Looking out at the street from the firehouse kitchen at FDNY Ladder Company 8, you’d think the crowd below—cameras out and necks craned—was there to spot a celebrity. Down at the garage, firefighter Eric Martin, 37, is on house watch and jumps up at the banging on the red side door.
It’s not the paparazzi clamoring for their shot. Ladder Company 8 of Tribeca has gained international recognition for representing the heroes of the FDNY during the City’s darkest times, as well as for its place in Ghostbusters fandom as the HQ for the ghostbusting team in the original 1984 film. For the past 40 years, fans have been making the trek to North Moore Street, snapping photos of the building and the company’s logo painted on the sidewalk—a cute (sorry, spooky!) amalgamation of firefighting symbols and the Ghostbusters logo itself.
But the real story of Ladder Company 8 is enmeshed in the history of New York City, situated in one of the oldest parts of Manhattan. As the City began to expand after its days as a Dutch settlement, fires were handled by the entire community, including women, children and the enslaved population. Eventually, the various bucket brigades were consolidated into the Metropolitan Fire Department in 1865, which included Ladder 8 (known then as Hook and Ladder 8). From their early horse-drawn rigs to ladders that climb today’s high-rises, the spirit of protecting the community lives on.
Vincent “Vinny” Amato
The FDNY invited NYC Tourism for an exclusive look into this functioning firehouse in the heart of Manhattan, where we watched the team go about their daily tasks in between being called out for emergencies. The alarm bell rang three times during our time there; the firefighters move so quickly that they were down the stairs, suited up and on the rig by the time we realized what had happened. Between responding to calls and speaking to Ghostbusters fans outside, the firefighters cleaned the firehouse, checked the rig’s equipment and cooked a communal lunch.
Read on for the lore behind this famous slice of NYC history and culture, as told to us by the members of Ladder Company 8.
Yes, it’s a working firehouse!
You’d be surprised at the number of visitors who are shocked to realize the firehouse is not a museum or a Ghostbusters set, even with the firefighters in full gear doing their daily tasks. “About 20 people a day ask me if it’s a firehouse as I’m standing there in my uniform with a 35-ton rig behind us, in our boots and jackets,” laughs firefighter Nicholas “Nick” Vitucci, 42, of Brooklyn. The amount of love and attention the firehouse gets shocks even the Ladder 8’s resident lieutenant.
Lieutenant Leonard TK
“It’s not like any other place I’ve worked,” says Lt. Leonard “Lenny” Kinnear of Staten Island, who has been a firefighter for 20 years. “I’ve worked in every borough. No other firehouse has as much civilian interaction.”
Hundreds of fans a day (plus a few Ecto-1s that like to park out front) make the pilgrimage to the site
Back in the early days of Ghostbusters notoriety, most visitors to the station were making a stop on a movie locations’ bus tour. With the 40th anniversary of the Ghostbusters franchise coming up, and on the eve of a forthcoming new film, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the foot traffic around the firehouse has ticked up. While some fans take photos of the building or chat with the firefighters when the garage door is open, others knock on the side door in the hopes of getting a glimpse inside, where patches from Ghostbusters fan franchises all over the world decorate the ground floor. The whole place is an “I spy” game of memorabilia and nods to the films, including a Lego model of Ladder 8, a bag of Stay-Puft marshmallows and an Ecto-1 license plate.
But all are advised to remember that Ladder Company 8’s priorities lie with keeping New York City safe, first and foremost.
“I have two kids, and as a parent, I’ve taken them places and watched them light up and get excited. So I look at it like we’re making somebody’s day by letting them in or letting them take pictures or ask questions,” says Mike Wolters, 43, who has been with Ladder 8 for about 21 years and also teaches at the FDNY academy.
Mike Wolters
“I signed up to help people, and I’m making that person’s day better by giving them a couple of seconds to take a picture. But at the same time, we're here to be firefighters and that’s the number one priority. So if we're doing something, they also need to understand that sometimes it’s not a good time.”
The firefighters of Ladder 8 contribute to the fandom
While protecting the community is their number one priority, the newer generation of firefighters have embraced the fandom, which has led to community engagement and fundraisers to help various initiatives.
Vitucci, a history buff and Ghostbusters fan, has been with the company for 10 years and runs its unofficial Ghostbuster-related Instagram account, documenting run-ins with fans, memorabilia from Ghostbusters fan clubs around the world and efforts to keep the lore of the movies alive. He and some of the crew have added to the display at the ground floor of the firehouse, decorated with patches from all over the world that bear representative symbols like a hibiscus for Hawaii or the fleur-de-lis for Louisiana.
“I am kind of the one who took the reins with this thing,” Vitucci says. “When we got here, the older guys didn’t want anything to do with Ghostbusters. They were over it. I grew up with the [television] show and the movies and everything. So I asked, are we doing anything with Ghostbusters? And I was like, well, I want to start.”
Ladder 8 celebrates Ghostbusters Day
The Buffalo Ghostbusters fan club stands out for its passion and activism on behalf of their community and, by extension, Ladder 8. Chapter members often dress in full ghostbusting gear, volunteering in their community, raising money for charitable organizations and collaborating with Ladder 8 to help the firehouse and community in Tribeca as well.
A few years ago, the original Ghostbusters sign atop the firehouse had a bit of an accident due to some strong winds, damaging its finger. The Buffalo Chapter started a Go Fund Me to help fix the sign, but after raising more than the requested amount they commissioned a brand-new one—celebrating with the company on the Saturday closest to June 8, the official Ghostbusters Day.
“The GoFundMe became so big, they paid for that sign outside and said, ‘Why don’t we celebrate on Ghostbusters Day?’” says Vitucci. “The first one was four years ago, and it’s been growing ever since. Last year it was well over a thousand people. We shut the whole street down. We have the Ectos come, and people from all over the world visit.” This year, Ghostbusters Day falls right on Saturday, June 8—another reason to celebrate for the franchise’s 40th anniversary.
The Company used to be known as “Hook and Ladder 8”
“Ladder” and “Hook and Ladder” denote the rig’s function as a fire truck instead of a fire engine. The “hook” part is an older piece of equipment from the early days of firefighting—a hook attached to a long pole that would help tear down walls. While the methods and equipment have come a long way since, there is still a difference between a Ladder Company and an Engine Company. Ladder 8’s rig is not designed to carry water, but instead special rescue equipment like the elevating ladder. Fire engines contain water and can pump from a hydrant.
The firehouse used to be a double-company fire station, with two garages
When the volunteer corps were absorbed into what would become the FDNY, Ladder 8 relocated from 153 Franklin Street to 14 North Moore Street, and a double company was built in 1903. Around 1914, the City wanted to move the company in order to widen Varick Street, but the Fire Commissioner decided the firehouse would be halved instead. This makes Ladder 8 one of the rare single-ladder companies in the City.
Vinny TK
“I liked the idea of it being a single-ladder house,” says Staten Islander Vincent “Vinny” Amato, 32. Amato transferred over to the FDNY after five years with the NYPD and has been with Ladder 8 for the past six months as one of their “probies” (probationary firefighter). “It's a very close group of guys. I feel like we have a lot of camaraderie here; it’s a true brotherhood.”
The variety of buildings in the neighborhood that Ladder 8 serves makes for some interesting experiences
While Tribeca is not the busiest area for fires, it does make for some varied “tours” (a fire department term for one’s shift). “I think we cover a lot of things in Manhattan down here that other places don't see,” says Wolters. “You could work in Queens and not have a high-rise building anywhere in your response area. You could not have a subway system in the response area. Every area has its uniqueness, but I could honestly say there are a lot of oddball things here. You never know what type of construction is getting done in buildings—you might end up in an apartment with a pool in the middle.”
Nick Vitucci
The makeup of the neighborhood, a mix of properties that are hundreds of years old juxtaposed against glossy new apartment buildings, also serves to keep things interesting.
“I really like Lower Manhattan because of the diversity of the buildings,” says Vitucci. “You could have a 200-year-old building next to an 80-story one that was built last month. And they all have different responsibilities and different protocols. It keeps you on your toes.”
Ladder Company 8 was one of the first companies to respond during 9/11
On the morning of September 11, 2001, Ladder 8 was one of the first companies to arrive on the scene at the World Trade Center, as it was one of the closest companies to the site. Lt. Vincent Halloran, who is memorialized in a plaque at the entrance of the firehouse, was one of the 343 members of the FDNY who lost their lives in the line of duty during‚ or as a subsequent result, of the September 11 attacks on Lower Manhattan.
The firehouse was saved by the community, with help from a few public figures
With the threats of cuts looming after the 2008 financial crisis, a few firehouses were slated to be shut down by the City. This was an affront to neighborhood citizens, as Ladder 8 had been an integral part of Tribeca before its gentrification, when it was mostly warehouses and wholesalers. The community rallied around the firehouse with the help of advocates like Steve Buscemi and Bill de Blasio in 2011. Ladder 8 was not only saved, but received a $6 million renovation shortly after, which included a women’s locker room.
Serving the community is their biggest win
When we asked the firefighters about a moment they’re most proud of during their tenure, we assumed it would be a tale of rescue or victory over some conflagration. But consistently across each interview, each firefighter said something very similar. To them, it’s all about showing up for their community and each other—day in and day out.
“I've spent 21 years here helping the people of this community. I don’t have any rescues under my belt. I don’t have this crazy story to say. But we've helped people, whether it be a water leak in their apartment or a fire. Seeing the gratefulness after we alleviate some type of problem that they've had, it’s fulfilling.” —Mike Wolters, 43, Queens and Long Island
“Being there for people on their worst day, just being in service here to here in New York City is great. That’s all I ever wanted to do.” —Nick Vitucci, 42, Brooklyn
Eric
“Everybody here has grown to be great friends over time. So anytime we do anything together has been excellent.” —Eric Martin, 37 Staten Island
“Just overall, the brotherhood of the house and everything; they treat me so well here. They were very welcoming when I got here; I was super nervous!” —Vinny Amato, 32, Staten Island
Angelo Silecchio
“It's always not really anything crazy. It’s just helping people, directing people when they’re having the worst day of their life. You’re in a strange building you've never been in before. You can’t really see. Three minutes earlier I [might be] sitting at the table talking to him [pointing at Nick Vitucci] and now you’re in a thousand-degree room. You can’t see and you’re trying to potentially help someone.” —Angelo Silecchio, 40, Brooklyn and Staten Island
“Every house in a city has one responsibility: respond as fast as we can to somebody who’s in danger and needs our help. We do that to the best of our ability, and when we get there, we do the best every time, and we lean on our training. Most importantly, we trust each other. We're going to lean on each other. It’s a team effort just to do the one job.” — Lt. Lenny Kinnear, 46, Staten Island
