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ENGINE 4 COMPANY
COMPANY ORGANIZED: March 24, 1837
COMPANY QUARTERS:
1837-1853 157 Spring Street, near State St.
1853-1863 176 Brackett St., near Peach Street
1863-1866 157 Spring Street, 1866 Congress St., near India, head of Smith St ( engine house destroyed in fire, July 4, 1866 )
1867-1873 157 Spring Street
1873-1874 99 India Street
1874-1966 157 Spring Street
1966- 784 Congress St., @ Bramhall Fire Station
COMPANY NAMES:
1837-1854 Ocean Hand Engine Co. No. 4
1854-1955 Forest City Hand Engine Co. No. 4
1855-1866 Ocean Hand Engine Co. No. 4
1866-1889 Falmouth Steam Fire Engine Co.No.4
1889- Engine Company 4
ENGINE 6 COMPANY
COMPANY ORGANIZED: 1794
COMPANY QUARTERS:
1794- Market Square
1849- Spring Street, between Center and South
1849-1850 Casco Street, near Cumberland (with E-7)
1850-1857 176 Brackett Street
1857-1865 Lime Street, corner of Milk Street
1865-1866 Franklin St., head of Sumner Street
1866-1882 ( Company disbanded )
1882-1903 47 Burnham Street
1903-1966 295 Park Avenue, 1924-with Ladder 6
1966- 784 Congress St., with E-4, L-6, and C-3
COMPANY NAMES:
1794-1845 Vigilant
1845-1854 Torrent 6
1854-1856 Young America Engine Co. 6 (reorganized)
1856-1866 Davidson Engine Co. 6 (reorganized)
1866-1882 ( Company disbanded )
1882-1889 Dirigo 6
1889-1903 Hose Co. 6
1903- Engine Co. 6
ASSIGNED APPARATUS:
LADDER COMPANY NO. 61794-1846 Newsham, ( English ) Hand Tub ( 2nd Engine purchased in town )
1846-1854 Leonard Crockett, of Portland, Hand Tub
1854-1865 Leonard Crockett, of Portland, Hand Tub
1865-1866 1854 Hunneman ( formerly Pacific 9's engine, transfered to E-6 )
1866-1882 ( Company disbanded )
1882-1902 Talbot and Moulton Hose Wagon
1902-1921 Amoskeag Steam Engine
1921-1926 Reo/American LaFrance Hose and Chemical
1926-1929 Reo/American LaFrance 350 gpm pumper ( old 1916 Hose 8 )
1929-1955 Mack 1,000 gpm pumper
1955-1964 1937 Seagrave 1,250 gpm pumper , ( old Engine 5 )
1964-1978 1960 American LaFrance 750 gpm pumper, (old Eng 4 )2-13-64
1978-1979 1964 Ward LaFrance 1,000 gpm pumper, ( old Engine 4 )
1980- Ward LaFrance/Maxim 1,500 gpm pumper, in commission 1-29-1981
COMPANY ESTABLISHED: March 31, 1924
COMPANY QUARTERS:
1924-1966 401 (295) Park Avenue, near Libbytown, with Engine Co. 6
1966- 784 Congress Street, West End, with E-4, E-6, C-2
COMPANY NAMES:
1924-1929 Ladder 6 (part of Engine Co. 6 as a “double company”)
1929- Ladder Co. 6
In 1924, Ladder 1’s old 1883 horse-drawn ladder carriage (originally L-3) was rebuilt, then relocated to the Park Avenue, 2-bay firehouse of Engine Co. 6, forming a double company. Three members were assigned to the ladder and responded to alarms in the general vicinity of the firehouse under the direction of the Officer of Engine Co. 6. On other alarms, the nearest motorized ladder company responded because of a faster response time than Ladder 6’s horse-drawn carriage.
In 1929, a new motorized tractor-drawn 75 ft. aerial ladder truck was commissioned as Ladder 6, and a new and separate company was formed, remaining at the Park Avenue firehouse with Engine Co. 6.
The new ladder company was established by Chief Sanborn to provide much needed ladder service and better fire protection for the Western part of the City, in the neighborhoods of Libbytown, Stroudwater, Brighton, Rosemont, Pinetree, and Deering Center.
In 1938, the 75 ft. wooden aerial ladder was removed from the trailer and placed on Ladder 5 at Central (L-5’s was damaged). Ladder 6’s trailer was then sent to the Seagrave factory, and was retrofitted with 85 ft. 3-section steel aerial ladder, and the wooden ground ladders were replaced with lighter aluminum.
In 1961, the 1929 tiller truck was replaced with a new Seagrave 100 ft. aerial ladder tractor/trailer.
In 1966, Ladder Co. 6 was relocated to the new, 5-bay Bramhall Square Fire Station, in the West End along with Engine Co. 4, Engine Co. 6, and the District-1 Deputy Chief and District Chiefs’.
ASSIGNED APPARATUS
1924-1929 - 1883 Talbot & Moulton horse-drawn carriage, rebuilt in 1924, with 307 ft. of ground ladders and two-35 gallon Holloway chemical tankswith2-250 ft. 1-inch chemical hose. (Formerly L-3 and L-1)
In service - 3/31/1924 (1883-L-3, then 1919-L-1)
Out of service - 5/11/19291929-1961 - Seagrave tractor-drawn aerial ladder motor truck, carrying a 75 ft. wooden 2-section aerial ladder, 332 ft. of ladders, and a 80-gallon booster tank with 250 ft. of booster hose. $ 17,500.00
In service - 5/11/1929
Out of service - 2/02/1938; shipped to Seagrave factory for new steal 85 ft. ladder retrofit; (Ladder 6 using the spare 1919 ladder truck, formerly Ladder 3)
Returned - 5/12/1938
Out of service - 11/28/1961 (In reserve as Ladder 5)1961-1978 - Seagrave tractor-drawn aerial ladder truck with a 100 ft. 3-section aerial ladder, carrying 228 ft. of ladders, and a 100-gallon booster tank with 200 ft. of booster hose
In service - 11/28/1961
Out of service - 7/03/1978 (reassigned to Ladder Co. 3)
Note: - On November 18, 1977, a new American LaFrance 100 ft. rear mounted aerial ladder truck was temporarily assigned to Ladder Co. 6. The truck was bought with Housing/Urban Development (HUD) federal funds, which was awarded to the North Deering area. The truck was supposed to be assigned to Ladder 4 at the Engine 8 station. If it was located in another area, the funds could be canceled. On April 25, 1978, the city relocated the new ladder truck to Ladder 4 at he North Deering Station, and Ladder 6 was reassigned their former 1961 Seagrave truck.
1978-1989 - Ward LaFrance/Maxim, diesel-powered, 100 ft. rear mounted 4-section aerial ladder truck with a roof over cab (first ladder truck in PFD) and tandem rear axles, carrying 228 ft. of ladders, a 200-gallon booster tank, and 2-crosslayed 150 ft. 1 &1/2-inch hose lines. $ 122,000.00
In service - 7/03/1978
Out of service - 10/04/1989 (reassigned to Ladder 1)1989- Pierce Arrow 4-door cab rear mounted 105 ft. 4-section aerial ladder truck with a pre-pipe waterway, a 1,500gpm pump, with a 300-gallon booster tank, carrying 169 ft. of ground ladders, 400 ft. of 4-inch hose, and 3 pre-connected 200 ft. hose lines. $ 400,000.00
In service - 10/04/1989
Out of service - 1999 (damaged in accident and returned to Pierce factory for rebuild)
Returned - 8/06/1999 (returned with painted white over red cab)