<< Previous   Next >>

On Friday, September 1, 1961 I became a member of the San Mateo Fire Department and was assigned to the department training officer, Captain George Cocconi at the Drill Tower which shares quarters with Station 3 located at 31 - 27th Avenue. The other members of that class were Dahl Waters, Harold Calkins, and Marvin Dutra. By Dec. 1961 Dahl & I were the only remaining members of that probationary class. Calkins dropped out and Dutra resigned.

During our recruit training syllabus we were provided with written information, Block Material, daily. Capt. Cocconi had us sign for every bit of this information so we could never say, when we screwed up on a probationary test, that we didn’t get such and such material.

Sometime during the 1970’s new training material was issued and we were supposed to turn in our Block Material. I advised my Assistant Chief that I had put in a lot of work keeping my Block Material up to date and would like permission to retain my set. A/C Alexander gave me the okay.

When I kept this material I had no idea that in such a short period of time it would be a history record of the SMFD, the operational procedures, tools & equipment carried and the basic description of the various apparatus owned and operated by the department.

Seagrave Engine E-1-21 was the one and only reserve engine owned and operated by the SMFD early in 1962 and was quartered at Station 5. By that time, however, this 41 year old Engine was no longer trustworthy. In addition the department had just been evaluated by the Insurance Underwriters and had received no credit for this engine as a reserve unit due to it’s age and low pumping capacity. So with that in mind the Fire Chief, Hugh Morris, decided to remove it from the fleet and sell it at auction. Capt. John Meyer and other fire personnel implored Chief Morris to let them buy the engine, but this was to no avail.

As I recall it was during late February 1962 that E-1-21 was stripped of all it’s hose inventory. Sometime after March 3, 1962 it was driven out of Station 5 by F/E Herb Price and delivered, I believe, to Station 1 so the remaining tools and equipment could be removed then on to the Corp. Yard where it was to be stored until it could be sold at auction.

 

I was on duty that day, *Monday March 5, 1962, at Station 5 along with Capt. Gil Morris and F/E Don Hartley when Herb drove the engine away.

Probationary F/E Charles Pellizzer was assigned to this station but had just completed his final probationary test and was on vacation. I was his replacement during that period.

During my assignment to Station 5 a new training member showed up at the SMFD. I was introduced to her late one morning upon my return from grocery shopping for our evening meal. When I went to my locker to put my soft hat away, we always wore our soft hat when shopping, there she was inside my locker when I opened the door, Resesa-Annie. Scared the shit out of me. Of course Capt. Morris and Hartley had a big laugh while I regained my composure and checked to make sure I hadn’t pissed my pants. Thanks Don, I needed that.

Enough history talk…

The following pages cover a general description of 1921 Seagrave Engine 1 [E-1-21] and an inventory of all the tools, equipment and fire hose carried there on. This inventory was current as of September 1961.

Photo was taken at the Seagrave Co. in Columbus Ohio in 1920.

*My best guess estimate.

<< Previous   Next >>