This morning (Nov. 7th) at 0800 hrs, a small piece of local history passed into firefighting legend.

My engine house was closed after 50+ years of service to our small first-in area and the county.

I was a fireman, engineer and the last captain on the B-shift at this little
house.

We averaged 2300 calls per year for the last 25 years, in the mid '80s one year we topped 5000 calls. We were a medic-engine for more than 20 years, most of the old timers in the dept. including the chief worked here at one time or another.

The handwriting was on the wall for some time now due to city v county politics, I guess this closing is not so much a surprise as a sad time for our dept. We are loosing another station in Jan, that station has been around since 1947.

I'm going from a station in the crummy part of town to a house in the more well to do area east of the city near the foothills. A new engine and a better engine house will make this easier to deal with

The station has been sold, it's fate unknown, so it's onward and upward for me, a quieter area and a new shift.

Sorry for the long disertation, this really is a sad passing, it's like loosing a member of the family.

Thanks, Guys.

Bob K.

I can dig it.
The elementary school I went to has been changed into an office building. My high school ceased to exist. The church I was married in has been torn down and a house we rented and really lliked has been replaced with a parking lot.
At least you get to have a new truck to play with.

Four years ago the city for which I had worked for 12 years decided to the fire department did not need any medical personnel. All 12 paramedics were let go through a "Reduction In Force" Now an RIF allows them do let people go with many more years of service. They kept one guy who had been hired two weeks prior to the RIF.

Now I have worked my way up to Lt. at another departent. More money for less work. I still have sour grapes for the whole deal, but my family is better off because of the stupid small town politics.

I hoist one to the old house, but am certain all will work out in the end.

Patrick

Wouldnt you just love to find out who thought up that wonderful idea, and ask them why? Makes you shake your haed, dont it!

Dave