truck revealed

2019 - Ferrara Rescue Truck

April 30, 2019: New Rescue Truck 2 arrives - shown in bay at McBride Avenue firehouse

July 17, 2019: New Ferrara Rescue apparatus enters service at 1430hrs. 1st call @1719 Hrs to Incdent 19-3899 at 430 Totowa Ave. SCHOOL 5 "Target Hazard" for an ctivated Fire Alarm.

First Crew: Tour 3: Driver Keith Eickhorst, Captain Arthur Woods, FF Craig Puglise, and FF Josh Gervat

Captain Woods, Mike Piccoli, Keith Eickhorst, Craig Puglise, Joshua Gervat, Tarik Sanders, Frank Morrell

August 26, 2019:

Captain A Woods, FF M Piccoli, FF T Sanders, FF C Puglise, FF J Gervat, FF F Morrell, B/C (Batt 1) Jason Macones - Vince Marchese photo

Retired Captain of Rescue 2 Scott Parkin - Vince Marchese photo

Vince Marchese photo

September 1, 2019: 21st Avenue second alarm

Chris Tompkins photo

September 11, 2019: Rescue 2 at Liberty Park -

Jersey Firefighters Volume 3 Issue 4 - Bill Tompkins photo

September 25, 2019: At Southside Firehouse (Dayspring photos)

In bay at Southside Firehouse - B/C Mike Cleenput in driver's seat

Driver side rear - in bay at Southside

Driver's cabin

Captain's cabin

Captain's Seat

Looking up into rear cabin with TV

FF seats

September 25, 2019: Marine Unit at McBride Avenue firehouse

Dayspring Photo

February 1, 2020: HazMat 1 enters service using the refurbished Rescue 2 truck. It is assigned to Engine 3 at Lakeview Firehouse as a part time unit manned by E3 with no expansion of any manpower. E3 members are all at operations level. The company will serve like a spill truck w/ other support tools. PFD is a designated County responder since 2016. Truck will have a full cache of Decon, dike & dam, plug & patch, speedy dry, foam, lumber, cribbing, hard suction & strainer for drafting ops, battery operated PPV Fans, tool kit, meters and shortly it will have extrication tools for R2 support. Company will support R2/E6/RAC on confined space metering and ventilation. PC Sheriff is still the front line serious HM entry.

May 29, 2020: HazMat 1 responding on Leslie Street - video by Ron Bombaro

June 1, 2020: report from Chief McDermott - "Converting the old Rescue to HazMat worked incredibly. It has been used 100’s of times for decontamination since the virus. It continues today, but ultimately I may make it part time like we did with E6/R1. Added UV-C lights, backpack Decon sprayer, battery operated PPV fan, meters, extrication tools, TyChem suits with boots, goggles and gloves. We also put a Ryobi soap sprayer, brushes and mop bucket for post-fire Decon. It also goes to all CPR and DOA. We gear up PPD for investigation."

July 2, 2020: Special Ops high water truck at headquarters

Vince Marchese photo

November 17, 2020: HazMat 1 at Pearl Street 2nd alarm

November 2020: The Ferrara Rescue 2 truck sent back to Louisiana for warranty and reconfiguration. Company will be temporarily replaced with the USAR truck (Rescue 1).

December 21, 2020: Ron Bombaro video - On Totowa Avenue near Glover Avenue bridge

March 19, 2021: HazMat 1 responding from lakeview Firehouse. Ron Bombaro video

April 6, 2021: Hazmat 1 and new Ferrara Engine 3 pumper at Lakeview FH.

Vincent T Marchese photo

HazMat 1 is staffed by overtime firefighters during the day up until 8 PM then Engine Company 3 takes over

April 12, 2021: New USAR tools coming in. PFD have received all new rope and new hydraulic tools. The HazMat now has a full complement of rescue tools. The Rescue task force is R2, E6, E3 acting HazMat, RAC, Batt-1 and Car-4. DC Gander is in charge.

May 23, 2021: Rescue 2 and Engine 6 training exercise in the Passaic River with Marine 1 and behind McBride Avenue Paterson Fire Headquarters - Ron Bombaro photos

Tour 3 - L-R from R2 - FF Tariq Sanders, FF Marty Taccetta, FF Matt Post, FF Michael Piccoli, Capt Michael Scherer - Then E6 Capt Ryan Higgins, FF Steph Muenier, FF Tim Kline, FF Selerna, FF Gabe Crichlow

FF Piccoli, FF Taccetta, Capt. Scherer, FF Salerna, Capt. Higgins

FF Muenier and Capt Higgins

FF Sanders and FF Post operating the boat

September 2021: Water rescue / flood gear

October 8, 2021: Metro USAR Strike team drill in Newark. Members of Rescue operate to fine tune skills needed to keep them proficient in technical rescue operations

Courtesy Michael Piccoli, Captains Scherer & Angelica

Photo courtesy BC AJ Woods

Courtesy Michael Piccolli

Photo courtesy BC AJ Woods

Courtesy Michael Piccolli

November 18, 2021: the Metro USAR Strike Team (MUST) partnership continues and PFD has received over $20k in disaster rescue equipment from UASI Federal funding. Tools are for cutting, dismantling, grinding, and lighting. There is gear for patient packaging, high angle rope rescue equipment and more. This the best rapid deployment rescue team in the Country.