WPBFD History

deserve in the past by the City Administra- tion, they would not have to be repeated here. For years this City had been in need of an additional ladder com- pany and nothing was done about it. Now, with all of the high rise construction going on in the City we are two ladder companies be- hind, not just one. An additional ladder com- pany is a must if this City is to retain the favorable fire insurance rates it now enjoys. At one time there was serious considera- tion given to the re- location and construc- tion of a new Head-

man requested additional units before he reached the scene as thick black smoke billowed into the clear morning sky. Newman set up operations in front of the large supermarket, where smoke obliterated the entire street. The second arriving company laid pump lines to the rear of the building. Heat inside the store was intense. When an axe was used to open the rear metal overhead door, it was like cutting through hot but- ter. Plate glass windows in the storefront began to shat- ter out into the street, forc- ing the crowd of onlookers back. The fire was so ad- vanced it was a losing bat- tle from the beginning for the weary firefighters strug- gling with heavy hose lines

Joe Marte (L) and Ron Johnson on the pump line in the alley at Mays. Officer unidentified, possibly Lt. Royal B. Tuten.

in the summer heat. Three hours later the last embers in the gutted grocery were wet down. Returning to quarters, a cold breakfast was dumped into the garbage by the ex- hausted firemen who had lost their appetite while over- hauling burned produce in the stench of exploded beer cans. Charles Morgan, the store manager, had opened at 8:00 as usual. He noticed lights flickering and heard sev- eral small explosions. Rushing to the rear of the store, he found fire roaring in the storeroom. He tried to call the fire department, but the phone was dead. Several of the firefighters on the scene that day remembered the May family, who had helped city employees many years before by accepting scrip during the depression. The business, a total loss, was later rebuilt. Fire losses of $682,831 for the 1969-70 fiscal year nearly doubled that of the previous year. The department provided fire protection for an area of 41.75 square miles from five stations. Combat personnel worked a fifty-six hour work week under a three platoon system of twenty- four hour shifts. Chief Sloan exhibited frustration in his annual report's conclusive remarks:

quarters Station, even to the extent of obtaining a favorable vote on a bond issue by the elector- ate. It now seems these plans have been shelved 'til some dim and distant date. I strongly recom- mend this issue be revived and carried through to its completion. Another area that deserves attention and must be mentioned, is the rock and bottle throwing and general harassment that the men of the fire department are experiencing in fulfilling their responsibilities to the citizens. They have no protection except their backs which they must turn to the rabble-rousers as they extinguish the fire, while the other half of the Public Safety force [police], on the scene, receive a higher salary. In 1970 the Fire Prevention Bureau consisted of four personnel. The fire marshal and three inspectors completed more than 5,000 inspections during the year with 516 violations corrected. Major violations included blocked or locked exits, inoperable exit lights, and vari- ous electrical hazards. The bureau investigated 42 suspi- cious fires and 25 incendiary fires. Two arson arrests re- sulted in one conviction. The Maintenance Division consisted of a master mechanic on a 40 hour week and three assistant mechan- ics on shift. The shop, located at #4 Station, was respon- sible for maintaining 15 pieces of apparatus, 6 automo-

In conclusion, several observations of existing fire protection conditions and recommendations for their improvement must be made. Most of these observations and recommendations will be repetitious (sic) of those made in the past, but if these remarks had been given the priority they

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