City of Lakewood, Divison of Fire

[YARBFD10]

The City of Lakewood is located in Cuyahoga County.  It is an "inner ring" suburb of Cleveland and is located on the west side.  Lakewood is a city about 5 square miles in size and has approximately 56,000 residents.  It is the most densly populated city between New York City and Chicago.  It is also one of the few remaining cities with a function Gamewell system still in service today.

The LFD was officially organized on April 10th, 1910.  Fire protection was previously provided by J.A. Mastic, and his team of horses that were housed on his own property.  Residents were expected to volunteer at the time of alarms, but 1 man was paid to be with the horse team and wagon.

Eyner Buhl was the first official fire chief of the LFD.  He and 6 men made up the LFD in 1910.  They were paid $60 a month and Chief Buhl was paid $80 a month.

In 1912 the 6 man department was reorganized and Joseph H. Speedy was appointed Chief.

In 1913 a new fire station was erected on Warren Rd. near Detroit.  It replaced the barn that was previously the station house.  The new station was a 2 story, four bay, brick station house.

Two more men were added to department in 1914 and the work schedule was 72 hrs on and 24 hours off.

In 1915 the department's last horse was retired.  In 1919 a major fire occured at the Edgewater Lumber Company and City Council decided to add 7 men to the department.

Fire Station No. 2 was built in 1920 at 18124 Detroit and housed Engine No. 2.

Talk of being annexed into Cleveland surfaced quite often.  When the fire alarm system was installed the boxes were labeled in the 9000 series.  This is because Cleveland had no 9000 series boxes, and still does not.  The annexation never occured, and the boxes still remain the same.

In 1925, Fire Station No. 1 was extended to house the new Hook & Ladder.  8 men were added to the department and 90 new Gamewell boxes were added to the system.  The new Hook & Ladder was an American LaFrance 85' Tiller.  It was the only tiller Lakewood would have, and as far as we know the only one used outside of the City of Cleveland.

In 1927, Fire Station No. 3 opened on Hopkins Avenue, just south of Detroit.  2 officers and 8 men were transferred to Engine Co. No. 3.  Also in 1927, the fire assistant chief was appointed and the work schedule changed to 24 hours on and 24 hours off.  The population of Lakewood in 1927 was 68,441.

By 1930, 6 men were added and Engine Co. No. 4 was palced into service.  The department now had grown to 12 officers, 49 men, 4 pumpers, 2 ladders, and a steel rowboat for life saving on Lake Erie.

In 1938 the position of Lieutenant was abolished and everyone at that rank was promoted to Captain.

In 1939 a state law was passed that firemen not work over 72 hours per week.  Engine Co. No. 4 was placed out of service due to manpower shortages and to this day has not seen regular service.

In 1942 an Auxillary Fire Brigade was established during the war and an old 1919 American LaFrance was assigned to them as Engine No. 5.

1944 came with the first cab-foward design apparatus as an American LaFrance JOX model aerial ladder that was assigned to Hook & Ladder No. 1.  It is believed that this apparatus is the first cab forward rig in Cuyahoga County and the only one of that style ever used in Northeastern Ohio.

Fire Station No. 3 on Hopkins was closed in 1976 with the opening of a new station at 12567 Clifton Blvd built to house Engine Co. No. 3 and Snorkel No. 2.  The new station was built at the chosen location so the department would have stations on both the north and south side of the Norfolk-Southern railroad tracks.  The snorkel was added to the department in 1971.  It was a Young/Pitman/Oshkosh 85' articulating platform and had the distinction of being the only Young Crusader in northeast Ohio.  Old Station No. 3 on Hopkins is still there and is being refurbished by a developer into office space.

Fire Station No. 1 was closed in 1993? with the building of the new headquarters at 14601 Madison Avenue.  It was torn down and a shopping plaza now sits there.  Fire Station No. 2 is still in service, though it was remodeled in 1990?  The L-shaped apparatus bay was added then.  Before then the rig used to sit where the kitchen is now.  The kitchen used to be in the basement with the watch desk on the main floor with the rig and quarters were upstairs.

In 1999/2000 the LFD merged with Lakewood EMS.  Lakewood EMS used to be housed at the hospital and ran 2 paramedic squads from there.  Now the city operates 3 squads, one from each station, and has 2 in reserve.  15 hospital paramedics were hired into the Division of Fire at the time.  Currently, all new employees must be cross trained as both firefighters and paramedics.

Currently, the department employs 93 sworn personnel and 2 civilan personnel.  Each shift is comprised of 1 assistant chief, 4 captains, a paramedic supervisor, and 24 firefighters, paramedics, or firefighter/paramedics.  Minimum manning is 24 everyday.  There are 4 men on every fire apparatus, 2 on each squad, and the Assistant Chief and his driver in Car 2.  Nothing is cross-staffed.

The current apparatus roster is as follows:

Engine No. 1 - 2005 Sutphen Monarch
Engine No. 2 - 1998 Sutphen Deluge
Engine No. 3 - 1990 Pierce Lance 75' Quint
Engine No. 4 - 1983 Sutphen Deluge (Reserve)
Engine No. 5 - 1985 Sutphen Deluge (Reserve)
Hook & Ladder No. 1 - 2002 Spartan Gladiator/Ferrara 105' Straight Stick
Squad 1 - 200? International/Horton
Squad 2 - 199? Ford/Horton
Squad 3 - 2004 International/Horton
Squad 4 - 1996? International (Reserve)
Squad 5 - 1995? International (Reserve)
Car 1 - Ford Crown Vic (Fire Chief)
Car 2 - Ford Excursion (Assistant Chief & Driver)
Car 3 - Dodge Boom Truck (Mechanic)
Car 4 - Chevy Pickup
Car 5 - Fire Inspector
Car 6 - Fire Marshall
Car 8 - Chevy Suburban (Reserve)

The Historic Apparatus Roster is as follows:

1912 American LaFrance Type 75, Eng 1
1914 Peerless Chemical Engine, Chem 2
1914 American LaFrance City Service Ladder w/ 35 gal chemical tank, HL1
1917 American LaFrance Type 75, no designation until 1927 (Eng 3)
1917 American LaFrance Type 75, no designation until 1930 (Eng 4)
1919 American LaFrance Type 75, Eng 1
1925 American LaFrance 85' Tiller, HL1
1926 American LaFrance City Service Ladder, L2
1937 American LaFrance 400 series, Eng 3
1942 American LaFrance 500 series, Eng 1
1944 American LaFrance JOX 85' Ladder, HL1
1948 American LaFrance 700 series, Eng 2
1954 American LaFrance 700 series 85' aerial, HL1
1957 Mack C95, Eng 4
1963 Mack C95, Eng 3
1964 Mack C95, no designation until 1983 (Eng 4)
1971 Young/Pitman/Oshkosh 85' Snorkel, known as L2 and Snorkel 2
1977 American LaFrance Century series, Eng 1
1982 E-One/LTI/Hendrickson 110' aerial, HL1
1983 Sutphen Deluge, Eng 3
1985 Sutphen Deluge, Eng 1
1990 Pierce Lance 75' Quint, Eng 3
1998 Sutphen Deluge, Eng 1
2002 Spartan/Ferrara 105' aerial, HL1
2005 Sutphen Monarch, Eng 1

[YARBFD10]

I was searching around on the Ferrara website and came across our old Hook & Ladder rig.  It was traded in when we got the new one.  It is a 1982 E-One 110' Straight Stick.  It is still for sale from Ferrara if anyone is interested!

[DCFDBuckeye]

In this day and age of reduced budgets it is amazing to find a job like Lakewood with minimum manning of 4 per piece. My hat's off to the Fire Chief, Union, and the politicians; they must all be on the same page. As more profiles are added it would be informative to see that kind of information. It's more important than just about any facet of the Fire Service, the job is about the people.

[pgoogs]

Good Info and pics!!!  Do you have pics of the stations?  This is a good start to the forum.  Now we just need more info on other departments!
Paul G.

[YARBFD10]

OK, I finally remembered to take my camera to work with me.  So, here are some pics of LFD Station 1 and the rigs.

[YARBFD10]

More pics of LFD Station 1.

[YARBFD10]

Pics of Hook & Ladder No. 1.  Some talk of changing the rig's name to just Ladder 1 arose back when they were spec'ing this rig.  It was quickly squashed by the men because it would have taken away the tradition.

[YARBFD10]

Engine 1 & Squad 1.

[YARBFD10]

Engine 4 & Squad 4.  Both reserve units.  Squad 5 is also housed at Station 1 but is inservice as Squad 2.  Engine 5, also a reserve unit, is housed at Station 3.

[YARBFD10]

Miscellaneous Support Vehicle Pics...

[YARBFD10]

More random pics...

[YARBFD10]

City of Lakewood Fire Station No. 2

18124 Detroit Ave.

Built in 1918 and remodeled in 1990.

House Engine Co. No. 2 and Squad 2.

Daily staffing is 1 Captain, 3 Firefighters, & 2 Firefighter/Paramedics.

Before the merger in 1999, Engine Co. No. 2 and the rescue boat were housed here.

[YARBFD10]

City of Lakewood, Division of Fire, Station No. 2 Apparatus.

[YARBFD10]

A quick note on our spares in Lakewood...

Engine 4 is a 1983 Sutphen that served as Engine 3 until 1990 when the Pierce Lance 75' Quint was purchased.  It then moved to Engine 2 until 1998, and then Engine 4 ever since.

Engine 5 is a 1985 Sutphen that served as Engine 1 until 1998, when it replaced the 1983 at Engine 2.  In 2005 it moved became Engine 5 when we got the new Monarch and the 1998 Deluge went to Engine 2.

The 1990 Pierce Quint is due for replacement in 2010, but we are unsure if it will last.  It is very maintenance intensive and overloaded equipment wise.  It will most likely be junked then.  Some of us "younger guys" hope for an company re-organization in the future, as cuts in shift strength loom.  One proposal is for Engine 1 to be disbanded and re-organized as Rescue 1 with a new apparatus purchased.  Perhaps a heavy squad such as Warren or Youngstown have, but with EMS transport capabilities.  Hook & Ladder No. 1 be traded in and a 100' Quint be purchased for Ladder 1, and an identical unit purchased for Engine/Ladder 3.  The re-organization would lower shift strength by 2, eliminating a paramedic squad at Station No. 1.

Post Re-Organization:

Station No. 1
- Car 2 with Assistant Chief & Aide
- Rescue 1 with Captain, FF/EMT, & 2 FF/Medics
- Ladder 1 with Captain & 3 "Senior" Firefighters

Station No. 2
- Engine 2 with Captain, "Senior" FF, FF/EMT, & FF/Medic
- Squad 2 with 2 Paramedics

Station No. 3
- Engine/Ladder 3 with Captain, "Senior" FF, FF/EMT, & FF/Medic
- Squad 3 with Paramedic Supervisor & Paramedic

Keep in mind that these are only the views of a few and do not reflect the ideas of the whole department.  I used "Quotation Marks" because we have senior firefighters who are not cross-trained, and junior firefighters who are medically cross-trained.  We also still have members who are only paramedics who were absorbed into the department when Fire & EMS merged in 1999.

[YARBFD10]

The Westshore Hazardous Materials & Technical Rescue Team has placed into service a new Spartan Metro Star rig.  The unit will replace the current rig, which was a converted beer truck.  The Westshore communities include Lakewood, Rocky River, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Westlake, & Bay Village.  The unit will be stored at various departments on a rotating basis.