FDNY Tales - The FDNY Assignment Card

FDNY Tales - Brooklyn Box 2672

Another card issued in 1929.

The location, 2nd Avenue and 54th Street, was close to the Brooklyn Army Terminal (2nd Avenue, 58th to 63rd Streets) on the Brooklyn waterfront.

This might account for the response of two fireboats on the first alarm (Engines 223 and 51), and an additional boat on the second alarm (Engine 57). Boat Tender 3 also responded on the 1st alarm.

Of significance note that in the "companies to change location" section, the 4th alarm called for Ladder 168 to cover Ladder 149, and then Ladder 166 covered Ladder 168, who was covering Ladder 149. Why this double relocation? Perhaps because it would lessen the effect of one area of the borough being stripped of apparatus, and also because when a unit left quarters there was no way to contact them until they "tapped" in-service at the destination firehouse - there were no radios in use in 1929.

The same is true of the 5th alarm ladder relocations.