Introduction
Engine Company 11 was originally organized as Hose and Chemical Company 1 on March 1, 1900, and entered service on that date in the East Camden firehouse at North 27th and Federal Streets. The unit was later relocated to a new headquarters at 901 North 27th Street in the Cramer Hill section of Camden. On January 1, 1924 the unit was reorganized as Engine Company 11, utilizing the same building at 901 North 27th Street. Engine Company continues to protect Camden from the Cramer Hill firehouse.
Hose & Chemical Company 1
Hook & Ladder Company 3, Hose & Chemical Company 1 & Engine Company 9 — 1924
Hook & Ladder Company 3: Captain Joseph B. Ayres, FF Dave Humphries, Al Dukes, J.A. Mulligan, Bill Mountney, Bill Hopkins. Hose & Chemical Company 1: Captain Charles H. Robinson, FF William E “Pud” Jaeckel, George Townsend, Ken Naylor, Howard Gick. Engine Company 9: Captain John H. Vickers, FF Irv Lederman, Newton Ash, Joe Gentlesk, Al Palmer
Engine Company 11
1930
1930 American LaFrance 750 GPM Pumper #7158 — Photographed on June 15, 1952
1955 American LaFrance 1000 GPM Pumper
1960 Willys Jeep Skid Pump 500 GPM
1970s–1980s
1986 Hahn 1000 gpm Pumper
Named: About 1993, American LaFrance 1500 gpm Pumper, and 222 River Road.
1994
May 7, 2005
Engine Company 11 Firehouse
While the bell itself may be of more recent vintage, the wood wall mount and adjacent blackboard are quite probably original equipment at the Engine Company 11 fire house. Photograph Taken December 14, 2011.
Firemen Prepare Toys
Camden Evening Courier —
Named: William Foehl, Charles Schultz, Newton Ash, Ervin K. Lederman
Engine Company 9, Engine Company 11, Ladder Company 3
East Camden, North 27th Street, Hayes Avenue, and Federal Street.
Early Donor in Aluminum Drive Hopes ‘Gift’ Will Be Sent to Hitler
Camden Courier-Post —
Early Donor in Aluminum Drive Hopes ‘Gift’ Will Be Sent to Hitler
Campaign Opens Here with Distribution of Pamphlets on Details; Metal Collection Listed for Thursday at Nine City Centers
Hitler’s anti-Semitic nation may receive a “gift” in the near future from a South Camden Jewish resident, but the Fuehrer will not send back a “thank you” note.
The gift may attain the form of aluminum bomber parts.
Last night the city opened its drive for old aluminum from homes for use in national defense work. Only pamphlets giving details about the canvass were distributed with the old pots, discarded pans and other outmoded aluminum utensils to be collected Thursday.
However, not to be late in handing in his donation, the South Camden Jew of German birth, who remains unidentified, walked into headquarters of Engine Company No. 8 at Sixth street and Kaighn (Continued on Page 4—Column 5)
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avenue, his arms laden with old aluminum.
“Here, I want to give this aluminum to you now and not wait until Thursday,” the donor told firemen. “These pots and pans came from Germany with me many years ago, and now I want the United States to make something out of them to send back to that (several words censored) Hitler.”
Seized Cooker in Gifts
A Boy Scout’s pint-size cooking pan was taken into police headquarters by Norwood Greene, a Secret Service Agent, who said the utensil was confiscated in a counterfeit raid a short time ago at Wilmington, Del.
Greene was instructed by a superior to turn the pan over to the Camden aluminum drive. In doing so the agent had to request a receipt signed in triplicate from police headquarters since that is the required procedure in disposing of any seized articles by the Secret Service.
Beginning at 7 p. m. approximately 300 Boy Scouts, veterans and volunteers, began their systematic house-to-house canvass delivering the pamphlets explaining the drive and requesting contributions. The same workers will return Thursday to pick up whatever aluminum the householders care to give.
Anyone may take his contributed articles to any one of the collection centers. From the nine centers the aluminum will be taken to Fifth and Arch streets where a large wire enclosed bin has been constructed.
Mayor Heads Group
Mayor George E. Brunner heads the campaign as honorary chairman and William C. Schriver is general chairman. Heading a group of World War veterans engaged in the effort is Edward J. Quinlan. The veterans laid out the nine districts of the city for the collections. The Scouts are directed in the drive by Scout Commissioner Thomas Norris.
Schriver reported last night when the workers called at many homes the housewives had already collected the old utensils and had them ready for collection piled in boxes. The workers told the residents, however, the donations would not be collected until Thursday.
The nationwide appeal for gifts of aluminum will end July 29. Similar drive plans have been made in every community in the county. In many municipalities, property owners have donated the use of vacant buildings as collection centers.
The Camden city districts, and those in charge of collection, are:
First district, firehouse, Fourth and Pine streets, Leo G. Stephans.
Second district, fire headquarters, Fifth and Arch, Sgt. Ray Smith and Fred Vogel.
Third district, Engine Company No. 3, 1800 Broadway, Eugene Conlin.
Fourth district, Engine Company No. 6, Front and Linden, Samuel Shapiro.
Fifth district, Engine Company No. 7, 1115 Kaighn, James H. O’Brien.
Sixth district, Engine Company No. 8, Sixth and Kaighn, Albert C. Becker.
Seventh district, Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal, Roy C. Adams.
Eighth district, Engine Company No. 10, Ninth and Morgan, Burnell S. Hartman.
Ninth district, Engine Company No. 11, Twenty-seventh and Hayes, Michael Mungioli.
Mrs. Carrie R. Bean, past department president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars auxiliary, and Mrs. Anne D. Spooner, president-elect of the Camden County American Legion auxiliaries, have appealed to members of all county auxiliary posts of both organizations to assist in collections.
George E. Brunner — William C. Schriver — Leo G. Stephans — Sgt. Ray Smith
Fred Vogel — Samuel Shapiro — James H. O’Brien — Albert C. Becker — Roy C. Adams
Burnell S. Hartman — Michael Mungioli — Carrie R. Bean — Anne D. Spooner
Engine Company 1 — Engine Company 3 — Engine Company 7 — Engine Company 8
Engine Company 9 — Engine Company 10 — Engine Company 11
Engine Company 2 (Fire Headquarters)
City Yields 10,000 Aluminum Articles
Camden Courier-Post —
CITY YIELDS 10,000 ALUMINUM ARTICLES
Collection Bin Rapidly Filling with Drive to Continue Until Tuesday
Thousands of Camden city kitchens weren’t the same old places this morning because of Uncle Sam’s nation-wide aluminum collection for defense.
Percolators, tea kettles, pots and pans which have seen many years of service now are part of the ever-increasing pile of vital metal being collected for conversion into defense articles.
More than 10,000 articles ranging from baby toys to an aluminum beer keg were tossed into the central-city collection bin at Fifth and Arch streets prior to midnight as hundreds of Boy Scouts, veterans, Girl Scouts and civic groups toured the nine collection centers of Camden to gather the harvest of discarded aluminum.
Self-appointed estimators judged (Continued on Page 32—Column 1)
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sufficient metal had been gathered to provide for one medium-sized bomber. Suffice to say the bin, measuring 50 by 30 by five feet, was more than half full as the collectors called quitting time.
Collection Goes On
But the collections will go on until next Tuesday. All contributions were not centered at the main bin. East Camden groups piled hundreds of pounds of the metal in the basement of No. 11 Fire House at Twenty-seventh street and Hayes avenue and the residents of Westfield Acres also had a huge pile for delivery.
The collection, which was under direction of Willard C. Schriver, who has been appointed by Mayor George E. Brunner as director of the campaign, supplied tragic and humorous articles.
Among these were play toys from a home where childish laughter once sounded and now is stilled. Another—at the other extreme—was an aluminum vacuum bottle which bore an attached note “Load this with dynamite and send it to Hitler.”
Want Main Bin Filled
“As Camden’s contribution to national defense, we would like to see the main collection bin filled to overflowing,” said Schriver. Schriver suggested that housewives make a last minute checkup for any discarded articles in the home containing aluminum which would be useful to the national defense program.
In common with Camden and the rest of the nation, suburban towns also have aluminum collection campaigns under way. The drive in Mt. Ephraim opened with a special matinee in the Mt. Ephraim with admission a piece of aluminum ware.
Lowell B. Hipple, chairman of the Haddonfield Defense Council, announced collection of aluminum in that borough was “very gratifying.”
He said residents who were not at home when Boy Scouts called may bring their discarded aluminum ware to the established depot at 104 Kings highway East before next Tuesday.
Collection of aluminum in suburban towns on White Horse pike will continue until Saturday. Boy and Girl Scouts and firemen will assist in the work in all towns. Receptacles for articles to be contributed have been placed near all police stations.
Other Towns in Drive
In Oaklyn, John Burhanna, Jr., director of public safety, is in charge of workers assigned to the task.
Mayor Andrew F. Ganser at Audubon, announced that as chairman of the committee he had appointed the following assistants: Joseph Brudon, Girl Scouts; Robert Pemberton, Boy Scouts; Roy Bensing, transportation.
In Haddon Heights, Mayor William J. Dallas placed Dewitt P. Perry in charge of the entire project. He is aided by the scouts and firemen.
Councilman Theodore Weaver is supervising the collection of aluminum in Barrington. He is assisted by John Leidy and Thomas Dillon.
Haddon Township Active
Haddon township provided more than 3000 pounds of the metal in a collective drive with Boy and Girl Scouts, American Legion and V.F.W. Veteran units together with civic groups participating.
William Eisele, past county commander of the Legion, announced he will await word from the government on the method of shipping the aluminum to a central collecting agency. Eisele is chairman of the township drive.
Gloucester Defense Council reported 11 truck loads of aluminum were collected during the past three nights. The pots and pans and other articles donated by the residents were placed in a building at the plant of the Armstrong Cork Company. Families who were missed are requested to give their donations to the employes of the city street department.
Abraham Brandt, chairman of the committee which had charge of the collection, said the drive was a big success and that the residents seemed anxious to do their share to aid the government.
Industrial Plants Aid
Industrial plants and merchants gave generously of their motor vehicles and workers’ time to aid in the collection.
Small trucks were used for gathering the articles from small centers to be delivered to fire houses and other collection points. Those centers provided heavy loads for larger vehicles which transported the aluminum to the Arch street bin.
Schriver announced the drive will be on every day until the Tuesday deadline and that trucks will be available for any sizeable collection.
Citizens were requested to make a further survey of their homes and garages to locate additional articles to be used in America’s defense program.
Willard C. Schriver — George E. Brunner — East Camden — Westfield Acres — Engine Company 11
Engine 11’s 1956 American LaFrance Pumper
Photo by Bob Bartosz
Engine 11’s new pumper — From left: John Letts, John C. Voll, Captain Charles Patterson, James Troutman
Engine 11’s new pumper. The car at right belonged to John C. Voll.
Engine 11 — 1958
Photo by Bob Bartosz
Seated, From left: Fireman Matthew Davies, Fireman Frank Deal, Captain Edwin Robbins; Fireman William O’Connor. Standing: Fireman Harry J. Allebach, who retired February 1, 1958.
Flames Rake Warehouse in East Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
SMOKE BILLOWS through the roof of Cartun Hardware Store’s warehouse as two groups of firemen bring hoses to bear on the blaze which was fed by an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of paint. —Courier-Post Photo
Flames Rake Warehouse in East Camden
A two-alarm fire raged out of control in an East Camden warehouse for an hour Thursday night.
The warehouse, at 14 S. 35th st., an L-shaped annex to the Cartun Hardware Store, 36th and Federal sts., was formerly a feed store and is now used to store paints, plumbing supplies and other merchandise.
Irving Cartun of 2601 Parkway, Philadelphia, proprietor, reported that the warehouse inventory was valued at an estimated $15,000. Cartun said he had not yet determined the extent of his loss.
According to Cartun, there were 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of paint stored in one-gallon cans in the warehouse.
Fireman Injured
Joseph H. Arensberg, 25, of 1041 N. 32nd st., a hoseman with Engine Company 11, was injured slightly when a door in the flaming warehouse fell on his leg. He was treated at Cooper Hospital.
Robert D. Halsey, 23, of 41 N. 36th st., a clerk in the store, and Capt. Otto Kaiser of Engine Company 11 assisted Arensberg from the scene.
The fire was discovered because of an experiment linking traditional Christmas caroling with electronic gadgetry.
James E. Wright of 17 S. 35th st., his son James Jr., 14, Mrs. Coleman Rosenberg of 16 S. 35th st., and her daughter, Merle, 12, were standing outside their homes listening to recorded Christmas carols through an outdoor amplifier system that the elder Wright had rigged.
They saw smoke billowing from the one and a half story frame and shingle warehouse and the younger Wright sounded a box alarm at about 8 p.m.
Second Alarm Sounded
Engine Companies 9 and 11 and Truck Company 3 answered the call. At 8:28 p.m., a second alarm was sounded bringing Deputy Fire Chief Harry Wagner, Engine Companies 2 and 7, Truck Company 1, and Rescue Squad 1 to the scene.
The fire was declared under control at 9 p.m. and extinguished at 9:15 p.m.
Firemen were hampered in reaching the blaze by a corrugated tin ceiling which separated the main floor of the warehouse from the half floor or attic section, where the fire raged at its worst.
Flames burst through the outside wall and roof of the warehouse, when firemen chopped holes there in order to get a hose into the blazing attic.
Sparks Shower Roofs
Sparks showered the rooftops of the homes of Mrs. Rosenberg and her sister Mrs. Calvin Miller of 18 S. 35th st.
Police had already evacuated Mrs. Miller and her three children Robin, 9, Wendy, 7, and Elyse, 5.
According to police Robin refused to leave her house until her pet cat “Snoozy” was found. “Snoozy” was located hiding under a sofa.
The fire was confined, however, to the warehouse.
Wall Blocks Flames
A fire door between the warehouse and the store prevented the fire from spreading into the store. However the intense smoke drove several customers into the street.
Pennsauken residents reported that smoke from the blaze penetrated their homes, almost a mile away.
A major traffic tie-up was averted when cars were detoured off Federal st. at 34th and 37th sts.
Major William Gwynne of the Volunteers of America was at the scene serving coffee and doughnuts to the firefighters.
Cartun Hardware — Irving Cartun — Robert D. Halsey — James E. Wright — Coleman Rosenberg
Merle Rosenberg — Calvin Miller — Robin Miller — Wendy Miller — Elyse Miller
Major William Gwynne — Volunteers of America
Joseph Arensberg — Otto Kaiser — Engine Company 11 — Engine Company 9
Engine Company 2 — Engine Company 7
Ladder Company 1 — Ladder Company 3
Harry Wagner
Rescue Company 1
North 32nd Street — North 35th Street — South 35th Street — North 36th Street
Engine Company 11 at Fire Headquarters
Late 1970s
Named: Sonny Frett, Stan Trzebuniak, Joe Kirk, Richard Brooks, Bill Colucci, and Joe Marini.
35th Street & Harrison Avenue
July 1, 1980 — Captain Jim McGrory of Engine Company 11 and crew packing hose after a one alarm house fire at North 35th Street and Harrison Avenue.
Retired Firefighters Visit Engine Company 11
1994
Front, from left: retirees Capt. Edwin Robbins, Captain Leonard Garbrecht, and Theodore “Teddy O’Brien” Orbaczewski, with active Captain Anthony Winters. Top: Fire Fighters Greg DePetris, Frank Saia, and Glen Moore
Engine 11 — 1994
Photo by Bob Bartosz
From left: Greg DePetris, Glen Moore, Anthony Winters, and Frank Saia
Engine Company 11
Engine Company 11
Credits
Many of the photographs on this website are from the limited edition book “Fire Department Camden NJ 125 Anniversary 1869–1994” and were taken by Department Photographer Bob Bartosz. Others are courtesy of Joel Bain of the Camden Fire Department.