ENGINE COMPANY 3

Downtown

The Big Ship

CFDHISTORY ---›Companies ---› ENGINES ---› ENGINE COMPANY 3

Members Who Died In The Line:

  William Newton - October 20,1855

  Lt. William Bocklage - November 9, 1891

Engine 3, Truck 1 in front of quarters 1890's.
This building also housed Fire Department Headquarters
on the upper floors.
Photo History of The Cincinnati Fire Department

2015 Rosenbauer 1500 GPM - 500 Tank - 30A/30B Foam - Shop #51674
Photo Steve Hagy

2003 Emergency One 1500 GPM - 500 Tank - 30A/30B Foam Shop #31684
This apparatus was originally assigned to Engine 20.
Photo Steve Hagy

1993 Emergency One 1500 GPM - 500 Tank Shop #31671
Photo Steve Hagy

1993 Emergency One 1500 GPM - 500 Tank Shop #31671 Engine 3 working at a 2 alarm on Victory Parkway and Alms Place - October 24, 2008
Photo Bill Strite

This photo was taken at an extra alarm in the 2000 block of Eastern Ave in the early '90's. In the picture I'm holding the hose
while Pat Nolte is attaching a playpipe to a "big line" for advancement up Truck 1's aerial. Pat had just started on the CFD & was
assigned to the 3's house. He had laid off with 5" hose to supply our pumper (a Telesqurt). You can see the 3's Telesqurt
along with Truck 9's aerial in the background. After helping FAO Rick Merkle get everything set up I turned around
and Nolte was standing next to me with no water in the supply line. After I jacked him real good, he explained that the hydrant had
come out of the ground when he turned it on, so he shut it down. He did the right thing and I told him so after everything settled down.
Jay Shearman - Retired
Photo Unknown

1980 Seagrave 1250 GPM - 300 Tank 50' TeleSqurt Shop #4679
Engine 19 was assigned the other TeleSqurt equipped apparatus.
Photo Steve Hagy

1980 Seagrave 1250 GPM - 300 Tank 50' TeleSqurt Shop #4679
The windowless jump seat area was unique to the 4 Seagrave engines delivered to the C.F.D. in 1979 and 1980.
Photo Steve Hagy

1980 Seagrave 1250 GPM - 300 Tank - 50’ Tele Squrt Shop #4679
The joystick to control the Squrt is at the base of the turntable.
Photo Steve Hagy

1960 Seagrave 1000 GPM - 160 Tank Shop #4602
The 3's on the streets of Downtown one rainy day. Check out the Pettibone style helmets.
Photo Steve Hagy Collection

1960 Seagrave 1000 GPM - 160 Tank Shop #4602
Photo Steve Hagy

1949 Seagrave 1000 GPM - 100 Tank Shop #25175
Photo Ed Effron

1949 Seagrave 1000 GPM - 100 Tank Shop #25175
Photo Seagrave Factory Photo

1941 Seagrave 750 GPM - 100 Tank shop #25159
Engine 3 is parked on 9th Street just across from quarters. The C.F.D. received two Seagrave engines built in this style, one in 1941 and the second in 1942. The enclosed
cabs were manufactured locally by the Highland Cab Company. Highland is still around today and operates as Truck Cab Manufacturers (TCM).
Photo Ed Effron

1941 Seagrave 750 GPM - 100 Tank Shop #25159
Photo Steve Hagy Collection

1933 Mack 750 GPM - 100 Tank Shop #25103
This photo was taken in front of "The Big Ship" at 7th & Sycamore Streets.
Photo Steve Hagy collection.

1933 Mack 750 GPM - 100 Tank Shop #25103
This apparatus entered service on December 6, 1933 and was reassigned to Engine 13 on December 20, 1949. The photo was taken on Central Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets.
Photo George Snelbaker

1918 Ahrens-Fox Hose Wagon Shop #25152
This apparatus was originally assigned to Squad 52 as their rescue truck. In 1943 Ahrens-Fox
converted the truck into a hose wagon. Note the large Ross high-pressure hydrant on the running board.
Photo George Snelbaker

1917 Ahrens-Fox 1000 GPM Model N.
Placed in service on September 30, 1917 at 2:50 p.m. Chief Houston is standing on the far right.
Photo Dan Martin Collection

Postcard Photo
Photo Donated by Mark Milliron

Companies that were in high value areas can be identified in early photos by the number of horses being used to pull the hose wagon. If 2 horses were
hitched then the company had a large sized hose wagon and was in or near Downtown or one of the industrial areas. This photo
shows Engine 3 but judging by the buildings in the background the photograph certainly wasn't taken at 6th and Vine!
Photo City of Cincinnati

The former quarters of Engine 3 & Ladder 1 was a big building. This station also served as headquarters and was the location of the fire alarm office. Notice that the building is equipped with a watchtower.
Photo Steve Hagy Collection

This photo shows Engine 3 and Truck 1's home not long after the station opened. In the photo that is above this picture you can see that the watch
tower had not been constructed when the first picture was taken. Also, the buildings on either side of the firehouse have been replaced in the newer picture.
Photo Steve Hagy Collection

This news article appeared in the January 29, 1853 edition of the Williamsburgh Daily Gazette (New York) and indicates that Boston had already organized a paid fire department. This is more than 2 months before Cincinnati hired their first professional firefighters.
Photo Williamsburgh Daily Gazette