As most young boys do, I went through a stage where I wanted to be a firefighter. This was after circus clown but before I was to be an animator for Disney. I finally settled on becoming an architect, which I now am. While my interest in becoming a firefighter quickly waned, my adoration and respect has only grown for those who keep us safe from fires and so many other dangers.
On a recent afternoon in May, Amy Grau – who coordinates Historic Milwaukee Inc.'s Doors Open MKE event – and I were invited to have lunch with the firefighters at Engine Co. 2, on 7th and Wells. It was an opportunity that could not be turned down. Engine Co. 2 is not only one of the largest fire stations in the Milwaukee Fire Department, it also serves as the headquarters and main offices. After lunch, we got a full tour of the building from Deputy Chief Aaron Lipski. What better way to be shown around a firehouse than by a third generation fire chief!
Admittedly, from the outside, Engine Co. 2 isn’t the most spectacular firehouse in Milwaukee’s fleet. It was constructed in 1966, at a time when sleek continuous horizontal lines had long replaced the striking Italianate corner lookout towers of earlier stations, and where aluminum and concrete block had overtaken all brick ornamental detail. Give it another 20 years, and we may all grow to really appreciate the simplicity and honesty of this firehouse.
Architectural style aside, Engine 2 is one of the most well-regarded in the fleet. Along with Engine Co #1, it shares some of the toughest jurisdiction anywhere in the city – notably, all of Downtown. As such, it is also one of the busiest of all of the engine companies. In fact, as we sat down to lunch, we were very clearly warned that the meal was very likely going to be interrupted.
There are two things you should know about firefighters. First, they’re great cooks. Well, at least the one that cooked for us was, I don’t know about the rest of them. Besides their engines and ladder trucks and their major equipment, they seemed to take immense pride in their industrial Vulcan stove (it is really a marvel, actually).
Second, they have a great sense of humor. Before we visited, I had thought about googling "firefighter humor," but I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what happened every time we were introduced to a new member of the engine. I will spare you the details, but the level of playfulness is something that is really only bred among brothers who spend many of their waking hours together. It’s the kind of tight-knit brotherhood you want to be a part of.
The Milwaukee Fire Department has a history of really maintaining their buildings and equipment, and this is no exception. The building was spotless, and so was all of their equipment, including one fire engine, two ladder trucks, one backup paramedic vehicle, one hazardous material trailer and two emergency response trucks.
The building itself is three levels, plus a partial basement with a workout facility. The first level is a large open floor with their trucks and equipment. Second is living quarters and spaces for Engine Co. 2, and the third is offices for the entire department, including offices for Chief Mark Rohlfing and Deputy Chief Gerard Washington.
The third floor administration lobby also contains an exhibit of historical artifacts from past firehouses – including a fire box alarm, ticker tape machine and fire dispatch panel. The history of firefighting is fascinating and filled with inventions. The Milwaukee Fire Department Museum on Oklahoma is a great place to learn more about the evolution of fighting fire in the U.S.
One major misconception about firehouses is the practicality of the fire pole. In some cases, people believe they are still in firehouses due to some sort of nostalgia, as if they have been replaced by elevators or some form of teleportation. Chief Lipski is quick to point out that not only is he able to get down the pole in under 4 seconds, but that you are more likely to fall or roll an ankle while running down the stairs. This firehouse has so many fire poles that I lost count at four (I will let you count for yourself when you visit during Doors Open Milwaukee).
Shortly before we left, we got to see the truck go out on a run. The whole operation ran like clockwork. The alarm rang. Seconds later, firefighters were coming down the poles, jumping into their strategically placed boots and suits, climbing into the truck and they were off in less than half the time it takes for me to brush my teeth in the morning (120 seconds, according to the American Dental Association).
While I can’t tell you that you’ll get to sound their engine sirens or get to pet a Dalmatian puppy (my first two questions), I can tell you that you’ll meet some wonderful firemen and women, and get a tour of one of Milwaukee’s finest firehouses when you visit Engine Co. 2 during Doors Open Milwaukee.
Engine Co. 2 is located at 755 N. James Lovell St. and will be open both Saturday, Sept. 19 and Sunday, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. until 5p.m. The site will not be open when the firefighters are on call, and while the building will be open until 5 p.m. for the event, it may still be toured in general until 8 p.m.
For information on this site and more than 150 others, visit doorsopenmilwaukee.org.
Did you know that Historic Milwaukee's Doors Open Milwaukee needs 1,200 volunteers to run smoothly on event weekend? We need you! Read about the benefits of volunteering in next month’s blog, and volunteer today at our website.
