WPBFD History

benefit in 1943. The men of the department were awarded two weeks vacation with pay. 1944 On Monday night, September 19, 1944, firemen fought a blaze at the Armour & Com- pany plant. When units arrived at about 1:00 a.m., flames were visible in the northwest corner of the building. Four hose streams brought the stubborn fire under control by 4:00 a.m. The fire caused considerable damage to the building and its contents of meat, eggs, lard, and other products. The fire was started by burglars who had

fire was controlled by 6:00 p.m. Little time was wasted before Local 727 made its voice heard at city hall. Sala- ries and benefits had remained low since the depression years and many thought it was time for improvement. A letter was sent to the mayor and commis- sion in the summer of 1943 that stated: So it becomes necessary for us to request a $25.00 Per Month minimum in- crease in salary. Also a 2 week's vacation with pay to start at once. If this request is not complied

Ray Larrabee with Atomic Nozzle and cigar—1943.

with by October 1, 1943, we as a body, feel that we owe it to ourselves and family to seek em- ployment elsewhere. The men were tired of working every other day. "If you wanted a vacation for two weeks, you worked two weeks straight without getting off, and then you were off two weeks," recalled W. A. Pagan. This early effort of Local 727 to improve the work- ing conditions of firemen resulted in the first vacation

entered the building and attempted to crack the safe. They failed to get the door of the safe off, even after re- moving the hinges and battering the combination lock. 1945 After four years of war, the nation waited in antici- pation for word of Hitler's defeat. The fire department journal of April 28, 1945, carried the following entry: "8:07 p.m. Rumor of war being over in Europe, men off

Auxiliary firemen filling-in during World War II.

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