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The winter of 1941 found
the world in the throes of World War II. The country was united and working
as a team for a maximum war effort. The area northeast of Sacramento had
been an area of farms with vast fields of grazing land. In the late 1930s,
McClellan Air Force Base was being staffed with a core of personnel from the
San Diego area. As the war effort moved into full swing, employment
opportunities grew and the base expanded to approximately 20,000 employees.
The base personnel began to put down roots in the area surrounding
Sacramento.
As the number of
buildings and people increased, so did the chance of destruction by fire.
The surrounding departments of Hagginwood, Citrus Heights, Sacramento City,
and California Division of Forestry were providing some help. But the
community deserved its own department. The citizens of the area knew that if
something were to be done, they would have to be the ones to do it. They
began to lay the plans for the formation of what would come to be known as
the Arcade Fire Protection District. A committee was formed to circulate a
petition to the voters of the District.
The petition was
submitted to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on January 26, 1942,
where it was approved. A temporary Board of Commissioners was established.
That board consisted of E. L. Dryden, George E. Hammond and Frank Fall, who
served until an election was held on April 6, 1942, to elect a three member
Board of Commissioners and to vote on a proposition for a tax levy. After
counting the ballots it was determined that E. L. Dryden, George E. Hammond
and Lester Vaughn were the first elected Board of Commissioners for the
Arcade Fire Protection District. The tax levy protection passed 20 to 1.
At the first meeting of
the elected board, the business of developing an operating fire protection
system began. Research into the purchase of a fire truck was assigned and a
request for tax anticipation funds was sent to the County Auditor’s Office
in order to purchase new or secondhand equipment prior to the start of fire
season. On June 1, 1942, at the regular meeting of the Board of
Commissioners, an operational budget was adopted for the fiscal year
1942-43. To facilitate acquisition of an engine, they decided to pursue a
second hand truck that could be converted to meet the expected needs. As a
result of their research, it was agreed to purchase a used 2-ton beet truck
chassis for $450 and to have Challenger Fire Equipment convert the truck. A
750-gallon tank was purchased from Boyer Boiler Works to bring the final
cost for the first Arcade Engine to $1,790. The engine was officially
accepted at the Board of Commissioners meeting July 1, 1942.
With the equipment on its
way, the next problem was where to house it. Mr. C. M. Coffing donated
property in Country Club Estates, the former Administration Building at 3000
Fulton Avenue. With the assistance of Mr. Curtis Cutter and Clare Lumber
Co., the plans for a station were drawn. On July 12, 1942, a groundbreaking
ceremony was held as George E. Hammond turned the first shovel of dirt for
Arcade Station 1. At that same time, the new engine was unveiled to the
citizens of the District.
Now that there was
equipment and a place to keep it, some form of organization was needed. A
department structure was developed that called for 19 volunteer employees,
four officers and 15 firemen. In January of 1943, with a fully equipped and
manned department, one thing was necessary to complete the foundations for a
proper department; a way of receiving alarms.
Mr. and Mrs. John
Mantzouranis owned a store along Highway 40 (Auburn Boulevard). Their home
was situated above the store. The Mantzouranis’ store and home served as the
dispatch headquarters. When a citizen called to report an emergency within
the District, Mr. or Mrs. Mantzouranis fielded the call. Once the
information was received, a call was put out over the “signal channel”
phone, which ran the siren mounted on the roof of the station. The system
remained in use until 1949, when the first full-time paid employee was
hired.
On June 1, 1942, Wayne
Smith was appointed Fire Chief. This position, like the rest of the
department, was a volunteer position. The early to mid-40’s became a period
of learning for the small department. They were learning firefighting
techniques, equipment requirements, the intricacies of local government and
the need for long-term planning. In October of 1944, the positions of Fire
Chief, Assistant Chief, and Captain became paid volunteer positions. The
responsibility of these positions had grown and they were now in charge of
equipment, training, procurement and any other activities that might arise.
The period of 1945-46 represented a time of planning for the years ahead.
During 1945-46, a War Priority was sought for new apparatus, and in January
1946, Engine 2 was delivered.
During the Spring of
1946, Sacramento County was looking into a county-wide radio system and
Arcade was in full support. By November1946, the first radio was purchased
and installed in an Arcade piece of equipment.
June 20, 1947, brought
tragedy to the Arcade Fire District. For the first and only time in the
history of Arcade, a life was lost in the line of duty. Firefighter Charles
Gay responded to a fire for the last time. With other members of the
department, he fought to extinguish a grass fire behind the Earl Oil Company
on Auburn Boulevard. The firefighters were trying to protect the buildings
and gasoline tanks from the flames that had spread from the Camp Kohler
fire. The firefighters were working desperately against flames reaching to a
height of ten feet and whipped by 50 mile per hour winds. An unusually
strong gust of wind spread the flames, igniting another section of grass,
nearly encircling the firefighters. Lieutenant Cottrell shouted for the men
to pull back. Gay attempted to get away, but apparently lost his sense of
direction in the dense clouds of smoke and ran directly into the fire. He
became trapped between the blazing field and the oil company’s main
building. Firefighter Gay was given first aid at the scene and was
transported to Arcade Hospital, where he died with third degree burns and
smoke inhalation.
If the 40’s had been a
decade of learning, planning, and preparation, the 50’s were to be the
decade of implementation, acquisition and growth. To usher in the 50’s, the
Commissioners made a major commitment in January 1949. This move was to
shape the future of Arcade. First, Hagginwood Fire District agreed to answer
medical aid calls within Arcade’s District and second, the Board decided to
hire two full-time paid men. Applications were accepted and on March 15,
1949, Jack Henry and Cecil Randelman were hired as the first paid
firefighters of the Arcade Fire District.
September 1949 saw the
end of the answering service. Calls were now being received directly in the
fire station. Discussion was held at nearly every meeting as to the need for
more paid employees. The realization of the need was being confronted and on
April 1, 1950, Robert Turpin was hired as the third paid man.
The District’s structure
changed significantly in 1951. Wayne Smith was hired as a full-time paid
Fire Chief and the paid manpower of the District was raised to five.
Research began towards the building of a second station in the east end of
the District due to the large population growth in that area, and the hiring
of three men to staff this station. It was not until the summer of ‘52 that
the station was finished and opened for business.
By mid 1953, the manpower
needs were growing and the District increased in size to include 11 paid men
and 40 volunteers. After 13 years of service, on January 31, 1955, Chief
Wayne Smith retired. On March 10, 1955, the Board appointed Chief George
Requa to the position and shortly thereafter, his status changed from that
of a volunteer employee to a full-time paid employee.
From the mid-1950’s to
1960, the planning, acquisition, and growth continued. A pre-fire planning
program was pursued under the watchful eye of Captain Henry. An expansion of
Station 1 was needed to house the additional equipment and men. It was again
expanded in 1959 for the inclusion of a sophisticated new alarm center. With
the purchasing of land on Watt Avenue for Station 3, built that same year,
the 1956-57 budget exceeded $200,000. Land was then purchased for Station 4
on the northeast corner of Wyda and Bell. Under Chief Requa’s
administration, the position of Fire Inspector was created and filled by
Matt DePauli. This was a trend toward greater involvement and responsibility
in the field of fire prevention.
Holding in character with
many of the changes of the 60’s expansion, the communications division was
due for a facelift. But a facelift was to become a total reconstruction,
spurred by the rapid growth of aerospace technology in the electronics and
communications field. Research had begun to expand the existing alarm system
to accommodate a public emergency alarm system throughout the District. Many
companies were contacted and many variations were reviewed before the final
selection and acceptance of a bid from Gamewell. The system was completed on
November 15, 1965. The system allowed for communications between stations
via a private phone system. With the completion of the Gamewell System, the
citizens and business owners were served by an alarm system that would still
be functional in the event of a major disaster. At this point the
Administration, with the approval of the Board, hired two dispatchers whose
function was specialization in dispatching and communications.
During the 60’s, 34 men
were hired, some to replace personnel leaving, but primarily to raise the
staffing and provide a higher level of service. Ten of the 34 men were hired
in 1966-67, accounting for a large portion of the increase.
On August 30, 1969, the
employees of the District acquired a major benefit. The Board of Directors
entered into an agreement with PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) for
Safety Retirement.
Gone now were the 60’s
replaced with the 70’s –– a decade of modernization and political
interaction. 1971-72 saw another fiscal landmark surpassed, the one million
dollar budget. This increase was achieved with a tax rate of .97 cents per
$100 assessed valuation. Eight new employees had been hired since July 1970,
and 37 would join the ranks by the end of 1979. Cooperative efforts between
the employee’s advisory boards, the Chief, and the Board of Directors made
way for changes in the PERS contract, of which the inclusion of 2% at 50
“CHP” amendment was a significant step. It was not until May 1974, that the
Arcade Professional Firemen’s Association was formed and recognized as the
official labor organization and bargaining agent for most of the employees.
As in the 60’s and on
into the 80’s, the talk of consolidation was to be considered during the
1970’s. Amidst the talk of the early 70’s, many forms of consolidation were
considered and during 1973 the different forms of functional consolidation
were explored. The Board of Directors, throughout the 1970’s, expressed an
open interest in the consolidation. LAFCO, the Local Agency Formation
Commission, had been making surveys and recommendations since the mid 1960’s
and were continuing to make recommendations. This entire attitude toward
consolidation would place stepping-stones towards future efforts.
In 1971, when they were
considering the disposition of the Station 4 property at Wyda and Bell, the
Directors expressed interest in looking to the north to locate a station as
a response to the rapid growth of the Industrial Tract. In July 1973,
Station 4 on Orange Grove Avenue was opened to provide fire protection for
the large, high-density commercial area.
In January 1973, George
Requa retired as Chief of the Arcade Fire District. This was to end his
30-year service with Arcade, but not his interest and concern. Chief Requa
was to be succeeded by Chief Jack Henry.
Chief Henry began his
career in 1949 as one of the first two paid men with the District and had
truly been active during his career and advancement. On September 10, 1974,
Matt DePauli accepted appointment to the rank of Fire Chief. Chief DePauli
had served with the District for 21 years specializing in the Fire
Prevention and Investigation fields. He maintained an ongoing concern for
the safety of his personnel, the image of the District, the furthering of
the fire service, and the impact of political concerns.
In 1973, the first
official Safety Officer was appointed and given the task of observing
upcoming federal safety regulations. Captain Tom Dodaro was given the
assignment and the responsibility of this program. Under Chief DePauli’s
Administration, the Safety Program expanded to include a Safety Committee.
Cal OSHA had come into effect and it was the job of all concerned to try to
implement any changes that might apply to the fire service.
With the opening of
Station 4 in 1973, the manpower of the District was spread to cover this
added station. Both Engines 3 and 4 were two-man companies running with each
other in an attempt to provide adequate service. A third man was added on
these engines in 1975, representing safety to the men entering the fire. Not
only did this individual provide an extra man for handling large equipment,
but he could also observe conditions that could affect the men inside by
remaining outside at the pump panel. In the event that something did occur,
he was available to attempt a rescue.
In July 1975, an
Automatic Aid agreement between the Arcade and Arden Fire Districts was the
first leap at a series of hurdles. Soon thereafter, Automatic Aid agreements
would be signed with Carmichael, Citrus Heights, and Sacramento City. This
was to be an integral part of a later boundary drop that would occur in late
1978, as well as a future expansion to include McClellan AFB into the
Automatic Aid responses.
With the passage of
Proposition 13, the consideration of fiscal impacts upon the District were
examined. In an attempt to minimize the financial impact upon the District,
the employees and management came to an agreement to suspend callbacks and
eliminate minimum manning. As a further attempt to save money, plans to
enter into several agreements for functional consolidation were continued,
the first of which was the Joint Powers Communication Center. This center
became operational October 2, 1978, at 8:00 A.M.
The increased response of
equipment with other districts and the utilization of more combined
operations pointed towards the next logical inclusion for functional
consolidation. On December 1, 1978, the Joint Powers Training Division was
formed. Observation and consideration was given to many other training
systems. Standardization of terminology and techniques made fire ground work
proceed smoother. Multi-company drills with other agencies benefited all, as
the best from each was combined to produce a more efficient operation.
The third area of
functional consolidation to be developed in Joint Powers was Fire
Prevention. The three Districts joined together in January 1980, at the
Robertson Avenue location. Under the leadership of Fire Marshal John
Buchanan, the difficulties of standardized procedures, concepts, and forms
were undertaken.
On June 30, 1980, Chief
DePauli retired from the Fire Service. Ralph Crawford succeeded as the Fire
Chief of the Arcade Fire District. As Chief Crawford took the reins of the
District, we entered into the 80’s; the decade of complexities and
specialization. The first complexities that were to be met were the tidal
wave effects from Proposition 13. With the revelations of the Augmentation
Funding in the fall months of 1980, it became apparent that many drastic
cuts were necessary. In response to this need, the employees and management
of the District brought before the Board of Directors an agreement to help
preserve the District as it was known. The membership of the Arcade
Professional Firefighters Association had agreed to take a cut in salary,
reduce ten members in rank, lay-off five full-time paid employees and six
part-time employees. One retirement and two resignations were not replaced.
Callbacks were suspended and reimbursement for off-duty calls was reduced to
$1.00. The District closed Station 3 as an attempt to maintain 3-man engine
companies wherever possible, and the Directors took a reduction in pay for
meetings, fixed-asset expenditures and maintenance costs were all but
eliminated. All of these steps were taken in a time when inflation had
reached 18%. In late 1981, the reductions in rank could be reversed, as
personnel leaving the District were not replaced. At the end of 1981 and
beginning of 1982, a modified callback system was reinstated to aid in
minimum manning. It would not be until November 1982, that the laid off
full-time positions could be rehired and all four stations opened on a
full-time basis.
On August 7, 1980, at
Arcade Station 1, the Boards of Directors of the Arcade and Carmichael Fire
Districts met with the intent of pursuing a consolidation of the two
Districts, as proposed by Chief Crawford and the Carmichael Chief. For many
years, Arcade’s Board had been in favor of consolidation. On August 19,
1980, a resolution was unanimously passed to proceed with the Carmichael
consolidation. A member of the Carmichael Board aborted the effort later
that night. With the failure of the attempted consolidation, the Board of
Directors turned their attention to the fiscal responsibilities that lay
ahead. Through the efforts of a citizens committee and the support of the
District’s members, an attempt to pass a measure for standby fees was put
before the voters. On May 19, 1981, the results were announced and the
measure had failed.
At the same time, as the
financial burdens were bearing down upon the District, a step forward was
taken to the benefit of the citizens of the District. As the culmination of
the efforts towards functional consolidation in the three areas resulted in
an increase in the District’s professionalism, the Arcade Fire District was
granted a Class 3 ISO rating. This would result in a reduction of fire
insurance rates to District residences and businesses.
With regard to the
political movements within the other two districts, it was decided to
withdraw from the Joint Powers Fire Prevention Division and return to a
single Arcade Fire Prevention Division effective September 1, 1983. Prior to
this, in August of 1982, the Training Division Officers were sent to their
home departments for more direct involvement in their individual districts.
In 1982, Chief Crawford
wrote Assembly Bill 2715, which was introduced by Assemblyman Robert Frazee,
passed by the legislature and signed by Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown.
This bill amended the Government Codes to allow special districts to
consolidate with greater ease.
A major step towards
reducing redundancy within Sacramento County, with respect to communication
systems, occurred April 18, 1983. Arcade, in its continued efforts to
promote consolidation, actively participated in the move to combine fire
dispatch services for the county districts into one agency. These efforts
would pay off in July 1983, with the formation of Sacramento County Fire
Communications and the inclusion of 15 fire districts. A study was initiated
to move the two dispatch centers into one location. As with the previous
communication center consolidations, this would hopefully lead the way to
further boundary drops and/or automatic aid agreements.
A partial recovery from
the effects of Proposition 13 began in 1983. The fourth station was reopened
on a permanent basis. Eight full-time firefighters, four apprentices, two
clerks, and one inspector were hired. With the retirement of three
employees, this brought the District to a full strength of 59 paid
full-time, six part-time apprentices, and nine active volunteer reserves.
On July
1, 1986, Arcade Fire Protection District merged with American River Fire
Protection District.
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