Jan 22, 2004

San Jose Fire Department: A rich history

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

The history of the San Jose Fire Department is entwined with that of the city it serves, and like the City of San Jose, the fire department has grown and evolved over the past 150 years.

On March 27, 1850, San Jose became the first city in the new State of California, as well as its first capitol. Although that year, the Eureka Fire Company No. 1 was created, it wasn’t until three years later that the city council was able to raise enough money to acquire fire apparatus and equipment.

On January 27, 1854, the San Jose Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was recognized by the City Council, establishing the San Jose Fire Department. Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was limited to fighting fires by tearing down burning buildings with hooks and ladders, and using bucket brigades to put out the fire.

“In 1854,” notes Vice-Mayor Pat Dando, “thirty-one volunteer men served a population of 1,500 people in an area of 1.5 square miles, compared with the 721 firefighters who serve San Jose over 200 square miles today.”

The San Jose Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was made up of volunteers who were ‘reputable members of the community in good standing,’ according to Guardians of the Garden City, by Richard L. Nailen. Members of the Company voted on nominees by placing a black or white ball in a wooden voting box. Five or more black balls meant you were out, or ‘black-balled.’ Many of San Jose’s streets were named in honor of the charter members of the company, including Gurley, Allen, Martin, Hale, Balbach, Goodrich, Lewis, Reed, Lightston, Stout, Pearl, Flickinger, McKee, Spencer, Clayton, Williams, and Brown. Their first fire station, which was the leased property of fire fighter Frank Lightston, stood for years as one of the community’s notable landmarks.

On February 11, 1854, a Fireman’s Ball was planned, along with a parade and presentation of their truck, ‘Young America.’ On July 24, 1854, a hand-pump fire engine was purchased from the San Francisco Fire Department, along with 400 feet of riveted leather hose, and the Empire Engine Company No. 1 was formed.

Over the next three decades, the Fire Department kept pace with San Jose’s growth with the acquisition of steam-powered engines and the horses to pull them. In 1876, the formerly volunteer department became a professional one. In 1877, a fire alarm telegraph system was installed in the city, and remained in use for more than 100 years.

Another great change was when the fire department switched from horse-drawn to motorized vehicles. The last horse-drawn steam engine was purchased in 1908. “When the apparatus was horse-drawn, fire department dogs would run alongside the vehicles to alert people and keep the vehicles on the horses on track,” notes San Jose Fire Captain Phil Manley. Brownie, who was an esteemed member of the San Jose Fire Department in the 1940’s was their last dog.

In the 1940's, radios came into play, which was a huge change, says Manley, as individuals could now relay information. Before then, all they had were fire alarm pull boxes which were located on street corners. “Back at the fire station, a central machine would clank out a code on tape which identified the specific pull box, and a bell would ring. The message printed three times and sometimes took so long to print, that by the third time the firemen had already arrived,” Manley comments.

The 20th Century brought new opportunities and challenges to both the city and its fire Department. By the mid-1960s, microwave relays were replacing the outdated telegraph system, and the department boasted two dozen stations, including Station 22 on Bose Lane in Almaden.
In 1980, the department created one of the nation’s first hazardous materials response teams, and in 1995, the department embraced Advanced Life Support by placing a firefighter paramedic aboard every engine.

In the past 30 years, Manley has seen many changes to the San Jose Fire Department. Due to improved building codes and construction, and aggressive fire prevention, the majority of calls currently answered by the fire department are first-aid related. In rescuing victims from serious car accidents, they now utilize Hurst Tools, or ‘Jaws of Life.’ The fire department also changed from wooden to aluminum ladders, which are lighter to carry, and do not require annual sanding and varnishing. Due to the immense weight they carry, the fire department’s trucks and engines are now diesel rather than gasoline-powered.

“When I came on, I rode on the tail board,” relates Manley, “but it was cold in the winter with only the exhaust to keep you warm.” Firefighter and Engineer John Hodges, of Almaden Fire Station #22, also remembers those days. “It used to be fun riding the tail boards,” he recalls. Today, riding the tail boards is illegal for safety reasons, and the cabs are enclosed with heaters and air-conditioning, Hodges says.

Today, the San Jose Fire Department responds to over 70,000 fire, rescue, and medical emergencies each year. From bucket brigades and hand-pumpers, to horse-drawn steam engines and diesel engines, they have truly come a long way in 150 years.