WPBFD History

The 1928-29 fiscal year records indicate that the fire department responded to the usual number of fires, but these were quickly brought under control. The number of non-fire incidents were increasing: November 1, 1928 - "Shorty" Keen, a lineman for Florida Power & Light had been electro- cuted at work on a high voltage line at South Poinsettia and Lakeview Street. The H-H Inha- lator was used unsuccessfully. December 8, 1928 - E. K. Kerrell had been as- phyxiated while working on a gas main. Artifi- cial respiration was given by another gas com- pany employee until the arrival of this depart- ment with the Inhalator. Used Schaeffer method of resusitation along with the Inhalator for approximately twenty minutes and patient was revived. December 17, 1928 - Called to Seaspray Ave. and Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach after Harry D. Pierce, Belvedere, Illinois had been caught in the undertow while in swimming and drowned. Body was brought from the water by Sam Bar- rows after having drifted 200 yards from shore. Lungmotor was used for approximately one hour and fifteen minutes when he was pro- nounced dead by his family physician, Dr. F. S. Whitman. 1929 The record continued: January 20, 1929 - Called to the Chester Apart- ments at the corner of North Olive Avenue and 5th Street. Ender Ray, occupant of apartment No. 14, had been overcome by carbon monox- ide gas while bathing. It was evident that the gas heater had been burning for some time and as the bathroom was poorly vented and closed tightly there was no way to procure a circulation of air necessary to remove this gas. Carbon monoxide poisoning was pronounced by the attending physicians, Dr. Carlisle and Dr. Gunter. Used the Inhalator about five minutes and patient was revived. March 2, 1929 - Called to the West end of Singer bridge. Louisiana Boone had fallen off the bridge while fishing and George Boone, her husband had attempted to save her. Neither could swim and both were drowned. Louisiana Boone's body was recovered and we were called about an hour after she had fallen in. In spite of the delay in getting this call, the Schaeffer

garded as temporary structures and will be sub- ject to removal in all cases where the same do not comply with the building code of the city. Miraculously there were no deaths in West Palm Beach, but the loss of life was devastating in the Lake Okeechobee region. An estimated two thousand people died in the western fringes of Palm Beach County. Many of the unidentifiable bodies were brought to West Palm Beach for mass burial in the Woodlawn Cemetery. The dead were laid to rest in a large common grave, two bod- ies to a pine box, along the F.E.C. Railroad tracks. When there were no more coffins, piles of bodies were doused with gasoline and burned to prevent the spread of disease. Skeletons were found in the countryside for years after the storm. The high death toll was a result of flooding caused by the heavy rains that accompanied the hurricane. From 8:00 a.m. Saturday until 3:00 p.m. Monday, more than 9.9 inches of rain drenched West Palm Beach. Shortly after nightfall the dikes at Belle Glade broke releasing a six- foot wall of water that inundated the town and quickly spread to cover an area of more than 25 miles. Governor John W. Martin personally inspected the ravaged farming community. The killer hurricane of 1928, Florida's worst disas- ter, was the second worst storm in United States history in terms of deaths. Only the 1900 Galveston hurricane killed more (6,000). Storms such as this had been aptly termed huracan by the Indians, meaning "evil spirit." The damage to West Palm Beach was devastating, but the wreckage was cleared and the citizens diligently set about to rebuild. Sadler's annual report was better than the previous year. Total fire losses were only $116,141.17, about one- third that of 1926-27. There were no fire deaths, but a boat fire severely burned J. P. Kearns on July 3, 1928. The worst fire of the year was at 20th and Division where twelve buildings burned with a total loss of $26,391. Seventeen fires were incendiary in nature and two arrests were made. One emergency involved an "aeroplane wreck." Three interesting causes of fire were listed; "rats - 1, salamander - 1, and fire built in freight car by tramp - 1." The major cause of fire continued to be cigars and cigarettes with 59 for the year. In his recommendations, Sadler again requested a new central station and alarm system. Fire department personnel remained at thirty- five. The South-Eastern Underwriters Association visited West Palm Beach again in 1928. Sadler most likely had requested a reevaluation after failing to obtain a “First Class” rating in 1925. The report dated December 19, 1928, contained the identical recommendations of the 1925 report.

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