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Shi SEU pt » rw pr 23 PAGE TEN he Oshawa This picture shows the personnel of the permanent fire fighting force that gives security from disastrous fire to citizens of this ei H. Hobbs, William Logeman, Captain Ray H. Chase, C. THE OSHAWA DAILY TIMES, CHRISTMAS, 1928 NEAT APPEARING MEN COMPOSE THE OSHAWA FIRE DEPARTMENT Pollock, Stan. Smith, ose Cart, Steam Pump, Once Gave Dshawa the Lead in Fire Equipment Old and Thrilling Days are Recalled ix Fire Chiefs Have Served This City Since Organization of Volunteer Department in 1870 --Records of Service of Present Members Date Back as Much as Thirty-four Years, NCE upon a time Osh- awa was in the van in fire equipment. The own purchased a two-wheel ose cart drawn by a single orse, and the same year ought a steam pump, and as looked up to by all of the ntario towns as being the best quipped department outside. of oronto. But, as ex-chief John Kellow will Il you, that was almost exactly alf a century ago. The hose cart as scrapped eight years ago, when he Chevrolet motor truck was pught, and the steam pump was perseded in 1920 by the motor mper. From 1870, jusi three years after onfederation, Oshawa has had an ganized fire department, until a years ago made up entirely of plunteers. During the most. of he period Oshawa was a town of bout 4,000 people, and had not 3 gun the rapid growth for wh 1s famous. But the histor ganized community cffort' agai dates back to the very I of this settlement which, as years went on, was destined to ome, successively village, town, d Canada's most promising city. Six Fire Chiefs Known history of thie fire depart- nt in Oshawa is, of course, very rgely a matter of its chiefs. The st to wear the executive helmet Oshawa was chief P. Thornton, 0 was the moving spirit in or- anizing and equipping the first olunteer company. He was fol- bwed by Robert Strong, James ellow, John Kellow, Angus Cam- on, nd the present chief, W. R. Ew-Chief Kellow, who this week ave an interesting interview to Times' representative, headed department for twenty years, re- ing in 1917. He worked for py vears under ames Pellow, ho wore the chief's badge for a milar period before him. Sixty Members Who in Oshawa today remem- rs the old torch-bearers? Mr. low holds the distinction of be- g the last torch-bearer of the shawa fire department. Before days of electric lights, it was duty of the boys of the depart- nt to carry torches to light the partment in its work, and to pe a light on the hose boys as y gathered up the hose after the was extinguished. There were D volunteers in the Oshawa de- The ch boys received $5 per year for eir services, and the young men o handled the hose were given per year. Light always has been pensive ! An old hand pump that required ch man power, and that occa- onally failed to function when it needed most as the hand ' paratus, FIRE CHIEF W. R. ELLIOTT Under whom the 'Oshawa Fire De- partment has been placed on a permanent bas Fire Chief El- liott came to this city from Brant- ford, taking o one year ago. 'hrough the co-operation of the city council, the department has been made a permanent force of sixteen men. pumps were wont to do, served to supply water to quell the flames. This, with a supply of hose, was the first fire equipment in the city. Then, in a spurt of enthusiasm, the village council bought a horse- drawn hose cart, up to date in every way, and shortly afterwards purchased the horse-drawn steam engine. This was between 1875 and 1880. For 35 years this equipment served the town. In 1913, the horse-drawn ladder truck was add- ed to the equipment. Chemicals Introduced Chemical fire fighting began to make itself known during 'the war, and a hand chemical pump was pur- Thrilling days were those, Ta a few hardy, swift men were detailed to rush the chem to the scene of the bla they could while the rest of the de- partment was endeavoring to com- mandeer some horses to draw the fire engine to the battle, and after that to get up steam enough to fight the fire. An old member of the depart- ment vividly recalls a run from the fize hall to the Robson Leather Company's tannery in Cedardale with the chemical, and arriving there and having the chemical working before the horse drawn steam engine got on the job. Then history in Oshawa's fire de- partment, comes down to a more modern day. Under Chief Angus Cameron the department was mo- torized. In 1921 the Chevrolet hose truck, the first piece of motor ap- was added to the equip- ment, and in 1923 the ladder truck was converted from a horse-drawn to a motor propelled vehicle. The motor pumper was added in 1926 Veteran Fireman George Salter is the veteran mem- of the department, with 34 of continuous service to | J He has served under ur fire. chiefs, James Pellow, John Kellow, Angus Cameron and the present head, Chief W. R. Elliott Vivid memories of sti 1g battles with the fire demon occasionally loosen Mr. Salter's tomrgue, and he recalls the days when the depart ment thought with apprehension of a fire in the Burns block, at King and Simcoe streets, then a sky- scraper to the town of Oshawa Tanks Supplied Water In the days beiore Oshawa's fine water works system, says Mr. Sal ter, the fire hall reposed serenely over an underground | of water placed there for emergencies. 'An other large tank was placed at the "four corners" and others were placed at strategic points through- out the town. The old steam pump did effective work, but fairly big fires quite often occurred, both on account of the frame construction of most of the buildings, and be- cause, under the conditions prevail- ing, a fire generally secured a good Tom Dalby, Lieut, M. Oster, K. M, This is the old steam pump which, for fifty years, gave trustworthy service in extinguishing fires in Oshawa. It saw this city grow from a village to a town, and then to a progressive city, the very progressiveness swallowing it up and placing it in the discard. George Salter, who is still a member of the department, is seen stoking the engine as it pours water on the gas plant explosion of many years ago. start before the department could Boudreau, with five vears of ex- take steps to quell it perience. Robert Pollock 1s another veter- Capt. W. C, Culling is rounding an in the annals of fire fighting in out 16 ycars as a volunteer and Oshawa, with 24 years oi contin- permanent fireman. Mr. Culling 15 uous service in retrospect. "Bob," now second in command, directly as he is familiarly known around under Fire Chief Elliott, and is in the fire hall, first worked under charge of Platoon No. 2 in the per- Chief Kellow, and for most of the manent force period of his tenure of office the Smaller in number than 30 years local department numbered 22. ago, but greater in efficiency; los- Other members of the department ing, perhaps, a little of the oid romance of the volunteers, but a permanent protection to the city: with a better understanding. of the methods of fighting fire, and with with a worthy record of service arc Milton . Oster, with nine years continuous firemanship, George Wilson, who has seen cight Letter equipment with which to vears of steady service, Ray Hobbs, work, Oshawa's Fire Department is who has been with the department an organization of which we may steadily for seven years, and Louis well be proud Lieut. OSHAWA'S PROPOSED NEW FIRE HALL Reading from left to right they Ostler, Acting Lieutenant George Roughley, ( are: 'aptain W. C. Culling, Fire Chief W. R. Elliott, George Salter, George Wilson, Gordon Langton, Robert Pollock, Acting Louis Boudreau. Efficiency, Harmony Watchwords of the Oshawa Fire Department, no Better Co-operation in All the City Fire Chief W. R. Elliott Pavs Glowing Tribute to His Men--Cleanliness of Hall and Appar- atus a Feature--Fire Prevention Week an Important Department -- The Department's Personnel. IRE. "A nasty blaze," F says the chief, The crowd, as one man, shrugs its shoulders as the second alarm equipment hurries up, to the tune of siren shrieks and hoarse orders from officers of the brigade. The reporter squares his shoulders a nice "story" for the morrow's paper The r glow brightens But in an incredibly short space of time it is all over. The crowd melts, wondering whence the sen- sation has disappeared Firemen work briskly, "gathering up their hose, clearing up the debris. The owner of the building congratulates the chief on stopping what looked to be a bad blaze. A contribution to the Firemen's Fund is prom The reporter yawns, and: secks his hed Efficiency and harmony These are the watchwords of Oshawa's fire department. Although the men sometimes wonder how they carry on in so rapidly a growing city with perhaps less equipment than is even absolutely required; although they sometimes speculate as to which of the firetraps is going to go next, endangering adjoining life and Abort is sic she. srilet's Shciekeot the PrOmRS Bes Tes i Pe oC Fh Cog sO0 Fi peter diy prupety and Wil fags uo Bape givens accommodation Among the many advantages that thie department wil have in this hall a re adequate fox equipment, separate rove for the fire slim system coutewl bom, » dequate w for a dining room, gymnasium, etc., for the men. Thomson The Old and the New In these two pictures one will see at a glance the change that has taken place in the last five years in Oshawa's Fire Department equipment. The pictures are both taken in front of the fire hall on Richmond street, In the on the left, however, the department was and many of the men appear in both pictures. early picture composed entirely of volunteers, while on 'the right is seen the trim appearance of men of the permanent com- pany. The same Chevrolet hose truck, purchased in 1921, appears in both pictures, while the old ladder truck, horse-drawn in the first picture, is motorized in the other. The old steam pump, which saw half a century of service, was scrapped just. over two years ago for the efficient motor pumper, and a private car for the fire chief has been added to the equipment. for the men, provision for additional acllities for repairing apparatus, and better provision the architects Chairman of the Fire Protection 'ity Property Committee in council." With the co- operation of the council and his committee, Alderman Morris has done a great deal in i the strength and effi department this year. AER, property ; although thé citizens they serve sometimes fail to appreciate their viewpoints -- they never grumble and "grouse" about their lot; they care for the equipment in the hall as though it we almost human ; they do their best when the call comes to throw tons of water on a hopelessly burning ancient building; and through it all the keep an air of cheerfulness surpr ing to the man of business. Th are the boys of the fire department A Well-Oiled Machine ice the re-organization of the local department placing it on a permanent basis, the fire chief and his men have developed a system around the fire hall that makes everything work like a well oiled machine. Lounging around they may be, but--the phone rings, and every man is at attention, ready to spring into oilskins and jump on the apparatus. Even in night fires, a laymen wonders how it is pe for men to be on the street so The two-platoon tem, which is required by the Fire Department Act of Ontario, 1927, in cities having a permanent fire brigade, is in use here. The fifteen men, exclusive of the chief, are divided into two pla- toons, one platoon on day work of ten hours and the other on night work of 14 hours, alternating every Sunda The day platoons shift is form ght o'clock in the morning until six o'clock in the evening. The Personnel headed by Number 1 platoon, Acting Captain R. H. Hobbs and Acting Lieutenant George Roughley, is composed of Firemen Stan. Smith, George Salter, Louis Boudreau, E, M. Ostler and C. Pollock. Number 2 platoon, headed by Captain W. C. Culling and Lieutenant M. Oster, comprises Firemen W. Logeman, Robert Polloc Dalby, G. Lang- ton, H. Chase and George Wilson. Fire Chief Elliott pays glowing tribute to his men for the absolute harmony with which they work. T no organization in the ims, that pulls together as well as the fire department. Even when the men are off duty, they respond to fire alarms voluntarily, realizing that, having all the men possible on the job upholds the prestige of the department by pre- venting a fire from getting away. od Cleanliness Prevails Cleanliness is one of the keynotes, Every piece of apparatus is shined until it resembles the deck of a battleship and is cleaned promptly upon the return from every call Even the engines and under parts of the bodies on the trucks are kept spotl Although working under difficulties in the old building in which they are housed, the men en- deavor to ep the hall itself in and dustless order, and it § that 'the neatness of their sleeping quarters would put many an accomplished housewife to envy. And the efficiency of the depart- ment is not likely to abate, for drills are held every Wednesday at which all members of the Depart- ment are instructed in fire fighting methods. First aid instruction is also given periodically under Capt. W. C. Culling, who holds a St. John Ambulance Corps certificate, and gymnastic training is in charge of Lieut. Milton Oster Fire Prevention Work Fire Prevention work is an im- portant feature of the depart- ment's activities. This is largely in charge of Chief Elliott and Fire Prevention Officer R. Hobbs. Busi- ness places are given periodical in- spections, and merchants are almost to a man co-operating with the de- partment in cleaning up fire hazards in the business section. The schools are visited several times during the term, and here also active co-opera- tion with the firemen is exhibited. It is said that the school children of Oshawa could turn in a fire alarm and vacate a building in better or- der than most of their elders. The fire alarm system of the city now has 29 boxes, and, since it was rewired this summer, is abso- lutely reliable. he switchboard in the fire station could handle 70 boxes, or enough for a city of 50,- 000 people. Harmony that speaks for itself-- efficiency that is commented upom every time they attend a fire call-- what more could be asked from the personnel of a fire department?