Merrionette Park is the first department to be posted from Division 22. Apparatus images were provided by Dennis McGuire, Jr. and one in particular has a very interesting history. Truck 2614 was previously in service with the Pennsville Fire & Rescue. No. 1, (New Jersey) after leaving service as 1 of 2 Mack Bulldog aerials purchased by the FDNY in 1982. At the time, LTI was building aerial ladders and fabricating bodies for other fire service manufacturers. Mack was supplying engines to New York, Baker was building the Aerialscope towers on Mack chassis and FNDY was purchasing rear mount ladders from Seagrave. In an attempt to capture more of the FDNY business and to expand their overall product line, Mack teamed up with LTI and marketed a private label aerial called the Bulldog I and II Series. LTI built the ladder and body which were mounted on a Mack chassis. “The Bulldog I Series offered midship ladders, rear-mounted ladders and TDAs…The Bulldog program did not prove overly successful with 25 aerials being sold before Mack ceased production of fire trucks in 1983.” (excerpt from Aerial Fire Trucks by Larry Shapiro, MBI Publishing Company.)
#1 by Michael Carbone on November 30, 2016 - 5:31 PM
I was a member of ladder 30 during the 1980’s when the Mack bulldog 8202 was in service. Great aerial on that rig very stable and extremely strong. Utilizing it to take out the cinderblock on the lower floor of vacant building fires. Making quick work of cinderblock sealed window openings!
#2 by Dennis on March 22, 2014 - 8:49 AM
Mike Mc, Yes they had the 1963 FWD cab forward but they also had a 1954 FWD engine ahead pumper which was sold to Garden Homes later when the 1976 Seagrave was bought.
#3 by Mike Mc on March 21, 2014 - 12:24 PM
Thanks Dennis. If memory serves, in the late 1960’s through mid 1970’s, they had two FWD engines, one cab over engine and one engine forward. Growing up in the city at the time, M.P.’s cab over engine was the first that I ever saw outside of television. Finally something that looked like my Texaco ALF! I kid you not.
They were pretty well jammed into the old station. Ditto for Garden Homes, who actually parked the ambulance sideways to make room for the three rigs.
#4 by Dennis on March 21, 2014 - 10:11 AM
My father grew up in MP and I was on the department for about 4 years in the early 2000s so I can contribute this: The first rigs for the department were a 1937 White X-Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol rig, and a 1924 Ahrens-Fox X-Berywn, Illinois (both of which were bought when the fire dept was organized in 1949). Then fast forward to the 1963 FWD pumper which had an overhead ladder rack added later, then the 1967 GMC/Pierce “sign truck”, then the 1976 Seagrave. From what I was told the Seagrave’s motor blew up in the 1980s/90s so that rig was scrapped which left the 67 GMC/Pierce and the 63 FWD. The 1997 KME replaced the 1963 FWD and the 1972/90 Mack/Pirsch mid-mount ladder replaced the 1967 GMC/Pierce. To answer your question though Mike Mc., I think that because of a lack of people joining the department/the small station/the rigs getting bigger/and ambulance service taking off, it was decided to just have 3 rigs one of which was an ambulance.
#5 by Mike Mc on March 21, 2014 - 8:10 AM
Matt: Merrionette Park had two engines back when the “sign truck” was in service. Any knowledge as to why and when they decided to go to one engine and one truck? Thanks.
#6 by Matt on March 20, 2014 - 8:50 PM
The Pierce was a GMC or CHEVY with a front mount pump, body and the short sign type ladders Pierce offered in the 1960’s or 1970’s — they were like an adaptation of a Utility truck for the fire service. Not many were built but you might see one in the Pierce book from Iconografix by Ken Parrish
#7 by Bill C. on March 20, 2014 - 8:01 PM
@ Matt, WHAT Pierce WAS NEW ????
#8 by DMc77 on March 20, 2014 - 4:02 PM
If memory serves, the FDNY had that ladder inservice at L132 in Brooklyn. L132 for years was in the top ten for fires and still is a very busy ladder co. for fire duty, so that rig saw its share of action in NYC
#9 by Matt on March 20, 2014 - 4:39 AM
The first new aerial for them since the Pierce with the aerialette boom. The current Mack replaced a Mack CF Midmount Pirsch that came from Roberts Park when Roberts Park bought the KME.
#10 by Michael Summa on March 19, 2014 - 2:13 PM
On an unrelated topic yesterday Merrionette Park voters ok’d a $885,000.00 expenditure to purchase a new ladder truck. I guess in a couple years that good looking Mack will be gone.
#11 by Dennis on March 18, 2014 - 7:08 PM
Mike Mc, from my understanding of it is when the parade first started the parade organizer’s asked Chicago(Engine 92 and Truck 45) to do it but they said no. So they then asked Merrionette Park which said yes. So ever since that first parade Merrionette Park FD has always started out the parade.
#12 by Mike Mc on March 18, 2014 - 11:16 AM
Why does the Merrionette Park FD always “open” for the southside St. Patrick’s Day parade by proceeding down the parade route about ten minutes before the parade begins? Just curious. Thanks in advance for any replies.