STEPHANIE GASKELL
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Engine 10, Ladder 10 _ the firehouse closest to the World Trade Center _ was outfitted with a loaner truck Tuesday to replace the one destroyed Sept. 11, enabling members to once again respond together as ``10-and-10.''

On Sept. 11, the unit lost four men, its trucks and its building. For the past five months, the 50 or so members have been reassigned to other Manhattan firehouses.

But on Tuesday, 10-and-10 was back in business.

``It feels good,'' said Capt. Paul Mallery. ``We'll know for sure when we go out and fight our first fire.''

Their battered firehouse is still being used as a command center for the cleanup effort, and the truck is only on loan until a new one arrives in spring, but members of 10-and-10 said that doesn't matter.

``It'll be good for us to get back up and running together again,'' said Tony Konczynksi, who has been with Engine 10 for 30 years.

The firefighters said they have felt adrift without a firehouse of their own.

``We're orphans,'' said John Morabito, who has been with Ladder 10 for more than seven years. ``But we've come to work every day, regardless of what the task would be, regardless of what we were going through.''

``When you put us in with someone else, it's not the same,'' said Danny Peritore, a 20-year Engine 10 member. ``It's not yours. It's not home.''