Scranton Fire Department

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Scranton Fire Department
SFD Logo.jpg
SFD Logo
Scranton Fire Department IAFF Local 60 Patch.jpg
SFD IAFF Local 60 Patch
Operational area
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
State Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania
County Lackawanna
Address518 Mulberry St, Scranton, Pa 18510 (Fire Headquarters)
Agency overview
EstablishedMay 4, 1901 (1901-05-04)
Annual calls≈3000
EmployeesApproximately 142 Firefighters and Fire Officers
StaffingCareer
SuperintendentJohn Judge IV
IAFF Local 60
Motto"Scranton's Bravest"
Facilities and equipment
Divisions2
Stations 7 Operational, 2 Closed
Engines 5 Active, 5 Reserve
Trucks 2 Active, 2 Reserve
Rescues 1 Active, 1 Reserve
HAZMAT 1 Reserve
USAR PA Company 3
Wildland 2 Reserve
Rescue boats 3 Reserve
Light and air 1 Reserve
Website
Official website
Official IAFF

The Scranton Fire Department (also known as the City of Scranton Bureau of Fire, SFD, Scranton Fire, and Station 50) is an organization that provides fire protection, rescue services, hazardous materials mitigation, to the City of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The department used volunteer fire companies throughout its history and was established as a career fire department on May 4, 1901. The city maintained a combination of paid and volunteer firefighters from 1901 to 1907 when a full time department was established.

Contents

The Scranton Fire Department maintained an ambulance service from 1948 until 1988. Scranton firefighters are organized in a union under the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF). The city of Scranton currently maintains 7 fire stations, 5 engine companies, 2 truck companies, a rescue company, and a command/chief car.

History

The city of Scranton utilized numerous volunteer fire companies from 1866 (The year Scranton incorporated as a city) onward until the local government formally enacted an ordinance authorizing a paid bureau of fire in 1901. On May 4, 1901, the City of Scranton Bureau of Fire was established. [1] This, however, did not remove volunteers from the City's fire responses, as the department continued to utilize volunteers in a paid/volunteer combination system until 1907. [2]

Rescue No.1's Quarters Rescue No. 1 Station.jpg
Rescue No.1's Quarters

During a Typhoid epidemic in 1906, the Health Bureau was concerned about noise from audible fire sirens used to alert volunteers would disturb patients. In response to this, the Bureau of Fire added 25 permanent firefighters to its roster bolstering its paid staff and lessening the need for these audible fire siren systems. [1]

In 1911, the Bureau of Fire purchased its first motorized fire apparatus, a Chief's car. More apparatus would be motorized going forward until horse-drawn firefighting vehicles were phased out completely in 1923. [1]

The Scranton Fire Department remains a full-time all career department today, with a total of about 142 professional firefighters and fire officers protecting the City of Scranton.[ citation needed ] Today, the Scranton Fire Department is the largest fire department in the Wyoming Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania.[ citation needed ]

Ambulance service

The Scranton Fire Department began to maintain an ambulance service starting 1948. They were known as Car 20 (later known as Car 24) and Car 23. Two firefighters would staff the ambulance and respond to medical calls in the city. This would remain until 1988 when the ambulance service was discontinued. [3]

Union representation

After years of going without a union, in 1918, Scranton firefighters organized under the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), Local 60. The union lapsed its membership in the 1930s, again foregoing a union until 1940, when it rejoined under IAFF Local 669. This would remain until 2000 when the Union successfully won the right to use its original IAFF local union number. As of November 2010, Scranton Firefighters are represented by IAFF Local 60. [1]

Description

The Scranton Fire Department is an organization that provides fire protection, rescue services, hazardous materials mitigation, to the City of Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Stations and apparatus

The city of Scranton currently maintains 7 fire stations [4] which house all fire apparatus, firefighters, and offices for the fire department. This amounts to having 5 engine companies, 2 truck companies, a rescue company, and a command/chief car providing protection to the city of Scranton on a daily basis. The department also keeps specialty vehicles in reserve for use on specific incident types. Additionally, the city of Scranton keeps 4 engines, one rescue, one HAZMAT and one truck company in reserve in case additional fire protection service is needed or to swap out apparatus while the front line apparatus are maintained and repaired. [2] [4]

Station NameAddressNeighborhoodEngine

Company

Truck(Ladder)CompanyRescue CompanySpecialized UnitAdditional Functions
Fire Department

Headquarters

518 Mulberry St,

Scranton, PA 18510

Central CityEngine Company No. 4

Engine Company No. 11 (Reserve)

Truck Company No. 2Assistant Chief Car 21

(Car 21)

Superintendent's Office

Deputy Chief's Office

Fire Investigation Office

Fire Prevention Office

Rescue Co. 1940 Wyoming Ave,

Scranton PA 18509

Green RidgeRescue Company No.1Haz-Mat Company No. 1 Self contained breathing

apparatus (SCBA) repair

and maintenance.

Engine Co. 2500 Gibbons St,

Scranton, PA 18505

South SideEngine Company No. 2

Engine Company No. 1 (Reserve)

Fire hose repair and

maintenance

Truck Co. 41047 N Main Ave,

Scranton, PA 18508

North EndEngine Company No. 9 (Reserve)Truck Company No. 4

Truck Company No.1 (Reserve)

Attack No. 1 (Brush)
Engine Co. 71917 Luzerne St,

Scranton, PA 18504

West SideEngine Company No. 7

Engine Company No. 14 (Reserve)

Fire helmet repair and

maintenance

Engine Co. 8205 W Market St,

Scranton, PA 18508

North EndEngine Company No. 8

Engine Company No. 15 (Reserve)

Car 30 (Air Cascade)

Fire Prevention Trailer

Engine Co. 101900 E Mountain Rd,

Scranton, PA 18505

East MountainEngine Company No. 10

Fire station response areas and conditions

  • Fire Headquarters located at 518 Mulberry St, Scranton PA, 18510
    • Fire Headquarters houses Engine Company No. 4, Truck Company No. 2, and Assistant Chief Car 21 (The shift commander). This station's first due area is Central City, the Hill Section, Green Ridge and parts of South Side. In the event of a second alarm fire these companies will respond everywhere in the city. In addition to the three units housed here, this station houses the Fire Prevention and Investigation offices, the office of the Deputy Chief and the office of the Superintendent of Fire. Fire Headquarters was built in 1905 and is a protected historical landmark. [5]
      SFD Truck Co. 2 Scranton Fire Department Truck 2.jpg
      SFD Truck Co. 2
  • Rescue Company No. 1 located at 940 Wyoming Ave, Scranton, PA 18509
  • Engine Company No. 2 located at 500 Gibbons St, Scranton, PA 18505
    • This station houses Engine Company No. 2 and Engine Company No. 1 (Reserve). Engine Co. 2's First due area covers Southside and Minooka. This company will respond to East Mountain, West Side, Central City, and the Hill Section in the event of a second alarm fire. Engine Co. 2 is designated as one of Lackawanna County's Decontamination units. This station is also where the department's hose is repaired. Engine Company No. 1 is only dispatched when additional staffing is needed or when acting as a replacement for another company. [7]
      HAZMAT-1 Responding Scranton Fire Department HAZMAT 1.jpg
      HAZMAT-1 Responding
  • Truck Company No. 4 located at 1047 N Main Ave, Scranton, PA 18508
    • This station houses Truck Company No. 4, and Engine Company No. 9 (Reserve). This station's first due covers West Side, North Scranton, Tripp Park, the Plot Section, parts of Central City, and Keyser Valley as its first due area. This company is on all second alarm fires. Engine Company No. 9 is only dispatched when additional staffing is needed or when acting as a replacement for another company. [8]
  • Engine Company No. 7 located at 1917 Luzerne St, Scranton, PA 18504
  • Engine Company No. 8 located at 205 W Market St, Scranton, PA 18508
    • This station houses Engine Company No. 8 and Car 30, the mobile air re-supply unit. This station's first due area is North Scranton, the Plot, and parts of Green Ridge. In the event of a second alarm fire Engine Co. 8 will go to West Side, Central City, parts of the Hill Section and Keyser Valley. This station also stores the mobile smoke house, used for presentations primarily for children to teach how to escape form a home fire. Car 30 is only dispatched when requested for specialty incidents or large structure fires. [10]
  • Engine Company No. 10 located at 1900 E Mountain Rd, Scranton, PA 18505
    • This station houses Engine Company No. 10. this station responds to all of East Mountain, most of the Hill Section, and parts of upper South Side for first alarm assignments. On a second alarm it will respond to South Side, Minooka, parts of Central City. [11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "History of The Scranton Fire Department". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Scranton, Pa - Fire Department". Scranton, Pa - Official Website. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  3. "Disbanded Companies". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "Companies of the Scranton Fire Dept". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  5. "Fire Headquarters". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  6. "Rescue Co. 1". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  7. "Engine Co. 2". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  8. "Truck Co. 4". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  9. "Engine Co. 7". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  10. "Engine Co. 8". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  11. "Engine Co. 10". scrantonfire.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.