WPBFD History

ground operations.

of interests to the state and national levels. During the mid 1980s the local began attending the Professional Fire- fighters of Florida state meetings and the International Association of Firefighters national conventions. In 1985 alone, some $4,000 was spent for these trips. Some mem- bers thought this was a waste of funds and openly criti- cized union officials for the direction they were leading the organization. The recent conflict with the auxiliary contributed to the division. On August 5, 1985, the department implemented a new smoking policy. Several concerned firefighters had asked the chief to provide them protection from the sec- ond hand smoke of others. The new policy banned smok- ing in fire stations except in private offices. By 1990 smoking would be totally banned in the stations. Wendy McCown, the first female firefighter on the

A serious health question was made public by the West Palm Beach Firefighters Local 727 in January. There had been concern for years that the ceilings in some of the fire stations contained asbestos that might cause cancer after long term exposure. Feeling that the city have given him the run-around, Local 727 President Harry Dahl went to The Palm Beach Post with the story on January 26. "I had hoped that the asbestos matter could be resolved quietly through appropriate channels, without newspaper stories and controversy," he said. "I want to avoid scaring people, but there is reason for concern." Tests performed by the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services confirmed that asbes- tos was present in the ceiling of #4 Fire Station. The city had painted over the ceiling several years before in an attempt to "encapsulate" the fibers, but Dahl

West Palm Beach Fire Department, was hired on September 30, 1985. She was assigned to the EMS Division as a paramedic in November of that year and later became a fire inspector in the Fire Prevention Division. During 1985 City Manager Richard Stein- brenner proposed bring- ing the entire city into the twentieth century by computerization. Quite a few firefighters who had personal com-

thought removal of the potentially harmful ma- terials was a safer rem- edy. Concerned fire- fighters flooded Chief Bell with injury forms to document their exposure to the asbestos. He re- acted angrily by throw-

ing the forms into his waste basket. The ad- verse publicity finally got action from the city and Station 4 was va- cated while the ceiling was removed. Fire Chief Lamar Bell retired on March 1, 1986. Bell, age 54, had twenty-five years of service with the department. Deputy Chief Russell Reese was named In- terim Chief until city officials selected Bell's replacement. The wait would be a long one, as City Manager Richard Steinbrenner seemed to take delight in keeping everyone guessing. More than a hundred applications from across the nation were received and the top five candidates went through an intensive two day screening process. Finally, in the summer of 1986, Steinbrenner announced, to the surprise of many, that Reese would be the next fire chief. Russell M. Reese had been head of the Fire Preven- tion Bureau since Kitzinger's retirement in 1972 and had served as deputy chief under Bell for only a short time before moving into the chief's office. Firefighters saw Reese as a powerful figure with political connections throughout the city and even the state. Again there was concern with Reese being the second chief in a row that had not come from the combat division. Reese gave the firefighters plenty to joke about. He

Fire Station 6 on Cumberland Drive.

puters at home were eager to see them at the fire depart- ment. Chief Bell was not particularly thrilled with the coming change. "Computers are just a passing fad," the chief proclaimed. Station 6, the first new station in fifteen years, was opened on Cumberland Drive. Plans were to house both an engine and a medic unit at this western-most station, but with only four medic units in service, the location proved too remote for adequate response times into other areas. A rescue unit was stationed there for the opening ceremonies and then quietly relocated to #5 Station. The pumper company would answer medical alarms in the new running card. 1986 The Training Division purchased the first video camera for the department in early 1986. One of its first uses was the taping of hose evolutions. Training officers also began responding to fire scenes to document fire

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