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Krtwkk FIREMEN FOR YEARS ighting a family affair with 3 Gibson generations ByJANETABNETT NEWMARKET When John Gibson was a he ran to the attic every time he heard the lire whistle blow He didnt go there to hid but father went as a sailor to the crowsnest from his attic lookout he had a clear view across Newmarket and could see where the action was To the Gibsons fires always meant action for various members of the family have served on the Newmarket fire department for a com bined total of 109 years i in Newmarket in 1872 the a Scottish immigrant who chose to make his homo the corner of Eagle St and Lome Ave The family later moved lo Raglan St where John was born The home remains in the family although John and his wife have lived on Millard Ave for many years Johns grandfather fresh from Scotland worked at the foundry on Prospect St making and selling ploughshares In 1872 he joined the volu tier fire department and stayed with it for with perfect attendance could hope for was and from this he had to buy his own boots and coat Mr Gibson recalls that he had to serve six months probation without pay and so received just for his first years work from which he had to promptly hand over for a John Gibson when the idea of raise money for equipment Their first purchase was a fire truck with a midship pump The truck cost the staggering sum of but the volunteers felt they really needed it the old Model truck it replaced had had to be pushed up the Timothy St j o slowed down the zest of Although Mr Gibson was elected Newmarket fire chief in the position was still volunteer and it was not until 1957 thai he appointed fulllime chief and became the first member of the department Today Newmarket has five full time members but Mr Gibson who retired in 1071 and remains an honorary member feels the lime is rapidly His death Inter that same year left the volunteers with an empty uniform and the youngest Gibson son father although below the minimum age of was recruited to fill it In 11190 when only he joined he department and served for years In 19211 John too joined he department At that point in history the town had firemen all volunteers The town gave a grant of per year and Christmas time this was divided among members Each volunteer was fined a dollar for each fire fire practice or meeting he failed lo attend The total of his years fines were Mr Gibson admits we had more fun then but don l him for talcs of the good old days firemen today are better equipped better rained and limit efficient lie says They use a different with water indirect and donl do as much damage There used lo he a saying he recalls tiling lo do if your house caught fire was lo get everything out and jusl lock the dor Dont call the fire department theyll do more damage than the fire The first thing a fireman did he says was grab the axe and put It through the door You didnt bother trying the door lo see if it would open you just took the axe to it Today firemen are belter trained In those days you just did whatever you thought you should do when you got to the fire With volun teers you couldnt have set rules because you never knew whod be at the fire There was no point in training one man in a specific job if you couldnt count on him being every fire John married in 1939 and lias four daughters and eight grandchildren He regrets that he didnt have a son to become a fireman but has hopes thai a grandson might one day follow he family tradition Theyre too young yet he says but theyre always talking about the fire For John flro fighting was a way of life a 21- hour job It wis my lifes ambition he says and left lilllc Hint fur anything else used to play a little soft hall tint most of my time to the fire department You couldnt sit down for a meal hardly without the whistle blowing You went lo with your clothes laid out ready to jiiiiiiiiliileii l i i vim- v furnaces during llu winter the fires would run you ragged Water pressure was sometimes a problem He recalls Dial if Die hydrant couldnt supply the water they needed the pressure at the water works was rum up jus enough to blow a hole in a of hot water tanks which was okay because the chief then was a plumber Next day lie had all the ss lie handle Some of the worst lit recalls were the fire at the old hospital the blaze which veterans of Die volunteer fire department gathered in on the engine lien nearly years old and still in m left hey are foe drummer Jim Johns aider Willy Curtis back and Art III si mills am Iilmn skill In as pail a uiiinmiil llihli III Ill jus Ins given nil 0 11 IheNiwiu lire mom 11yd toil says lie old pill ll all down III III ire department bus been hud i Mr health lie in Inn ir ml mil I in I lii I mid blown mil of his been in trouble bee si rallied around I tit inunliy lire when a of i Hes seen changes in equipment and and his family methods but not people For as long can remember lie says whenever anyone iin years of service John Gil nine mil of ever still caused by carelessness The major fireman he says is not as Ihe movies would have us lo imt chopping mall If an is built lo llie codes isnt a problem Its wide open areas of the shopping Tin about And today as he biggest problem is panic As ire fighting was work for Mr Gibson 1057 be earned his living I II- I and before his yen career with tannery ended be was the eolnr finishing department The plant now a memory si iu ilely people ami slapped leather to all parts of the world Since bis retirement Mr Gibson works luring llie summer months at a truck weight Scale for York llcgiun ami devotes his winters to unique collecting and hushing He has of antique picture frames nut enjoys re assembling old clucks The pride joy of the Newmarket volunteer fire department in M sew engine which was purchased that year In photo Gftew holding above the whole man department ossein- new engine The photo was taken In said Mr Gibson when the department Required its first set of dress uniforms John Gibson Is the first man standing on the engine at the left end of the row Ills father Is also Is the back row The man In the business suit as left Is Rev one of the builders of the engine John was Newmarket fire chief In simulated Units 1MB when this dramatic rescue photograph was arms