The John F. Steadman Fire Station
"We Like It Here"
The John F. Steadman Fire Station officially opened its doors on September 11, 1973 and downtown Baltimore hasn't been the same since. With Engines 15,23,27 Truck Company 2 Water Tower 1 (Snorkel), Rescue 1, Battalion Chief 5 Ambulance 1 and Flood Light 1 all responding from one house a lot of firefighting power could be brought to bare very quickly. The station which is currently located at the corner of West Lombard Street and South Eutaw Street, is most easily identifiable by the presence of the historic Bromo Seltzer Tower.
Named after the beloved Deputy Chief John F. Steadman a "Fireman's Fireman" who was a 27 year veteran when he suddenly dropped dead while giving a report to the fire board on March 7, 1940.
The reasoning for building The Superhouse was all of the fire houses in the downtown area were old and costing to much money to maintain. The house of Engine 15 opened in 1891 and was the first fully paid company in the Department; It also served as the Department Horse Hospital. The Steadman Station sits on some of the same land. Engine 23 house was new in 1904. It is still there on the NW corner of Saratoga and Tyson where it serves as an art studio. Engine 27 house opened in 1906 around where Oriole Park at Camden Yards currently sits. The house which held Truck Company 2 and Water Tower 1 which was built in 1859 (renovated in 1909), was at Paca and Fayette Streets. The house is now used as a homeless shelter. Rescue 1 and the Flood Light came from their house at Paca and Mulberry Street which is now used as an advertising studio. Rescue 1 and Flood Light 1 moved in on August 13 because their new Mack rig wouldn't fit in to the old house.
Over the years the firefighters from the Superhouse have made their mark on downtown. Much of the land that is today's beautiful high-rise buildings were once ugly warehouses and piers that were eyesores. Over the years (mostly in the late 70's and early 80's) most of them mysteriously caught fire and burned down. Many a firefighter watched the sun rise over a burned out smoking warehouse around the Inner Harbor.
On May 20, 1974 Engine 27 was relocated to temporary quarters at Engine Company 3 until the addition to Truck house 26 was completed. On the same day Engine Company 59 moved in to Steadman Station from its house on Gay Street to act as satellite to Water Tower 1. This is when the Baltimore City Fire Department was at its peak.
Just because these company's were stationed in downtown didn't mean they didn't get around town. Rescue 1, Water Tower 1, Engine 59, and later Airflex 1 would respond to all second alarms in the city.
In 1977 the cuts started and Engine 59 was the first to go. The High Pressure Pumping Station was next. Then came Engine 15 the first fully paid company in the long history of the Baltimore City Fire Department was disbanded. Water Tower 1 was closed and its rig given to Truck Company 2 after it was rebuilt from falling over on a Boston Street additional alarm. Engine Company 38 was "moved" into the Steadman Station and survived for about ten years until they too were cut. In 1989 Truck Company 2 along with Engine Company 28 from Mt. Royal Avenue were disbanded and became Aerial Tower 102 with a new Stuphen 100 foot Aerial Tower. This was done for manpower reasons. Engine 28 and Truck 2 needed 8 men to run. Aerial Tower 102 only need 6 men, and could do engine and truck operations which was soon cut to 5 men and then 4 men. On December 12, 2001 the 5th Battalion Chief was moved to the quarters of the 7th Battalion Chief who was closed on the recommendation of a group of business men. Medic 22 also was formed and moved in to the Steadman House. On January 2, 2002 Truck Company 2 was reinstated. Aerial Tower 102 was disbanded and its worn out rig was given to Engine 124.
All of the men and now woman who call the Steadman Station (once known as the Superhouse) home, have a special bond with their other Steadman Brothers and Sisters. These members who work in the summer months with little or no air conditioning and the winter months with very little or no heat have a special bond. Tom Bayne WT-1 once said, "Men are assigned to other houses, they are committed here". Once you do some time at the Steadman Station you either can't wait to get your transfer out, or you can't wait to go to work. This is not a place for the timid, weak or the thin skinned. In a short time you'll know if you belong. You see as in any firehouse, the heart of the house is its kitchen, and this kitchen is the toughest room in the fire department. If you can make it here you can make it any where. Meal time in the Steadman kitchen is Animal House meets The Simpson's. You learn to eat fast (because you might get a run and not get seconds), and keep your head down because you might get hit with a wet sponge or a dinner roll or even a flying salt shaker. The light dinner conversation can range from anything from yesterdays fire, to the mangled body that the Rescue pulled from a grinder to the detailed explanation of ones colon operation. Meals are taken at the kitchen table which can hold everyone working on the shift (now down to17 members). It has a clear Plexiglas top which can be lifted up and cartoons, pictures and what ever placed under for all to see. There are pictures of retired members, shift parties, pictures of incidents the house has been on, newspaper articles about the department and photos of members which have been altered for everyones enjoyment.
In the lobby is the official memorial to the members of the Steadman Station who have made the Supreme Sacrifice. The first was Emergency Vehicle Driver Joe Bayne. Joe Bayne was the Aide to the 5th Battalion Chief and was killed May 10,1977 at box 10-34 USFG building, the tallest high-rise in the city. Next was Battalion Chief 5 Mr. Ralph R. Newell. Who suffered a massive heart attack while sitting at his desk doing the morning reports. January 27 1991 was Super Bowl Sunday when the company's of the Steadman Station rolled out the door for a report of a dwelling fire in the 800 Block West Lombard Street. The only thing was the Department had just cut the manning on all Engine Company's to 3 men to save money. A small trash fire was found and extinguished by Lieutenant John "Pudge" Plummer Engine 23 who drug a hose line to the second floor. John then came out sat on the bumper of Engine 23 and dropped to the street. Members performed CPR as soon as he hit the street but to no avail. The 4th member of the house to make Supreme Sacrifice was Firefighter Eric D. Schaffer Rescue 1 Who was killed when a wall collapsed at the Clipper Mill Industrial Park Fire, September 1995. Seventeen members were also injured some were never able to return to regular duty and were pensioned... Eric had been married just three months before. And there was "The Captain" Captain John Melvin Kelly of Aerial Tower 102. "The Captain" was a throw back to an era when the Baltimore City Fire Department was one of the premier fire departments in the country. He always wanted his company to be the tip of the spear. He would say "Babe if your in were the fire is hot... ain't no chief gonna bother you." In his 46 years of firefighting he saw just about everything. He would tell you "I made that parking lot." or "That one was a long cold night." Captain Kelly was Acting Battalion Chief 5 on January 27, 2000, a very heavy snow had fallen in the overnight hours. A report of a dwelling fire sent "The Captain" to Fulton Avenue on the second alarm. Captain Kelly walked around the building many times in the deep snow. When he returned to Steadman Station he looked very bad (worse than normal) he told the men "I'm going to get in my chair and rest up because tonight were going to South Baltimore Babe." After a night out with his men "The Captain" went home. Captain Kelly was found the next evening dead in his chair at home. Captain Kelly is not listed as a Line of Duty Death but many feel the fire that morning helped cause of his death.
