From Steve Redick:
5-11 and 4 specials at 7400 S Kostner, April 2, 1968
photographer unknown
Vintage Chicago 5-11 Alarm fire + 4 Specials, 4-2-68
For the finest department portraits and composites contact Tim Olk or Larry Shapiro.
Personnel photos
#1 by Bill Post on March 6, 2021 - 8:25 PM
John Antkowski. They don’t know the assignment of the Ferrara industrial pumper yet however I read a rumor that it might go to Engine 260 in Queens.
I also read, like I mentioned before, that they don’t plan to use it as the old super pumper (whatever that is supposed to mean) as the super pumper responded to 3rd and some 2nd alarms in New York City and of course it went to difficult fires where that extra capacity was needed. There is no question that if there is a fire where extra pumping or water capacity is needed, they should use it.
By the way, if you think New York has an interesting fire department, and it definitely does, wait until you find out the way they run their EMS because that really is unusual. It was operated as a third service until 1995 when it was combined with the fire department. While it is dispatched by the fire department, about 40% of their 911 ambulances are sponsored by private hospitals.
#2 by Matt on March 6, 2021 - 8:18 PM
Code 3 did a very nice Super Pumper set with a provided display for all of the original pieces as delivered by Mack
#3 by John Antkowski on March 6, 2021 - 6:26 PM
Bill Post and Tim, thanks for the information. I forgot that they were going with an industrial pumper. Does the department have an idea which firehouse it’s going in service at? The old super pumper system would make an awesome model. Fire Replicas is producing some really nice units.
#4 by Bill Post on March 6, 2021 - 4:50 PM
John Antkowski, the New York City Fire Department is in the process of getting a high capacity pumper from Ferrara with a 5,250 gallon-per-minute capacity pump and a 1000-gallon tank. It was recently delivered to their shops. I understand that they are not calling it a super pumper.
The original Super Pumper ran from 1965 until 1982 and could pump up to 10,000 GPM. I think it could pump at 350 pounds per square inch at 8,800 GPM. When it was taken our of service, it was replaced with their Maxi-Water system consisting of six satellite hose and deluge wagons stationed with 2000 GPM pumpers. The pumpers would respond with their satellite unit on extra alarm fires otherwise acting as ordinary engine companies. At the time, most other New York engines were rated at 1000 GPM. Over the last 10 to 15 years all of New York engines now have 2000-GPM pumps.
New York still runs six satellite hose wagons that each have a large deluge gun. These are similar in size and scope to one of the guns from Big John, Big Moe, or more recently Chicago’s 6-7-1 deluge wagon.
New York will add six satellite units from Ferrara on a Peterbilt chassis, a first for the satellite units.
This is another difference in the operations of the FDNY compared to Chicago. While Chicago sold the large turret wagon 5 or 6 years ago, New York continues to run six large deluge units on extra alarm fires with the newer style monitors. They are combination hose wagons and deluge units similar to the way Chicago used to run high pressure wagons that were taken out of service in the early 1960s. Chicago’s of course didn’t have high volume monitors.
The Ferrara industrial pumper which is about to go in service is similar to those built by Pierce and E-One.
#5 by Tim on March 6, 2021 - 3:01 PM
John,
Ferrara is making FDNY one huge high volume pumper close to a oil refinery foam unit. Some spec drawings are around the net.
and HERE
#6 by John Antkowski on March 6, 2021 - 2:31 PM
Great pictures. And looking at Big Moe, I remember reading somewhere about the FDNY is updating its Superpumper system. I canceled my FAJ subscription, so I don’t get updated about the rest of the country. Are they rebuilding the old one from the 1970’s or a designing a new rig?
#7 by Bill Post on March 3, 2021 - 10:03 PM
There is no question the rig that really stands out in the first two shots is Big Moe. There were three different cabs and chassis during Big Moe’s service life. Believe it or not, the first was a black over red Willy’s Jeep chassis. I saw them testing it one morning next to the water filtration plant in the late spring of 1967. About a year later it was moved onto the black over red army surplus International Harvester chassis seen in these photos. Less than two years later around 1969/70, it was placed on another army surplus chassis painted blue over white with Civil Defense markings. There is no question the rig looked sharpest as seen here. I will never understand why the last of version was never painted the Chicago Fire Department colors.