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The Community
Mr. Daniel W. Carmichael
developed the Carmichael Colony in 1909 with the purchase of 2,000 acres of
land north and west of the American River. This land was part of the San
Juan Grant of 1844. Two years later he acquired an additional 1,000 acres,
which was part of Rancho Del Paso. Fair Oaks Boulevard runs between these
two portions of land and was the primary road leading to Sacramento. Fire
protection and prevention was a community endeavor as everyone lent a hand
when need arose.
The Department
In 1927, Daniel V.
Donovan, a local businessman, stepped forth to institute a more formal
Volunteer firefighting force. He purchased a Model T fire engine, which held
30 gallons of water and 100 feet of fire hose, along with other tools and
equipment. This equipment was stored on properties owned by Mr. Charlie
Jeff, where Garfield Avenue intersects Fair Oaks Boulevard. Dan and his
wife, Mary, operated a gas station, store and restaurant on the north side
of this intersection. The properties also contained the Donovan’s residence,
rental bungalows and numerous outbuildings. Sometime in the 1930’s, the
Donovan’s purchased properties on the south and west side of the
intersection and relocated their facilities into a new modern building. This
area then became known throughout the region as Donovan’s Corners.
The Carmichael Fire
District was officially organized as a Volunteer force in 1942 with Mr.
Donovan becoming Fire Chief. Once the original facilities were vacated, it
became the first dedicated fire facility to house the growing cache of
apparatus and equipment. The old restaurant became future living quarters,
with the dining room becoming a dorm with six beds. It was now officially
known as Fire Station 1. The District paid rent to the Chief and purchased
needed fuel and oil from his filling station. Station 1 would eventually
house eight pieces of fire apparatus.
The District’s second
station was established in 1946 by volunteer fireman Robert L. Turner in an
area of commercial development known as north Carmichael, located at Fair
Oaks Boulevard and California Avenue. This facility housed two engines, and
had a small office area and a bunkroom. Mr. Turner, who lived behind this
facility, joined the paid force in 1947 and was appointed Assistant Fire
Chief in 1952, receiving a monthly salary of $400. Compare that to Chief
Donovan’s salary of $475 with firefighters starting at $300. By this time
the District’s inventory of equipment consisted of the Model T engine, and
several used apparatus: a 46 International with a 250 GPM pump, a 49 Ford
1000 gallon tanker with a rated 350 GPM pump, small tanks and pumps in
pickup beds and several 40’s military units. These units would have their
bodies remounted on new Dodge chassis in 1960.
The District received
their first new Fire Engines from the Van Pelt Fire Apparatus Company
located in Oakdale, California, in 1951. These were modern engines with open
cabs, 1,000 GPM pumps, with 500-gallon water tanks and room for 1,000 feet
of 2-1/2 inch fire hose. Each had one 1-1/2 inch pre-connected line and
storage cabinets.
In 1952, the District
received a third unit from Van Pelt. This was a Heavy Duty Squad with 300
gallons of water and a high-pressure multi-stage pump. It had cabinets on
both sides, at the rear and on top. The unit contained a generator to power
large floodlights and electrical smoke ejectors. During 1952 one of the
original engines was rolled and wrecked in the intersection of Fair Oaks
Boulevard and Engle Road. A replacement engine arrived from Van Pelt in
1953. This unit still operates today as a parade and muster rig and
maintains the operational history of the old District within Sacramento
Metropolitan Fire District. During the mid 1950’s, the Board of
Commissioners appointed Percy S. Blair Second Assistant Chief. He remained
in that position until his retirement in 1962. Bernard J. Bazzaroni, who
began his employment with the District in 1949, replaced Chief Blair. Chief
Bazzaroni was instrumental in the development of the District’s Gamewell
System, acted as personnel officer, was charged with all pump and hose
testing, and was the District’s Training Officer for many years.
The District began
modernizing and expanding response capabilities in 1957, with construction
of a new Station 2, located at 6701 Winding Way at Dewey Drive. This
facility is now known as Station 108. The next facility opened in 1959 at
1616 Mission Avenue just south of Arden Way. Known as Carmichael Station 3,
it is now part of Metro Fire operating as Station 110. Finally, in 1961 the
District relocated the main station from Fair Oaks at Garfield to 5634
Robertson Avenue. Known today as Station 109, this facility was expanded in
1972 when an administrative wing was added. For the first time, all District
functions were now at one facility. Prior to this additional space, the
Prevention Division operated out of the basement at Station 2. The Fire
Chief shared his office with the duty officer. At night they used it as
sleeping quarters. The accountant and Assistant Chiefs utilized the same
room for their respective duties. All Board of Directors meetings were held
in the dayroom. This new facility allowed footage for a Chiefs’ office,
Assistant Chiefs’ office, accountant’s office; training officers work space,
Prevention, department clerk (new) and a dedicated Board meeting room. Now
the once over-crowded fire station could receive renovation for necessary
living space.
To notify volunteer or
off-duty personnel, Carmichael utilized a component of the Gamewell System,
that being an Air Horn. Each intersection within the Districts 18 square
mile response area had a signal associated with it, as did each of the 19
alarm boxes located throughout the District. When an alarm was sounded the
horn activated a number of long and/or short blasts. Counting each blast and
its duration would identify the closest intersection to the fire call.
Stations 1 and 2 were equipped with such a device for notification purposes
so as to cover the entire District. This system of notification was upgraded
with the installation of a siren in Carmichael Park. The siren was
completely installed by firemen working both on and off-duty. The siren
could be heard from any location of the District, and was utilized in
conjunction with newly purchased radio monitors. These first radio monitors
were developed by Motorola and were as big as a modern portable 12-inch
television. Unlike today’s monitors, those operated on a single channel and
allowed for continuous listening or tone activation. The next new piece of
apparatus was purchased while Chief Donovan was on vacation. Upon his
return, he was in disbelief when he saw a 1956 American La France – New York
style pumper. Certainly not the thing he wanted in his District. After a
review of District operations by the Pacific Board of Fire Underwriters in
1961, came word that the District would buy a Snorkel truck. Crown Coach
Fire Apparatus of Los Angeles was to be the builder of this 65-foot aerial
platform. Changes in operational practices were in the wind and upon the
units’ arrival came engine men and Snorkel men. That’s correct, teams were
developed to operate the Snorkel. In fact, if you needed replacement
personnel they had to have been Snorkel certified. This was to be the first
dedicated truck company to respond to structure fires within the county
outside the City of Sacramento. Men were trained on various new tasks, such
as rope rescue, vehicle extrication, trench rescue, and ladders of all
sizes. This unit would carry all types of equipment and tools to expand
emergency scene operations. Once the Snorkel was in service, the 1952
White-Van Pelt squad was placed in reserve status. The District was proud of
this new apparatus.
On one trip to Crown, the
Chief and one Director viewed another wonderful piece of firefighting
equipment. Each thought so much of the unit’s capabilities that they swayed
the Board to purchase a like unit. The Crown Coach engine arrived in 1964
and became known as the Queen Mary. It carried 2,500 gallons of water and
had room for 2,000 feet of hose in the hose bed; two compartments carried
pre-connected 2-1/2 inch hose. There were compartments, which held 600 feet
of 1-1/2 inch hose. One side was a pre-connect of 150 feet. The other was
450 feet continuously connected and stacked for quick deployment. There were
compartments for tools, extra nozzles, salvage covers, rope bags and most
importantly the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Most SCBA’s were
carried on apparatus in a suitcase-like container, and because of this and
old tradition, were seldom used. Times were changing and firefighters were
receiving better education and society had higher expectations on safety.
Hose loading went from stored for reverse lays to forward so you would take
a hydrant and provide a continuous water supply. No more stripping of
equipment and the engine looking for a water source. Chief Donovan had seen
that his community had adequate water for fire suppression needs. He was a
member of the Carmichael Irrigation District Board and worked well with the
agency’s Director, Tom Underwood.
Since the 1950’s, the
plan had been, first get water where you can; then develop a distribution
system that provided water to all areas in piping sizes necessary to meet
fire flow requirements. The first hydrants were of wharf design. As time
came these were replaced by steamer style appliances. Hydrants were to be
500 feet apart near residences and 300 feet within any commercial complex.
This water system was re-enforced with the addition of two above ground
storage tanks in the early 1970’s. One such tank is located behind Station
109 and has a capacity of five million gallons. The other is located at
Station 108 and has a capacity of one million gallons. Each tank provides
needed additional flow during high peak usage and is refilled during the
night. This provided a six million gallon reserve for emergency needs. The
Carmichael Fire District worked with many water providers to ensure
appropriate water availability. They were the Northridge, Arvin, Citizens,
Fair Oaks and Arcade Water Districts. Each Agency was required to meet the
desires of the District relative to fire flow needs for that area.
Chief Donovan remained
the steadfast leader of this organization until his retirement in 1965. The
months leading up to Chief Donovan’s retirement were littered with power
struggles, forced retirements and outright firings. Carl E. London was
appointed First Assistant Chief in 1964 replacing Robert Turner. Chief
London assumed command of the District on April 1, 1965, with his
appointment to Fire Chief. Assistant Chief Bazzaroni, who remained Second
Assistant Chief, was promoted to First Assistant Chief under Chief London, a
position he held until his retirement in 1974.
The New Beginning
Carl E. London became the
new Carmichael Fire Chief after a fire service career in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Chief London brought a new and refreshing professionalism into the
department. Additional and specialized training was presented. Equipment was
standardized and standard operating practices were implemented. James
Dodson became the District’s Fire Marshal and Victor Blake received a
promotion to Second Assistant Chief. The District continued to hire
personnel and could now reduce the number of workdays before each member
would receive their Kelly Day off. Unlike today’s work schedule, members had
been required to work a day on and day off rotation for as many as eleven
shifts before a Kelly. The District was now at a point that the two-platoon
system with Kelly Day could be accomplished after only three shifts. It was
January 1, 1973, when the District moved into the current three platoons,
three-on, four-off schedule. This also brought forth changes within the
management structure of the District. Battalion Chief officers would become
shift supervisors and Assistant Chief officers would go to day assignments.
Dale K. Paulsen was Carmichael’s first Battalion Chief, promoted January 1,
1973, a position he held until he became Fire Chief for American River Fire
Protection District in 1992. Chief London brought many new and innovative
ideas into how the District served the community. One such item was the
burning of the Greens – after each Christmas, citizens would bring their
trees to the fire station and they would be placed in a large open lot and
burned in January. What a blaze that was. The community would come to
witness this bonfire. This was also a time of growth for the Carmichael
community and the District. Carmichael was the first in the county to move
away from the traditional black turnout gear; they went to yellow, as did
their apparatus. The District also utilized day boots like the ones used on
the east coast. These were like fishing waders, only heavier. Members found
them excellent, especially during grass season, when they spent many hours
along the river bottom and in fields of star thistle.
In 1974, with the
retirement of Chief Bazzaroni, Jack L. Kerns was appointed Assistant Chief.
In 1977, after accomplishing many things, Chief London retired. By this
time, Victor Blake had retired due to an industrial injury he had received
as a firefighter years earlier. Gerald T. Bockmann, who had been the union
voice for years, was promoted to Assistant Chief. The Board of Directors
appointed Jack L. Kerns to Fire Chief. Chief Kerns did a little changing of
his own, and assigned James Dodson from Prevention to a shift supervisor.
Wayne Beard became Fire Marshal. The additional Battalion Chief position
went to Jake Dyson. Chief Dyson would later become and retire as an
Assistant Chief with American River Fire Protection District. The
development of the Joint Powers Fire Authority (JPA) between the Arcade,
Arden and Carmichael Fire Districts was developed in 1978. This effort was
to better serve the communities through boundary drops and reductions in
comparable operating practices. The new joint training facility was housed
at Arden Station 2, now known as Station 106. Dispatch would be located with
Arcade at Station 1, now known as Station 101. Fire Prevention and Fleet
Services were placed at Carmichael Station 1, now known as Station 109.
Communication services were expanded when Rio Linda Elverta, Elk Grove and
many districts in the delta of Sacramento County utilized this
communications terminal known as Control. This effort continued to grow and
expand until 1983, when politics overwhelmed its operational effectiveness.
In March of 1983, Arcade Fire pulled out of the JPA, returning to simpler
times. Arden and Carmichael continued to function under the JPA banner
until reorganization occurred, bringing a new district known as the
Arden-Carmichael Fire Protection District. This would remain the name for
only a few months when then Fire Chief James Aalgaard would successfully
petition the Board of Directors to rename the District – American River.
Major Fires
There were a number of
significant fire incidents within the history of the Carmichael Fire
District. The first occurred in 1965 and involved a market complex at El
Camino and Mission Avenues. Known as the El Camino Market; the structure was
well involved upon arrival of the first engine company. All of the
Carmichael resources and many from Arcade, Arden and Fair Oaks were required
to bring this fire under control. The second was in August of 1977 at the
intersection of Manzanita Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard, involving the
Indian Valley Lumber Company. This incident required assistance from many
agencies as the entire facility covering many acres was destroyed. Companies
had to be placed all along Don Way, Wayside Lane, Manzanita Avenue and Fair
Oaks Boulevard to provide structure protection for the surrounding
occupancies. In fact, numerous fires broke out in open areas to the north of
this intersection, with hot debris landing as far north as Greenback Lane.
The other occurrence of significant memory happened during the District’s
entry into the three-platoon system of January 1973. January 1, 1973, found
“A” shift on-duty. The fire occurred that night on Madison Avenue near
Hackberry Lane. The structure was a residence within a complex of buildings
once housing a chicken ranch.
The “B” shift suffered a
fire loss on January 2, 1973, at a commercial complex on Palm Drive, just
east of Fair Oaks Boulevard, containing the Carmichael Print Shop in the
heart of Carmichael. And lastly, was “C” shift on January 3, 1973. This
fire erupted in a large two-story home on Mariemont Avenue, north of Fair
Oaks Boulevard. in the southern portion of the District. What nights of
adventure they were.
Written by Tim Mrozinski |
