The Iowa City Fire Department's
movement from an early stage volunteer force of irregulars to a
fully paid career fire department can
be separated into three distinct periods: The Volunteer Era,
the Combination Department and the Career Department. Fire protection
was an essential component of Public Safety when Iowa was on
the frontier, just as it is now. Then, as is often the case today,
the position of fire fighter was filled by a dedicated volunteer
who was willing to sacrifice his (the fire fighters in those
days were always men) time, energy, health and even his life
to help protect his community. At some point in each town and
city these volunteer fire fighters stopped simply congregating
at the scene of a fire and formed themselves into fire companies
and fire departments.
Through the 87 year "volunteer era" of the Fire Department
in Iowa City there were 12 separate fire companies. Together, these
fire companies had well over 400 members. Some of the companies
lasted only a few years while others remained active for decades.
There were as many as six different fire companies in Iowa City
at one time. Eventually they were grouped under the umbrella name
of the Iowa City Fire Department, while maintaining their individual
identities and functions. These volunteer fire companies performed
a much needed public service which Iowa City could not have otherwise
afforded at that time.
The Volunteer Era
Iowa City had one of the first fire departments
in Iowa. The roots of the department go back to 1842, three years
after the founding
of Iowa City and four years before Iowa's statehood. According
to the proceedings of the Fourth Legislative Assembly of the Territory
of Iowa, Council File 109, a bill authorizing the Iowa City Fire
Engine Company, was approved in February of 1842, largely for the
protection of what was then the new state capitol building. Of
course we know it now as the "Old Capitol"! James Higgins
was the first "fireman pro tem". The company was finally
formed on January 31, 1844.
The original fire fighting gear was stored in the basement of the
Old Capitol. According to Benjamin Shambaugh, former president
of the University of Iowa and the first historian of the Old Capitol,
his state of the art equipment probably consisted mostly of leather
buckets! Chauncey Swan, the founder of Iowa City, was the first
president of the company, D. Cox the vice president and C. H. Buck
the Treasurer. The names of the other fire fighters in the Iowa
City Fire Engine Company are, unfortunately, lost. The Iowa City
Fire Engine Company apparently went out of existence sometime in
the late 1840's or early 1850's.
In the summer of 1854, just one year after the long delayed incorporation
of Iowa City, several citizens petitioned the city council for
the organization of a hook and ladder company. The council immediately
ordered that the marshal "procure, upon the best possible
terms, two 3-story, two 2-story, and two 14-foot ladders, also
6 poles with the necessary hooks, chains, and ropes, together with
a carriage suitable for the conveyance of the same, and to provide
a suitable central place for the keeping of the same."
As a result, the Iowa City Fire Company #1 was formed on October
26, 1855. Their monthly meetings were held at the Iowa City Brewery!
The only surviving documentation from this fire company is a list
of twelve members with ten or more years of service, dating from
late 1869 or early 1870. The three founding members still active
at the time of this list were: John Louis, Frank Freyder and Charles
A. Vogt. They may have quartered apparatus in this building at
the corner of Market and Gilbert, the current home of John's Grocery.
You can still see the outline of where a possible apparatus bay
door was located on the north wall along Market Street.
One of the motivations for volunteers in these days, and the reason
for this list of ten-year members, was that members of a fire company
were exempt from military and road service. In these days men were
eligible for the draft. They were also liable to be forced into
service for road construction or repair. Anyone who was a member
of a fire company or who had been a member for ten years or more
was no longer required to stand for the draft and were exempt from
being pressed into service for the construction or repair of the
state's roads.
The Iowa City Fire Company #1 was equipped with the items that
the marshal bought in 1854. They may also have had a hand engine
because on August 11, 1856, the council recommended the expenditure
of three hundred dollars for the purchase of a fire engine. In
1861, in response to a fire that burned most of the buildings on
Dubuque Street between Iowa Avenue and Washington Street, the city
council passed an "Ordinance to Establish Fire Companies in
Iowa City." The council also authorized the purchase of equipment
for the fire fighters. Apparently their fire apparatus was still
that single hand engine. It may have been pulled to fires by horses
hired for each alarm from a nearby livery barn, possibly Foster
and Thompson's Livery Barn. Once on the fire scene the pump was
powered by hand by the firefighters in order to add pressure to
the water from mains.
In 1872, again in response to a March fire which destroyed the
famous Clinton House Hotel, the Council agreed to purchase $500
worth of fire fighting gear, including hook and ladder equipment
and some buckets. This led to the founding of the entity named
the Iowa City Fire Department. A new volunteer company, the Rescue
Hook and Ladder Company #1 was formed on May 20, 1872 to take charge
of the new equipment. The Rescue Hook and Ladder Company #1 was
the only fire company in the new department at that time.
The next year the council corresponded with more than 25 other
cities, asking about fire apparatus and equipment. They decided
against the purchase of a steam engine, but they did buy a hand
pumper. This new equipment brought about the formation of a second
fire company, the Protection Engine and Hose Company #1, on July
10, 1873. Later, the Protection Engine and Hose Company #1 also
had a two-wheeled hose cart. A two-wheeled hose cart was pulled
to fires by firefighters. It's a wonder they had any energy to
actually fight the fire once they got there!
The local newspapers, always strong supporters of the fire fighters
in these early days, said that the city was "waking up to
the importance of having an efficient Fire Department." With
the formation of two independent fire companies the fire department
was established by city ordinance. The new regulation provided
for companies of fire wardens, horsemen, engine men and ladder
men (there would be no women on the Iowa City Fire Department for
another 100 years!). These companies were autonomous and task specific,
but, unlike rival companies in some other cities, they were considered
part of one Fire Department. They were under the supervision of
a Chief and two Assistant Chiefs. All fire apparatus was under
the care of the chief. He was required to make a quarterly report
to the Council on the condition of the Fire Department.
Despite the formation of these two fire fighting companies, large
fires were still fought by calling on unorganized spectators to
assist the fire fighters. Throughout the 1870's newspapers called
for the city to double the number of fire fighters, arguing that
the only proper way to fight fires was with a large number of "disciplined
men" supervised by a "competent head". As a result
of this need, in the late 1870's and early 1880's there were five
more fire companies formed and added to the Iowa City Fire Department.
The Clark Hose Company No. 1 was the first, formed on June 18,
1879. They had a hose cart and, like the other two companies, they
were headquartered in City Hall. They may have been named after
then mayor Clark. The Clark Hose Company No. 1 held their "First
Annual Hop" on September 26, 1879.
Like the annual firemen's balls of the other companies, this was
more than a social function. Despite the fact that the city council
occasionally approved money for the purchase of large items for
the fire department, most of the equipment was bought with money
raised either by "subscription" or at the annual dance.
The invitations or tickets to the ball often had inscriptions such
as "Yourself and a lady are invited to attend." Many
businesses and prominent citizens would purchase subscriptions
or tickets to the ball to help support the activities of one or
more of the fire companies.
In 1879 the Iowa Firemen's Association began holding annual firefighting
tournaments. Fire departments from across the state converged on
the host city to compete in various fire fighting activities including
hose cart races, water ball fights and horse drawn apparatus races.
Iowa City was the host to this tournament in 1894, 1895, 1897 and
1915. These tournaments were very popular among other fire departments
and for spectators here in town. By some reports there may have
been an occasional fire fighter who may possibly have imbibed in
alcoholic beverages while attending the tournament. This extra
curricular activity was usually played down when possible. There
had actually been laws preventing fire fighters from one city associating
with firefighters from another in the 1850's and 60's due to perceived
rowdiness on the part of the firemen. Most responsible fire departments
worked hard to repair that image.
On March 8, 1881 the Sawyer Hose Company No. 2 was formed by disbanding
and reorganizing the Clark Hose Company No. 1. D. F. "Fred" Sawyer,
a local clothier, bankrolled the company and was responsible for
their distinctive uniforms: red stockings, blue trousers, white
shirts, skull caps and regulation running shoes. They took over
the old two-wheel hose cart of the Clark Hose Company No. 1 and
were quartered at City Hall. But their real purpose was to compete
in the Iowa Firemen's Association's annual fire fighting tournaments.
The members of the Sawyer Hose Company No. 2 were recruited from
the fastest of the Iowa City fire fighters from the other companies.
They won the state competition in 1884. Many of the records of
their fire calls focus on which company beat the rest to the fire
scene and got hoses hooked up first rather than any other pertinent
facts about the fire!
For example, an entry from the log of the Sawyer Hose Company No.
2 from 1884 states, "At 1:30 P.M. Apr. ___(sic) an alarm of
Fire was sounded from the City Hall proceeded by the Water Works
whistle. The Fire Dept. turned out well and thinking it was near
the Water Works made for that part of town followed by a long string
of people. The Sawyer Hose lead the Dept followed by the Protection
No. 1. Hook & Ladder being third." A later report states: "April
21st 5:30 A. M. Alarm of Fire B.C.R. & N. Depot. Sawyers First
and First water." The reports from all of the companies usually
included the cause of the fire and a description of the damage,
but the Sawyers always told who was first on the scene!
The Clark Engine Company was the next company, formed on June 15,
1881. They apparently responded to fires with a hand engine from
City Hall. A slightly different type of company was formed on December
5, 1883 when the Clark Engine Company disbanded and reorganized
as the Iowa City Fire Police. The Iowa City Fire Police were equipped
with ropes, posts and clubs. As you might imagine based on this
list of equipment, their main focus was not on actually fighting
fires. The fire police had their own special uniforms and badges
and their main jobs were code enforcement and crowd control. Some
members of the council were concerned with giving the fire police
the power of arrest, but most citizens acknowledged the fire police
to be a step in the right direction.
In 1881 Iowa City built a new City Hall Building at the corner
of Linn and Washington streets. The Fire Department headquarters
was moved to this building. Ironically, the building nearly burned
to the ground that year when a gas hose dryer was left on in the
fire department, starting a fire which caused about $17,000 in
damage. The cost of rebuilding the hall was $9,925. The fire department
managed to prevent any more fires in their new quarters and remained
in that building until 1961.
In 1883 a second fire station, the Alert Hose House, was built
at 206 North Linn street, just north of Market Street. On March
8, 1884 the Alert Hose Company No. 2 was formed and moved into
the new house. They had a four-wheel hose cart and protected the
north end of the city. A four wheel hose cart was too heavy for
fire fighters to pull by hand. The Alert Hose House may have had
a horse in the station, also, but records about this animal are
sketchy. Some reports also say that they used horses from the Graham
Livery. The Alert Hose House was the first substation of the Iowa
City Fire Department, and signaled a change in the focus of fire
protection from the downtown business section toward residential
neighborhoods. There would be one other short lived experiment
with residential fire protection in the late 1890's.
In 1890 the Iowa State Legislature passed a law allowing second-class
cities (those with a population between 2,000 and 15,000) to levy
a tax "for the purpose of maintaining a Fire Department." As
a result, the city was able to purchase more and better equipment.
An even greater impact on the department was that the law also
allowed cities to pay fire fighters for the time actually spent
at a fire.
The members of the Iowa City Fire Department took full advantage
of this new state law. Each fire company began keeping meticulous
records of who responded to each fire call, how much time they
were there and the amount that they should be paid.
An entry in the 1891 city directory lists five fire companies and
their strength: Fire Police, 15; Sawyer Hose, 25; Hook & Ladder,
40; Alert, 30; and Protection Engine, 40. There were a total of
150 men on the fire department at that time. In contrast, the current
staffing level of the Iowa City Fire Department is 57 sworn members,
men and women. Their 1891 equipment consisted of one hook and ladder
truck, two Babcock Extinguishers, 3 Hose carts, 2000 feet of rubber
hose and one hand engine.
Another fire company was created in 1895. The Relief Hose Company
Number 2 of Summit Hill, was organized on January 8, 1895. According
to documents from that year, they supposedly quartered their hose
cart at 504 East Court Street. However, there has never been a
500 block of East Court. The house may have been at 604 East Court.
If so, that building is no longer standing. It may also have actually
been on Summit Hill, some five blocks further east. At any rate,
the company only lasted for three years, the last mention of them
being on February 24, 1898.
A volunteer fire fighters' uniform was very important in these
early days. When a member left (or was asked to leave) the fire
company, his uniform had to be returned. There is a long drawn
out story covering in many months worth of minutes of one of the
companies about the return of a uniform. The former member resisted
every attempt to get him to return the uniform. Finally two current
members were dispatched to Davenport, Iowa to effect the return
of the uniform from the wayward former member! This trip no doubt
cost several times the monetary value of the uniform, but the pride
of the organization was at stake!
On Saturday, June 19, 1897, the Iowa City Fire Department lost
its first fire fighter in the line of duty. The Mechanics Academy,
located at the current site of Seashore Hall, was struck by lightning
at about four o'clock that morning. The Mechanics Academy served
as the University of Iowa's Library. Lycurgus "Kirk" Leek
of the Protection Engine and Hose Company No. 1 was fighting the
fire on the third floor when the roof collapsed, trapping him.
He was knocked unconscious and burned to death.
August Schindhelm, secretary of the Protection Engine and Hose
Company No. 1, wrote that day in the official minutes: "On
Saturday evening June 19th 1897 the Iowa City Fire Department met
at City Hall at 7 O'Clock to attend the funeral of our late brother
fireman L. M. Leek, an active member of the Protection Engine and
Hose Co. No. 1, who met his death while on duty at the burning
of the University Library building on Saturday morning June 19th,
1897 at about 4:30 O'Clock.
" The Department was led by Chief Leuz, 1st Asst. Chief Louis Messner
and 2nd Asst. Chief John Welch and the following companies were
in attendance:
Iowa City Fire Police
Rescue Hook & Ladder Co
Protection Engine & Hose Co
Sawyer Hose Co
Alerts Hose Co
Summit Hill Hose Co"
Mr. Leek left a wife and two children. He is buried at Oakland
Cemetery. The president of the University of Iowa spoke at his
funeral. Kirk Leek's head stone reads: "LYCURGUS LEEK WHO
SACRIFICED HIS LIFE JUNE 19, 1897 WHILE FULFILLING THE DUTY OF
A VOL. FIREMAN AGED 40 YRS. 4 MS. 14 DAYS."
Kirk Leek's death almost led to the disbanding of the Iowa City
Fire Department. Some citizens had charged that his death was due
to the department's incapacitation caused by too much alcohol consumed
by its members at the fire fighters' tournament held in Iowa City
earlier that week. The minutes of many of the fire companies reflect
a significant drop in morale and in a desire to continue to serve
the community. Once again, the local newspapers whole-heartedly
supported the fire fighters. They called on residents to remember
the good service provided by the fire department over the years.
The fire department began improving its alarm system at about this
time. By 1897 there were eight alarm boxes set up on corners throughout
the city. They were connected to strikers at the chief's residence,
the water works and Foster and Thompson's Livery Barn. There were
indicators at City Hall and at the Alert Hose House to tell the
fire fighters the vicinity of the alarm. And there was a repeater
at the telephone office. When an alarm was received, fire fighters
were notified by a series of long and short tones which corresponded
to the location of the alarm box. The bells of the Baptist Church
also rang out the alarm. The fire fighters then responded to the
location of the alarm box and looked around for evidence of a fire.
This system, primitive as it seems now, greatly reduced the department's
response times. Over the years, the city continued to improve its
alarm system, with 13 boxes throughout the city in 1907 and 16
boxes by 1911.
The Protection Engine and Hose Company No. 1 and the Sawyer Hose
Company No. 2 were combined into the Central Hose Company No. 1
on January 4, 1911. But the original companies' names are still
mentioned in the minutes of official proceedings. This company
is only rarely listed in any surviving documents. It seems to have
simply ceased to exist shortly after the 1915 Iowa Firemen's Association
Tournament.
This reorganization was just a taste of a series of far reaching
changes in the Iowa City Fire Department that would occur in 1912.
The first was the purchase of a motorized 1912 Seagrave fire truck
on January 13. This truck, the first motorized fire apparatus in
Iowa City, was housed at the City Hall building and remained in
service until 1932. It originally had hard rubber tires. It could
not have been very comfortable to ride over brick and dirt roads.
The second big change was the purchase of Snow Ball and High Ball,
Iowa City's famous fire horses. Snow Ball and High Ball were quartered
at the Alert Hose House on North Linn and pulled the hose cart.
The Alert Hose Company No. 2 may have had either a single horse
or a team of horses at some time in the past, but they were not
nearly so photogenic as Snow Ball and High Ball! There are more
pictures of these two animals than of anyone else connected with
the fire department at any time in history. They were a great improvement
over the practice used at city hall of hiring horses from a livery
barn at the time of the alarm! When an alarm was received at the
Alert House Snow Ball and High Ball would start prancing the floor,
itching to get on the way. Snow Ball and High Ball were in the
care of the Alert Hose Company No. 2 for their entire careers.
The Combination Department
These two changes helped bring about a need for the third change,
no doubt the most important and farthest reaching of the three.
A partially paid, or combination, department was instituted on
October 1, 1912, when James Clark, Herman Amish and George Kasper
were hired as Iowa City's first full time paid fire fighters. It
is unclear from contemporary records whether they started work
then or if their appointments were effective January 1, 1913. James
Clark, then the chief of the volunteer department, was hired as
the paid chief. He and Herman Amish were stationed at headquarters
in the City Hall building. George Kasper was stationed at the Alert
Hose Company on North Linn.
The new fire fighters were close to their stations. In fact, Chief
Clark lived across the street from headquarters and George Kaspar
lived on north Linn, across the street from the Alert Hose House.
After the first paid fire fighters were hired some of the remaining
volunteer companies started to disband. Records of the Iowa City
Fire Police and the Central Hose Company ceased in 1915. Their
last official acts seem to have been participation in the Iowa
Firemen's Association tournament held in Iowa City that year.
In that tournament Snow Ball and High Ball were entered in the
horse drawn apparatus competition and race. They were heavy crowd
favorites. No fire horses in Iowa looked more beautiful as they
ran through the streets than these two fine animals. The citizens
considered them a matched set but they were not. Snow Ball had
a pink nose and High Ball had a black nose. High Ball was also
a bit more high strung. But unfortunately their beauty did not
translate into success in the tournament race. They were beaten
by Bob and Bob from Clinton, perennial victors in the race. But
Snow Ball and High Ball did manage to defeat the world famous team
of Lou and Herb from Marion, South Carolina, who traveled almost
1200 miles to compete in the tournament.
A second piece of motorized apparatus was purchased on October
8, 1922. This 1922 American LaFrance pumper was housed in the City
Hall building. It had a 750 gallon per minute pump and came with
inflatable tires! This durable engine was actually still used at
the Community Building fire in 1955!
With the purchase of the American LaFrance, the age of the horse
drawn hose cart was coming to a close. In 1925 Snow Ball and High
Ball were put out to pasture at a farm near Solon. The day they
retired there was a parade in their honor and they posed for a
photograph with the 1912 Seagrave, the 1922 LaFrance pumper, the
fire chief's car and members of the paid fire department. Just
after the pictures had been taken a fire alarm came in. Snow Ball
and High Ball actually beat the motorized apparatus to the call,
which turned out to be a false alarm. Many spectators suspected,
probably correctly, that the alarm was set up to show that the
horses were more efficient than the "new fangled" gasoline
engines!
Throughout the 1920's additional fire fighters were hired. By 1926
there were seven fire fighters on the payroll. As manpower (remember,
there still were not any female fire fighters) increased the two
fire stations were staffed 24 hours a day. In these days paid fire
fighters in Iowa typically worked 24 hours a day, six days out
of seven or four days out of five. Iowa City was moving slowly
toward a career fire department.
But still, even after the first paid personnel were hired 1912,
the volunteer companies continued to be an integral part of the
Iowa City Fire Department. They responded to fires alongside the
paid fire fighters, providing the extra personnel necessary to
control fire emergencies. Records exist for the Rescue Hook and
Ladder Company until August 8, 1921. It appears that they responded
to their last fire on that date. This venerable company, the charter
company of the Iowa City Fire Department, survived for almost 50
years. Finally, in 1929, the last of the dedicated volunteer fire
companies was disbanded to make way for a fully paid fire department.
The Alert Hose Company No. 2 responded to its final call on June
2, 1929.
The Career Department
On July 14, 1929 the Alert Hose House on North Linn finally closed.
Without Snow Ball and High Ball the station had not been needed
anyway. George Kasper moved his quarters to City Hall and joined
the rest of the department there.
That same day, a two platoon system was created. The six paid fire
fighters now each worked every other day. The inclusion of the
chief brought the total strength of the department to seven. Irregular
volunteers continued to be an important piece of the fire protection
system in Iowa City. Individuals were still recruited to help the
fire department fight fires. In fact, records exist of payment
to volunteer fire fighters as late as 1965. But there were no more
organized Iowa City Volunteer Fire Companies. The Iowa City Fire
Department had become a fully paid, career fire department.
The institution of the fully paid, career department surely improved
safety and operations within the fire department. But it also reduced
the community's involvement in this important civic responsibility.
The result was a fire department that was, at once, more effective,
yet less and less a part of the Iowa City community. As the Fire
Department has moved into new areas of responsibility and expertise
it has continued to strive to be a truly "professional" force.
It has struggled with the need to remain an effective force of
emergency managers, yet become and remain an integral part of the
community it serves. Only by walking that thin line can it do the
job that you pay it to do, that it, as an institution wants to
do: Serve its customers: the entire Iowa City community.
When the Great Depression hit, the fire department was the first group of city
employees to offer to take a pay cut. When the city was able to put together
a balanced budget during those lean years it was partly due to the members
of the department giving up a portion of their pay.
Despite the financial difficulties of the day the department still continued
to update its operation. A Seagrave Pumper was delivered on July 1, 1932 replacing
the old 1912 Seagrave.
The department was also able to increase staffing during the Depression. There
were 7 fire fighters in 1930. Staffing increased to 11 by 1940. The fire fighters
still worked a two platoon system, with 5 men on a shift. The chief worked
a 40 hour week.
Local 610 of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) was organized
in Iowa City on February 7, 1939. Local 610 has maintained continual affiliation
with the IAFF since that time. The original charter was signed by: J. J. Clark,
Albert Dolezal, J. T. McNabb, Ray Morgan, Jean Rose, Vernal Shimon, Adrian
Rittenmeyer, Theodore F. Fay, W. A. Vorbrich, and L. A. Villhauer.
WWII had a greater effect on the Iowa City Fire Department than the Great Depression.
Not only were no new fire fighters hired, but no fire apparatus were available
because all production was geared toward the war effort. The war years were
years of stagnation for the department.
Once the war was over domestic production began again and the department soon
ordered a new fire engine. An American LaFrance Pumper arrived on September
5, 1947 and replaced the old 1925 American LaFrance.
Less than a year later the department took delivery of an American LaFrance
Ladder Truck on July 6, 1948. This gave the department a new engine and truck
and a reserve engine that was 15 years old.
The new ladder truck was difficult to get into and out of the 70 year old fire
station. As a result, Station #2 was opened on January 13, 1949. Station #2
was located at 314 South Gilbert Street. Although a much smaller building,
it was better situated to house the ladder truck. The 1935 Seagrave and a panel
truck were also housed at Station #2. It was staffed with four fire fighters.
The department grew in personnel after the war, also. Staffing increased to
21 men by 1950. The increase in staffing allowed for a practice that was becoming
widespread in the American Fire Service, the "Kelley Day". Kelley
days were extra days off from the usual schedule. Remember, fire fighters worked
24 hour shifts, every other day. In 1947 fire fighters were given one Kelley
Day for each 16 days worked. In 1952 the Kelley Day was one day in 12 worked.
By 1957 it was one in 10. By 1964 fire fighters got one Kelley Day for every
eight days of work. Finally a three platoon system was implemented on January
1, 1966. The shift rotation chosen is known as a "California Roll".
Fire fighters work three 24 hour shifts in five days and then get four days
off. (Of course they work 7 hours, from midnight to seven a.m, of that first "day
off"!)
After 80 years of service the old fire station was retired on January 1, 1961.
That station sat on the north west corner of Washington and Linn Streets. The
new station #1 at 10 South Gilbert, part of the Civic Center Complex, was opened
and staffed that day. The old Station #2 on South Gilbert Street closed that
day, too, and all apparatus and fire fighters were now housed in one place.
The 1950's and 60's brought an almost complete turnover on fire apparatus.
In 1957 a new engine was purchased, a Peter Pirsch. Two American LaFrance engines
were purchased, one in 1964 and one in 1965. In 1970 the department took delivery
of an American LaFrance 100 foot Aerial Ladder Truck. The truck had been sent
by rail to keep it in new condition. Ironically it was damaged when it came
loose from its anchors while en route.
The ICFD started absorbing increases in staffing in 1968. The increases were
due to the opening of Station
#2 August 23, 1968. Station
#2 is located at
301 Emerald Street, just off of Melrose. It is hard to believe now, but when
Station #2 was opened it was just about the last building in the city. It was
surrounded by cornfields.
The engine at Station #2 was the 1957 Pirsch. On April 7, 1969 Lieutenant Bob
Hein's crew responded from Station
#2 to an alarm at Mercy Hospital. It was
the last alarm for Lieutenant Hein. He was injured in an explosion that morning
and died from his injuries two and a half years later on October 15, 1971.
He left a wife and 15 children. Lieutenant Hein is buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.
In addition to Bob Hein, six other fire fighters were injured in the explosion,
some of them badly. Chief Dean Bebee had to return to shift work for a while
to help make up staffing shortages.
More fire fighters were hired to staff another fire house, Station
#3, which
opened on February 12, 1972. Station
#3 is located at 2001 Lower Muscatine
Road. With the addition of the fire fighters hired to staff Station
#3 the
total strength of the department was 51 fire fighters.
The 1970's brought some changes in fire apparatus, some substantial and some
cosmetic. Diesel engines and yellow paint made the apparatus look and sound
different. The diesels also came equipped with automatic transmissions! The
department purchased four yellow diesel engines between 1971 and 1982: two
Ward Lafrance's, one American Lafrance, and one
Pierce.
On August 18, 1977 there was a much more important change in the make up of
the Iowa City Fire Department. Linda Eaton was hired as a fire fighter. She
was the 104th person hired as a paid fire fighter in Iowa City, but she was
the first woman. Her three years on the department were not without controversy.
Some of that controversy was played out under the glare of the national spotlight.
Regardless of any other issues involved, Linda paved the way for the department's
current women members.
The American Fire Service as a whole began changing focus in the 1980's. The
ICFD was right on the front of the wave as we moved into Emergency Medical
Services. Later in the decade the ICFD started responding to Hazardous Materials
(HazMat) incidents. Of course, the fire fighters knew they had always been
responding to these types of calls. The difference now was that the fire fighters
had proper training and equipment to successfully deal with these types of
problems.
Another national trend that started in the 80's was the hiring of "Outside
Chiefs". Iowa City hired our first chief from "the outside" on
February 17, 1986. Chief Larry Donner had come from the Poudre Fire Authority
in Colorado. In his tenure we were able to look at a number of traditions with
a more critical eye and streamlined many aspects of the operation.
One of the operational changes Chief Donner brought about was the creation
of "Specialty Stations". On July 1, 1989 Station
#2 became the Hazardous
Materials Station. Fire crews stationed there were all members of the Johnson
County Hazardous Materials Team and all became HazMat Technicians. Station
#3 became the Public Education Station with responsibility for Fire Prevention
Week activities and for coordinating all public relations and education events.
Also in the 1980's the department began purchasing enclosed cab apparatus.
The first was a new 102
foot Gruman Aerial Cat platform ladder truck. Other
enclosed cab vehicles include a 1991
E-One Engine, a 1992
Smeal Engine, a 1996
Toyne Engine, a 2001Toyne
Engine, a 2003
Pierce Engine, and a 1998
Toyne Heavy Rescue Truck.
In 1996, after two "Outside" fire chiefs the ICFD "Came Home" when
Andrew Rocca was promoted to replace Jim Pumfrey. Chief Rocca has been able
to balance the critical eye with an understanding of local traditions to lead
the department into the new millenium.
The first increases in staffing in thirty years happened in July 2001 when
six fire fire fighters were hired in anticipation of the opening of a fourth
station. Their hiring brings the total strength of the department to 57 uniformed
personnel with between 15 and 18 people on duty each 24 hour shift. Station
#4 has since been delayed by budget problems. In March of 2004, the City Council
approved to eliminate 3 fire fighter positions by Dec 31, 2004 due to buget
problems, reducing the department
to 54 uniformed personnel.
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