HISTORY OF ENGINE CO. 11

COMPANY ORGANIZED: FEBRUARY 17, 1890

COMPANY QUARTERS

1889-1895 near bridge and Water Street, near Veranda Street, East Deering

1895-1901 550 Main Street (Washington Ave.), near Dyer St., East Deering

1901-1908 246 Ocean Avenue, near Washington Avenue, at Lunt’s Corner

1908-1957 243 (1927 as 579) Ocean Avenue, next to Cummings School

1957- 580 Ocean Avenue (on the same lot of the 1901 fire barn)

COMPANY NAMES

1889-1899 Hose Co. 5, Deering Fire Department

1899-1909 Hose Co. 11, Portland Fire Department

1909-1925 Combination 11 (Double Co. w/hose wagon & ladder/chemical)

1925-1938 Hose Co. 11 (motorized)

1938- Engine Co. 11

* Originally part of Westbrook, separated and incorporated as Town of Deering February 16, 1871. Engine 11 was originally Deering F.D. Hose Co. 5. The Town incorporated as a City in 1892.

ABRIDGED HISTORY

April 12, 1889 – The annual town meeting approved East Deering fire protection. A two-wheel hose reel cart with 500 feet of hose was purchased. Also, a small wooden hose house (10x12x8 feet) was built on land owned by L.W. Dyer, between Tukey's Bridge and Water Street, near Bates and Veranda Streets.

February 17, 1890 – Meeting held at Illsley Hall and Hose Company No. 5 organized.

December 14, 1894 – The City purchased a 50x100 ft. lot of land for $150 owned by L.W. Dyer on Main Street near Galvin Street. In March of 1895, the smaller hose house was moved to the new lot and Hose 5 members built a 21x26 foot, one & ½-story wooden hose house with an upstairs meeting room. A 28-foot bell tower was erected at the rear left corner and the small former house was also attached.

1897 – Hose 5 was reassigned a one-horse, four-wheel hose reel cart, carrying 1,000 feet of hose, formerly used by DFD Hose 1 at Woodfords. A near-by privately owned horse was used when needed.

March 1, 1899 – The City of Deering annexed to Portland and DFD Hose 5 became Hose Co. 11 of the Portland Fire Department. Main Street was renamed Washington Avenue and Dyer Street renamed Randall Street. A new G.M. Stanwood & Co. hose wagon, carrying 1,000 feet of hose went in service in May, hauled by two privately owned horses. The wagon was ordered by the City of Deering in 1898.

1901 – City-owned one & ½-story barn at 246 Ocean Avenue, Lunt's Corner was renovated and Hose 11 relocated here, improving response time and long, uphill runs to North Deering and Morrill’s Corner.

February, 1902 – John O’Rourke appointed H-11 Permanent Driver and two horses purchased.

1908 – Two-story woodframe firehouse built on Ocean Avenue, across from the old 1901 fire barn, which was later used for fire department storage until it was demolished in 1953.

1909 – East Deering citizens requested improved fire protection. The City purchased a horse-drawn ladder & chemical carriage (Combination 11), and Hose Co. 11 became a "Double-Company."

Three more Permanent Men were appointed, increasing the two-piece company to four Permanent Men.

1912 – A Permanent Lieutenant was appointed, and a Permanent Captain was appointed in 1913.

1925 – Hose 11 motorized. The former 1924 Reo supply truck was rebuilt into a hose & chemical truck in the PFD repair shop, which replaced the hose wagon, the combination truck, and the four horses.

March 2, 1938 – Hose Co. 11 upgraded as an Engine Company (new Seagrave 500gpm pumper).

April 1, 1938 – Engine 11 became a Permanent Company (Last Call Man A. Ward was pensioned).

1957 – A new two-bay, one-story brick firehouse was built on the same lot as the 1901 fire barn. The address changed to # 574. From 1957 to 1963, the District Two District Chief was quartered with Engine 11. Ladder Co. 3 relocated here from their Bracket Street firehouse in 1966, until 1972.

1960 – Engine 11 received a 1953 Maxim 750gpm pumper, former Engine 8 at Woodfords corner.

1974 – Engine 11 received a 1968 Ward LaFrance 1,000gpm pumper, former Engine 5 at Central.

December 27, 1979 – New American LaFrance 1,500gpm pumper went into service w/4-inch hose.

1996 – Engine 11 received a new Ferrara Fire Apparatus Co. 1,250gpm pumper with a 1,000-gallon tank on a Freightliner commercial chassis. Modifications had to be made to meet NFPA standards.

1999 – A Pierce Saber 1,250gpm pumper Program Truck was purchased, replacing the Freightliner.

2010 – A 2000 Pierce Dash 1,500gpm rescue-pumper was purchased, and assigned to Engine 11.

Engine 11 - Assigned Apparatus

1889 (DFD) H.K. Barnes hand-drawn, two-wheel balanced reel hose reel carriage, w/500 feet of hose.

In service 1889 (2/17/1890-DFD H-5 organized) Out of service - 1897

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1897 (DFD) 1890 one-horse, four-wheel, iron frame hose reel carriage (old H-1), w/1,000 feet of hose.

In service 8/1897 (March, 1899-as PFD Hose 11) Out of service - May 1899

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1899 G. M. Stanwood & Co. four-wheel hose wagon carrying 1,000 feet of hose, with two horses.

In service 5/1899 (1898-ordered by Deering. 2/28/1917-horse Marcus died)

Out of service 1925 (1925-replaced with hose & chemical combination motor truck)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1909 Combination Ladder Company, Providence, RI, two-horse ladder & chemical truck, carrying 183

feet of ladders, two 35-gallon chemical tanks, and 200 feet of hose $1,750

In service 1/25/09 (1909-1925, Combination 11 and Hose 11 a “Double Company”)

Out of service 1925

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1925 1924 Reo one & ½-ton, rebuilt into a hose & chemical combination (former Supply truck), with

1,200 feet of 2 & ½-inch hose, two 35-gallon chemical tanks, and 200 feet of chemical hose

In service 1925 (1925-rebuilt by the new PFD Repair Division)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1938 Seagrave 500gpm triple combination pumper with 100-gallon booster tank $ 6,200

In service 3/2/38 (Hose Co. 11 upgraded to an engine company)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1960 1953 Maxim 750gpm pumper with 150-gallon tank (old E-8)

In service 10/26/60 (1953-1960, assigned to Engine 8)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1974 1968 Ward LaFrance 1,000gpm pumper with a 500-gallon tank (old E-5)

In service 8/30/74 (PFD’s 1st Diesel motor fire truck)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1979 American LaFrance Century Series w/roof, 1,500gpm pumper, with a 500-gallon tank

In service 12/27/79 (12/19-arrived, 1994-rebuilt 3/8 to 8/18)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1996 Freightliner/Ferrara FLD #112 commercial chassis with a 4-door cab 1,250gpm pumper, with a

1,000-gallon tank $190,000

In service 7/14/96 (Arrived 5/24/1996, then repaired/modified to meet NFPA 1500)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1999 Pierce Saber 4-door 1,250gpm single stage pumper with a 750-gallon tank $ 210,000

(No hard suction hose or booster hose reel).

In service 11/19/99 (11/5-delivered at E-11)

Out of service 6/4/09

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2010 2000 Pierce Dash 1,500gpm pumper, with a 1,000-gallon tank (from Little York VFD, Texas)

$ 150,000

In service 1/25/10 (12/23/09-arrived in City, 1/15-at E-11)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2020 Pierce Velocity-70, 1,500gpm pumper, w/750-gallon tank, 20-gallon F/PG tank. $709,159

In service 5/20/20 (4/6-photo at Gillette Stadium, 4/19-arrived at E-11, DPW #205)

____________________________________________________________________________________

Return

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse