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Station 5 - Mount Carmel
2995 Whitney Avenue
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The historical outline below is taken from the program for
the Second Annual Hamden Firemen's Memorial Service,
held at Memorial Town Hall on June 10, 1934.
The History Committee for the event consisted of
Messrs. Ralph Eno, Michael J. Whalen, and Harold G. Emerson.
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| c. 1930 - Mt. Carmel Station 5 - 1930 Maxim 600 GPM Pumper and 1921 Packard Twin-6 "Fire Patrol" Wagon (Photo courtesy of Gilbert Spencer) |
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| c. 1930 photo shows the brand new 1930 Maxim 600 GPM pumper clearly marked "MOUNT CARMEL" on tank beneath front seats. (Photo courtesy of Gilbert Spencer) |
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| 1930 - Mt. Carmel's "Fire Patrol" Wagon on a 1921 Packard Chassis (Photo courtesy of Gilbert Spencer) |
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This c. 1930 photo. courtesy of Gilbert Spencer, is of a truly unique piece. Built on a 1921 Packard Twin-6 chassis, this "Fire Patrol" wagon carried an ample supply of soda acid extinguishers and had plenty of room for personnel in the back. The name on the side suggests that this piece may have been meant to carry personnel during working fires anywhere in town to check extension due to flying brands.
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| 1942 Diamond-T 600 GPM pumper at Station 5 in 1953. (Photo courtesy of Tom Doherty) |
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This 1942 Diamond-T 600 GPM pumper was purchased new by Hamden for $4,375, and was placed in service on April 6, 1942 as Engine 1 at the Highwood station. It was transferred briefly to Station 3 in October 1951, and then to Station 5 the following year. It remained at Station 5 until 1959.
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| 1953 - Fred Fletcher, Jack Laffin and Joe Rahl. The 1942 Diamond-T 600 GPM pumper was assigned to Station 5 the previous year. (Photo courtesy of Gil Spencer) |
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| 1954 - Future career men preparing for a parade. Tom Doherty (second from left), Jack Laffin (paidman at 5's), Gil Spencer, Paul Reutenauer, others are as yet unidentified. (Photo courtesy of Tom Doherty) |
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| Station 5 - 1973 (Photo courtesy of John O'Hare) |
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Engine 5 - 1952 Maxim 750 g.p.m. pumper
L-R (standing): John O'Hare, Joe Mulligan, and Co. 5 volunteer Steve Blennerhassett - (on truck): Co. 5 volunteers Bill Chalmers, Paul Moody and Clark Hurlburt
This 1973 photo was taken two years before the building annex was constructed on the north end of the building. In 1976, Truck 1 was relocated to Station 5, and the upstairs was renovated to accommodate the four firefighters who were assigned to Engine 5 and Truck 1.
In 1985, Station 5 became a two-man house once again when Truck 1 was moved to Station 9. Station 5 became a three-man house when an officer was assigned there in the late 1980s.
The old Mt. Carmel School can be seen in the background. It closed the year this photo was taken, and was razed in 1981 to make way for an assisted living housing project.
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| 1961 - Station 5 |
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| Spring 1975 - the walls go up |
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| Summer 1975 - Almost done |
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An additional bay for Station 5
By 1974, Volunteer Co. 7 had acquired the 1951 Maxim 750 g.p.m. pumper, and the 1939 Diamond-T pumper previously assigned as Engine 7 was to be sold. In August 1974, the officers of Volunteer Co. 5 approached Chief Leddy. If they built a simple storage garage to accommodate their brush truck, Car 55, could they be assigned the 1939 Diamond-T pumper? This started a chain of events that led to the construction a building annex for Station 5 during the following year that was paid for entirely by the volunteers. The Station 5 annex, which would be able to house the largest Hamden apparatus at the time, was dedicated September 4, 1975.
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June 14, 1975 - Members of the Mt. Carmel Volunteer Fire Co. 5 at the Southern New York Volunteer Firemen's Convention Parade at Lynnbrook, LI. Co. 5 was invited to march the previous year at Oceanside, LI, as well. Standing L-R: Bill Chalmers, Dave Johnson, Ed Doiron, Bill Gee, Tony Melillo, George Andrews, Joe Fitzpatrick, Don Kehoe, Karl Olson, Vic Mitchell, Jim Beirne and Tim Steele. Kneeling L-R: Stuart Estra, Steve Fletcher, Tom Stash, Gerry Feinberg, and Ray Latini. (Photo courtesy of Ed Doiron)
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| March 18, 1976 - Station 5 - (L-R) 1965 Mack 750 GPM, 1960 GMC brush truck, 1939 Diamond-T 500 GPM |
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Right after the dedication of the Station 5 annex, the 1965 Mack was transferred from Station 9 to become Engine 5. The 1954 Maxim that had been Engine 5 became Engine 9. The 1939 Diamond-T 500 g.p.m. pumper became Volunteer Co. 5's first full-size pumper in decades, although it was never activated.
On April 9, 1976, less than a month after this photo was taken, Truck 1 was reassigned to the new annex at Station 5. The Mack returned to Station 9, and the 1954 Maxim returned to Station 5 as Engine 5. Car 55 moved back to the south bay and the 1939 Diamond-T went into storage at Station 9. It was sold on February 4, 1977.
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Car 55
This 1960 GMC three-quarter ton four-wheel-drive pickup truck was acquired in 1969 from the Parks Department of the Town of Woodbridge for $800.00. Equipped with an assortment of Indian tanks, brooms, a 100' booster reel, a portable two-cycle pump and a 150 gallon tank, this "brush truck" was ideal for fighting ground cover fires where conventional apparatus could not go, especially in those areas that were accessible from the tower trail on Sleeping Giant.
When the truck was being readied for service, the "G" was removed from the "GMC" logo inside the grille, leaving only the "M" and "C" (for Mount Carmel) straddling the license plate. Don Steele drove Car 55 on its first run on February 28, 1970 - a brush fire in Brooksvale Park. Later designated as "Brush 5," the 1960 GMC brush truck remained in service well into the 1980s. This truck is presently owned by Dep. Chief Clark Hurlburt and is in the process of restoration.
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| This 1980 photo shows the 1977 Ford Pierce mini-pumper, which was Engine 5 at the time, and the 1960 GMC pick-up truck that was Car 55 (later "Brush 5"). |
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| December 16, 1951 |
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All photos on this website not otherwise in the Public Domain, as well as all commentary,
are © Copyright 2009-10 by the Hamden Fire Retirees' Assn.
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