WPBFD History

ported the entire east wing hallway was ablaze. An interior attack was made in the hallway as the Snorkel set-up for an exterior master stream into windows where fire was now showing. Occu- pants in the fourth and fifth floor windows were threatening to jump even though firefighters told them that they were safe. The Snorkel finally had to suspend extinguishment efforts in order to remove people from the windows. This delayed control of the fire which was left up to the firefighters inside

B. Tuten, Acting Captain on Company 4, had leader lines taken to the roof where flames were show- ing. Company 1-B laid pump lines which were never charged as the ini- tial attack proved success- ful in containing the fire. The westward ex- pansion of West Palm Beach was now at full speed, particularly along Palm Beach Lakes Boule- vard, near Interstate 95. Construction of a fire sta- tion to cover this area could not be delayed much longer as the exist- ing stations were too far

Charles Warren (L) and Norman Perry (R) on pump line.

the building.

away and manpower inadequate. On September 16, 1968, the city traded land with Perini, the developer of the west- ward tracts, acquiring a ten acre site on Congress Avenue near the baseball stadium for #5 Fire Station and a city nursery. In only a few years the westward skyline would be filled with luxury high rise condominiums, malls, and large office buildings. 1969 In 1969 Palm Beach Junior College instituted the Fire Science Program which consisted of 24 semester hours of fire science courses and 38 hours of standard courses required to attain an associate degree. The fire department endorsed the curriculum by offering to pay firefighters for satisfactorily completed courses. Points were also awarded in the promotional process for those men who earned college credits. The city entered into an agreement with Schwab & Twitty, architects, for the design of #5 Station. The com- mission decided to appropriate capital improvement funds from general revenue to finance construction. On April 17, 1969, bids were opened for the project with Hedrick- Brown Construction Company, the low bidder at $163,641. On April 28 the commission awarded the con- tract to Hedrick-Brown. Shortly after 7:00 on the morning of May 3, 1969, as firefighters were eagerly awaiting their reliefs, the alarm sounded for smoke in the Ramada Inn On the Lake at 201 North Flagler Drive. First arriving units gave a Code 3 immediately asking for other units to respond. Large clouds of black smoke were pouring out the third floor windows. The first firefighters reaching the third floor re-

There were no casualties in this potentially deadly scenario. During the investigation the fire was found to have started in room 336 occupied by Kenneth Warren Cole of Knoxville, Tennessee, who fell asleep while smoking a cigarette. Awakening as the mattress burst into flames, Cole raced out of the room into the hallway leaving the door open. This allowed fire to extend into the hall and any other room with an opened door. The ensuing fire gutted the east wing hallway and two rooms causing smoke damage to the upper floors of the hotel. Ground breaking for the new #5 Station was held on May 8, 1969. Mayor Eugene Potter, City Manager Wil- liam H. Tyre, City Commissioners, and fire officials gath- ered for the ceremonies. West Palm Beach Firefighter's Local 727 President Captain Elmer L. Ballentine negotiated a substantial 25% raise for firefighters in July of 1969. He also managed to get a unanimous vote from the commissioners to give the firefighters pay parity with police. The bargaining proc- ess was rather informal during this period and no con- tracts were signed to protect benefits in the coming years. At 2:13 a.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 1969, a call was received by dispatch reporting fire on the third and fourth floors of the Viking Arms Apartments, 1600 South Olive Avenue. The building was under construction at the time, making rescue unnecessary. Firefighters quickly doused the flames, but there was extensive damage to both floors. The cause was determined to be from a plumber's torch. 1970 The late 1960's and early 1970's saw a drastic rise in

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