Anybody know anything about NYFD fire records?

I learned from a 1910 census that my husband's great uncle John Francis Reilly (Mar 21, 1880 New York)  was a fire fighter for the New York Fire Department so I wrote to Human Resources to see if they had any records on him.  Well I got a letter back and they sent a copy of his record card they had on file.  This is it.

I know the what the basic stuff means but their are some things on here I do not.  I don't know what the 4th, 3rd, 2nd grade etc means.  I also don't know under transfers if the E. stands for engine.  Anybody who runs across this and knows what it means please let me know. 

The lady from Human Resources also sent me a couple of other numbers of places to try to find information on John F. 

United Retired Firefighter's Association  (718) 761-2299
George Mand Library  (212) 360-4413
NYC  Fire Museum curator@nycfiremuseum.org