PATERSON FIRE HISTORY
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    • FIRST CENTURY
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  • FIREFIGHTERS
  • THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
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  • GREAT 1902 CONFLAGRATION
  • TAKING THE HEAT BOOK
  • 1893 PFD HISTORY BOOK
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  • 1950 HISTORICAL REVIEW
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    • EMS ROSTER
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    • EVRS STATION LIST
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  • SPECIAL OP EVENTS
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  • FIRE VIDEOS 2014-2020
  • DOCUDRAMAS
  • APPARATUS
  • APPARATUS VIDEOS
  • NOTABLE EVENTS INDEX
    • APPARATUS NOTABLES
    • APPTS & PROMOTIONS
    • AWARDS
    • DEATHS / OBITUARIES
    • FIREMEN STORIES
    • 1960 CHIEF SELECTION
    • GRAND STREET RIOT 1917
    • GROUND ZERO
    • HANCOCKS
    • HISTORICAL REVIEWS
    • HISTORY by CHIEF STAGG
    • JOSEPH DAYSPRING
    • KEARNEY-FAMILY
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    • SISTER LORETTA
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  • PATCHES DECALS LOGOS SHIRTS
  • WALLPAPER
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  • TRAINING
  • VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT
    • 1821 - 1854 HISTORY
    • VOLUNTEER HISTORY
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
    • VOLUNTEER CHIEFS
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    • ANDREW MOSER
    • VOLUNTEER COMPANIES
  • EXEMPT ASSOCIATION
  • EXEMPT HOME & RELICS
  • FMBA / PFA
  • BALLBOOKS
    • 1909 BALL BOOK
    • 1916 BALL BOOK
    • 1918 BALL BOOK
    • 1923 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1928 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1936 JANUARY PICTORIAL
    • 1936 DECEMBER PICTORIAL
    • 1937 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1938 ANNUAL BALL
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  • AUXILIARY FIRE DEPARTMENT
  • CITY OF PATERSON
  • PFH CONTRIBUTORS
  • ORAL HISTORY
  • STATISTICS
  • CONTACT

STATISTICS​


Statistics fluctuate, can be based on per capita and be influenced by many factors......Here we will attempt to give as fair assessment as possible of the statistical composition of the City of Paterson and it's Fire Department. Combine the statistics presented here with an overview of the entire site, to fully grasp the activity level of the Paterson NJ Fire Dept.

​We used averages here. so the low may have been lower and the high higher, this will have to suffice until we research more information.

THE CITY

THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

POPULATION APPROXIMATELY 150,000

8.5 SQUARE MILES

AMONG THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED CITIES IN THE US

HEAVY URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL COMPOSITION​ WITH A DOWNTOWN AREA,
​PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RAIL.

THE DEPARTMENT

350 to 380 MEMBERS
4 Tour system 24/72


7 ENGINE COMPANIES
3 LADDER COMPANIES
RESCUE SQUAD 1
RESCUE SQUAD 2
SUPPORT SERVICES -  UNIT 57 ( Manned )
ARSON / FIRE INVESTIGATION - UNIT 68
3 BATTALIONS per tour
1 TOUR COMMANDER per tour ( Deputy 1-2-3-4 )
7 EMS UNITS ( Manned by 2 Firefighters on a rotational basis )

FIELD COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
​FLOOD RESCUE UNIT
MARINE TRANSPORTATION UNIT
VARIOUS LIGHT MARINE BOATS
​CANTEEN UNIT


RESPONSE PROCEDURE

 In early 2000, department operations went through a major overhaul, the response procedure was revamped at that time. The theory was to hit hard and fast, as the the department lacked overall depth.

Company strength is usually a Captain and 3- 4 men. ( Working )

Reported Structure Fire
1st Alarm     4 Engines, 2 Ladders, Rescue, 1 Battalion Chief
2nd Alarm    2 Engines, 1 Ladder
3rd Alarm    1 Engine


Reported Alarm activation
1st Alarm    3 Engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Battalion Chief

Reported Car / Truck fire   1 Engine, 1 Ladder, Battalion Chief

Working fires - Tour Commander ( Deputy Chief ), Safety Battalion, 
Support Services Unit, EMS Unit
​
Multiple alarm - Field Com

OLD RESPONSE PROCEDURE

Prior to the EVRS system, when the department had 16 companies, the response was as follows
Reported Structure fire
1st Alarm   3 Engines, 1 Ladder, Squad 1, Battalion Chief / Deputy if a worker
2nd Alarm  2 Engines, 1 Ladder, Snorkel 1, Battalion Chief
3rd Alarm  2 Engines ( Ladder Special Call )
4th Alarm   2 Engines 
5th Alarm   2 Engines

OVERALL RESPONSES

The Communications Division dispatches FIRE and EMS 40,000 to 50,000 times per year
of that total, FIRE averages between 6500 and 7500 calls. 
​With the institution of the EVRS ( Emergency Voice Reporting System ) which replaced the bell system in 1977, and the eventual elimination of street boxes. Total FIRE runs dropped significantly, false alarms decreased to around 2000 per year, this also includes alarm activations, not resulting in fires.

COMPANY RESPONSES

In the days of the pull box system there were many more fire responses, As an example, during that period the Squad ran in the vicinity of 4000 runs, Now company runs are much less affected by false calls, which use to raise run statistics. Presently Engines and Ladders run fire calls, while the EMS takes care of medical calls. Fire apparatus will respond to medical calls, only if all EMS units are working. So the FIRE COMPANY run statistics presented below are a solid representation of true fire related calls.

Currently the City's busiest Engine Companies, which are consistently Engines 1-4 & 5, average around 2300 to 2800 runs.

The 3 Ladder companies average around 1600 to 2200 runs 

Rescue 1- Average 1700 -2000 runs ( Runs fire calls and all types of heavy rescue runs )
Lighter calls like stuck elevators, CO calls, car accidents without entrapment are handled by Ladder companies. The objective is to keep the Rescue as free as possible.

The busiest EMS units run as high as 7500 runs
​

WORKING FIRES - ALL HANDS AND ABOVE

​This is a category that can be confusing, as various departments classify structure fires differently. We are working on this, as we want to present an accurate assessment of working structure fires that involve a minimum of all hands.

Here are a few stats we confirmed ( Researched up to 1985 so far )
1979  Busiest 3 Alarm and above 18 (3rd Alarm at that time 7 E - 3 L - Snorkel 1 - Squad 1)
February 1979 -  Busiest month to that date, 47 all hands and above 

​

From a recent yearly report: 
Last year the Communications Division dispatched apparatus over 45,223 times ( Includes EMS Division responses ). The Fire Division responded to 330 major structure fires, 217 vehicle fires and 346 fires comprising of trash, vegetation, explosions or other burning material. Additionally, the Division has responded to 1817 false or malfunctioning alarms, 536 gas or electric incidents, 1205 smoke investigation/non-fires and 858 rescue or assist calls.
 ​
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  • HOME
  • OVERVIEW
    • FIRST CENTURY
    • EVENTS 1890-1894
    • EVENTS 1895-1899
    • EVENTS 1900-1910
    • EVENTS 1911-1919
    • EVENTS 1920-1939
    • EVENTS 1940-1959
    • EVENTS 1960-1979
    • EVENTS 1980-99
    • EVENTS 2000-2019
    • EVENTS 2020-2021
  • FIREFIGHTERS
  • THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
    • MEMORIAL SERVICE
  • CHIEF ENGINEERS
    • ASSISTANT CHIEFS
    • DEPUTY CHIEFS
    • BATTALION CHIEFS
    • CHIEF GIGS
  • GREAT 1902 CONFLAGRATION
  • TAKING THE HEAT BOOK
  • 1893 PFD HISTORY BOOK
  • 1940 HISTORICAL REVIEW
  • 1950 HISTORICAL REVIEW
  • NOTABLE FIRES/INCIDENTS
  • EMS
    • EMS ROSTER
  • FIREHOUSE PHOTOS / FACTS
  • COMPANY & FH HISTORY
  • COMMUNICATIONS / FA
    • FIRE BOX LISTS
    • EVRS STATION LIST
  • SPECIAL OPERATIONS
  • SPECIAL OP EVENTS
  • FIRE VIDEOS 1991-2011
  • FIRE VIDEOS 2014-2020
  • DOCUDRAMAS
  • APPARATUS
  • APPARATUS VIDEOS
  • NOTABLE EVENTS INDEX
    • APPARATUS NOTABLES
    • APPTS & PROMOTIONS
    • AWARDS
    • DEATHS / OBITUARIES
    • FIREMEN STORIES
    • 1960 CHIEF SELECTION
    • GRAND STREET RIOT 1917
    • GROUND ZERO
    • HANCOCKS
    • HISTORICAL REVIEWS
    • HISTORY by CHIEF STAGG
    • JOSEPH DAYSPRING
    • KEARNEY-FAMILY
    • MILITARY
    • PARADES
    • RED MASS
    • RESCUES
    • RETIREMENTS
    • SISTER LORETTA
    • SPORTS
    • THEATRE DETAIL
  • MEMORABILIA
  • PATCHES DECALS LOGOS SHIRTS
  • WALLPAPER
  • DEPARTMENT DOGS
  • TRAINING
  • VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENT
    • 1821 - 1854 HISTORY
    • VOLUNTEER HISTORY
    • ANNUAL REPORTS
    • VOLUNTEER CHIEFS
    • VOLUNTEER PROFILES
    • ANDREW MOSER
    • VOLUNTEER COMPANIES
  • EXEMPT ASSOCIATION
  • EXEMPT HOME & RELICS
  • FMBA / PFA
  • BALLBOOKS
    • 1909 BALL BOOK
    • 1916 BALL BOOK
    • 1918 BALL BOOK
    • 1923 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1928 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1936 JANUARY PICTORIAL
    • 1936 DECEMBER PICTORIAL
    • 1937 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1938 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1939 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1941 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1942 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1943 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1944 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1945 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1946 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1947 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1948 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1949 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1950 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1951 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1952 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1953 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1954 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1955 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1956 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1957 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1958 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1959 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1960 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1961 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1962 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1963 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1964 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1965 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1966 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1967 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1968 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1969 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1970 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1971 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1972 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1973 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1975 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1976 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1977 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1979 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1980 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1981 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1982 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1983 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1984 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1985 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1986 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1987 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1988 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1989 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1990 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1991 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1992 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1993 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1994 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1995 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1996 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1997 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1998 ANNUAL BALL
    • 1999 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2000 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2001 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2002 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2003 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2004 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2005 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2010 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2011 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2014 ANNUAL BALL
    • 2016 ANNUAL BALL
  • AUXILIARY FIRE DEPARTMENT
  • CITY OF PATERSON
  • PFH CONTRIBUTORS
  • ORAL HISTORY
  • STATISTICS
  • CONTACT