WPBFD History

would block the signals. "Not to worry," Frank replied, "I didn't get my nickname Shit Schemer for nothing." As kickoff time neared, the men suddenly heard the Snorkel pulling around to the north side of the station. Jenness parked the truck, set the jacks, and headed up in the bas- ket with the antenna. After making some connections at the roof, he lowered the basket, got out, and then sent the makeshift television tower up to eighty-five feet. The men at Central Station watched the big game that Sunday. On Sunday, May 7, 1972, several civilians had a brush with death when fire broke out in the old Datura Hotel, 424 Datura Street. A landmark in its time, the ag- ing building had been a temporary refuge for transients in more recent years. At 5:40 a.m. the alarm was received at headquarters station, only three blocks away. On arrival the first consideration was rescue as all occupants had not yet evacuated. Firefighters pulled two victims from the smoky interior, one with burns and another that had been overcome by smoke. Efforts to extinguish the fire were completed in thirty minutes. The cause was listed as sus- picious. In the early 1970s the men of the department began to speak out. The firefighter's union was becoming more active and the days of just being thankful to have a job were long past. One of the main gripes concerned the living conditions at the three oldest stations; #1 Station built in 1948, #2 Station built in 1937, and #3 Station built in 1936. Headquarters, which Chief Sadler had left to the architect to design, was by far the most serious. It had been too small from the beginning and efforts to ex- pand, by adding more offices, had made conditions even worse. The Palm Beach Post Times published an article in the August 3, 1972, edition that said, "It's not a place that many would want to call home." Chief Sloan seemed oblivious to the problem, say- ing, "the stations are constantly being upgraded." Hun- kering down, he went on to add, "The firefighters have not complained to me about their quarters." Then why was the local newspaper reporter there to do a story? In truth, the station was literally a slum, and it would be a long time before new quarters were available. The fire department suffered another tragic loss on Monday, August 21, 1972. Two off-duty firemen were drilling a water well in Tequesta when the truck boom accidentally came into contact with overhead power lines. John H. Johns, age 36, and Richard DeBerardino, age 26, were both killed instantly. Johns, a Driver/Engineer, had been with the department for nine years. DeBerardino has just completed his one year probation. The retirement of the first fire marshal took effect on September 1, 1972. W. A. Kitzinger had served on the department for twenty-two years. The Civil Service Board changed the job classification from fire marshal to chief fire prevention officer and Russell M. Reese was

broken thumb. A third firefighter, Charles A. Clyne, was overcome by smoke and toxic fumes due to the old re- breather mask he was wearing. Terry and Clyne were both admitted to the hospital for treatment. The R.E.A. building was a total loss. Chief Sloan had the old re- breathers taken off the trucks for good the next day. West Palm Beach firefighters had their first opportu- nity to sign a contract with the city in 1971. City Attor- ney James Vance made the final offer in a meeting held on September 24. It called for a 10% salary increase and no change in the 56 hour work week. Local 727 President Elmer Ballentine, seeking a 15% increase and a 52 hour week, rejected the offer. Ballentine, who termed the city's offer a "farce," threatened to file suit in Circuit Court to ask for the higher salary and shorter hours. He said that the city had not bargained in good faith because they had stuck with their original offer throughout the two months of bargaining. The firefighters were represented by attor- ney Fred Hollingsworth during the negotiations. One sore point with the 10% offer was that fire- fighters would remain behind police in pay. The parity between the two departments that had been granted by the commission in 1969 had been lost when police received 5% more in 1970. The Fire Prevention Bureau improved its conviction record in 1971. Nineteen incendiary fires were investi- gated, three arsonists were arrested and two were con- victed. The old drill field on Parker Avenue was no longer large enough to perform evolutions. The extension and widening of Parker Avenue northward to Okeechobee Boulevard had taken part of the lot. The city budgeted $50,700 in the 1971-72 fiscal year for the development of a new facility. Henry Skipper, age 50, and John Wesley Jackson, age 35, lost their lives in a fire on November 13, 1971. The 4:17 a.m. blaze broke out in their house located at 1904 Spruce Avenue. Lieutenant Harold J. Williams was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital complaining of tight- ness in his chest and an injured left ankle. 1972 The fall pro-football games were always a big draw at the fire house. One Sunday the Miami Dolphins were playing in a big home game that was blacked-out in West Palm Beach. However, the Ft. Pierce station, some sixty miles to the north, was broadcasting the game. Frank Jen- ness, a fireman at the downtown station who installed television antennas in his off duty time, came prepared when he reported for duty that day. He unpacked a brand new long range antenna and carefully put it together. Other firemen tried to tell him that the antenna wouldn't work because the four story courthouse across the street

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