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    Long Beach Fire Department
    Long Beach Fire Department
    Long Beach Fire Department
    Ebook171 pages28 minutes

    Long Beach Fire Department

    By Glen Goodrich and Long Beach Firefighters Museum

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    About this ebook

    The Long Beach Fire Department s adaptability has been tested by a wide variety of disasters that have marked it as a unique firefighting force on the West Coast. Thousands of residents and others have owed their very lives to the
    department since its 1897 formation. The LBFD moved into action during the devastating 1933 Long Beach earthquake, in which its own Fire House No. 1 was reduced to rubble. Its
    firefighters have quelled oilfield blazes through the 20th century, and its fireboats have poured water onto flames engulfing the docks and warehouses of the bustling port. Other duties have included such side excursions as working
    standby during Howard Hughes s 1947 flight of the Spruce Goose and taking care of Sam the cat, a Station 6 mainstay who slid down the fire pole to the delight of television audiences.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateAug 3, 2005
    ISBN9781439614402
    Long Beach Fire Department
    Author

    Glen Goodrich

    The vintage photographs in this collection, selected and arranged by the Long Beach Firefighters Museum, include more than 200 views of vehicles and other equipment, chiefs and parades, and steadfast members of the LBFD braving the hazards of their dangerous calling.

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      Book preview

      Long Beach Fire Department - Glen Goodrich

      happened.

      INTRODUCTION

      The City of Long Beach, formerly known as Willmore City, first tried to organize a volunteer fire department on March 16, 1897, when a group of citizens saw the need after an increase in property fire loss. Twenty eight charter members signed up, with Brewster C. Kenyon as captain, John McPherson as first lieutenant, and William Craig as second lieutenant. The board of trustees appropriated the funds to purchase a hand-drawn ladder truck with equipment like leather buckets and axes. The ladder truck was housed in a building in an alley between Ocean Avenue and First Street. Several fund-raisers were held to purchase equipment like helmets, shirts, and belts for the members. In the spring of 1898, Brewster Kenyon resigned to accept a commission in the U. S. Army for the Spanish-American War. This led to the resignation of several other members and thus the breakup of the volunteer fire department.

      The board of trustees met again May 27, 1902, and this time decided to form a more permanent fire department. J. F. Corbet was selected chief and H. D. Wilson selected as assistant chief, but due to business commitments both had to resign. Another reorganization took place and J. E. Shrewsbury was selected chief and N. C. Lollich selected as assistant chief. G. C. Craw was named foreman of Hose Company No. 1 with J. Robertson as his assistant. J. H. Morgan was named foreman of Hose Company No. 2 with E. J. Fisher as his assistant. E. O. Dorsett was the foreman of the hook and ladder with G. Gaylord as his assistant. All of the equipment was hand-drawn at this time.

      The Long Beach Pavilion was destroyed in a fire on January 6, 1905, resulting in $15,000 in fire damage and three firemen were injured. Soon after this fire, a $30,000 bond was passed to build a permanent central fire station near Third Street and Pacific Avenue. Part of the bond was used to purchase a horse-drawn steam pumper, a hose wagon, a hook and ladder, seven horses, and alarm boxes. Chief Shrewsbury and Assistant Chief Craw moved into the new fire station in 1906 at 210 West Third Street, and the first alarm received by the newly installed alarm system was box no. 23 at the corner of Third Street and Olive Avenue.

      Frank Craig loaned an automobile to the department to try out in 1907. With the test a complete success, the fire department purchased two Rambler chassis. Assistant Chief Craw oversaw the installation of a 35-gallon chemical tank with 200 feet of chemical hose and an additional 300 feet of cotton hose for each Rambler. Records indicate that the Long Beach Fire Department had the distinction of having the first motorized fire apparatus on the Pacific coast, beating Los Angeles by three months.

      The transition to motorized equipment began in 1907 with the purchase of the two Ramblers. In 1910, the department bought a Mitchell Chemical Truck and in 1911, a Robinson pumper. By the end of 1913, the Long Beach Fire Department would be completely motorized with the purchase of a Seagrave Hose Wagon to pull the Metropolitan Steamer, a motorized hose wagon, and the largest pumper of its time—a Gorham 1,100 g.p.m. pumper.

      The department had three teams of horses—Major and Colonel pulled

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