Birmingham Fire Station No. 2

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Birmingham Fire Station No. 2 in 2021

Birmingham Fire Station No. 2 (formerly the Southside Fire Station) is a fire station operated by the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and located on the southwest corner of 6th Avenue and 11th Street South. It serves the Southside/UAB area as well as responding to calls Downtown and Greensprings when necessary. The upper floor houses the offices of the Training and Safety Division.

History

The station was one of two created with the formation of the city's first professional fire department in 1885. It served the South Side from space provided in the City Market, a commercial block developed by saloon keeper George Raps on the northeast corner of 19th Street and Avenue D.

The company named their steam-driven pump wagon, the second in the city, "Nellie R. Raps", after his daughter. In return, Raps provided the company with newly-made blue cashmere uniforms. The station's crew, led by John Summers and George McLemore, constructed a hose wagon themselves in 1896.

The Nellie R. Raps was replaced by an 8,000-pound steam engine, the "Harry Jones", named for Alderman Harry Jones, in 1901.

The original Southside Fire Station in the City Market

Alf Brown was appointed captain of Engine Company No. 2 on September 1, 1906. He was assisted by engineer T. A. Cummins and nine others in the company. The five-man Truck Company No. 2 was commanded by J. M. Lovelace during the same period. Jim Teeter, driver of the Nellie Raps, was later promoted to Captain of Hose Company No. 6.

After switching to diesel-powered equipment, the City Market was demolished to make way for a new fire station building on the same site. That building was repaired and repainted by workers for the Civil Works Administration in the early 1930s. In 1960 the station's equipment list included one 1,000-gallon pumper truck, a 100-foot ladder truck, and a car for the South District chief. The company also held a 1938 model 750-gallon pumper in reserve.

The property was sold to the Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the 1980s. A new brick station building and training center was constructed near I-65 and the UAB campus in 1986.

Equipment

  • Engine 2 2000 Quality Custom Pumper "Blaze"
  • Truck 2 - 2016 Sutphen SPH100 Platform
  • Rescue 2
  • SCBA Specialist

Previous Units

  • Medium Rescue 2
  • Hazmat 2

References

  • Coman, Victoria L. (December 8, 1999) "Chickens make home at fire station." Birmingham News
  • Coman, Victoria L. (March 29, 2000) "Station's chickens fly coop." Birmingham News

External links