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Early
Years of the Stinson Beach Volunteer Fire Department
The
men and women of action, the volunteer firefighters of
Stinson Beach, did not leave us many written documents. What
we can find are mostly from annual reports made to the
Community Center Inc. since its incorporation in 1947,
reports and business mentioned in the Stinson Beach
Progressive Club minutes which run from 1930 to 1973, and
oral histories of "old timers".
The
oldest document we have is a letter written by the Stinson
Beach Fire Department in September of 1928 addressed to the
Stinson Beach property owners. It tells us when (1921) and
how the fire department was most likely established and that
the Fire Department is the first organization established in
Stinson Beach.
"In
1921 property owners of Stinson Beach who had buildings on
their property contributed to a fund for the purchase of
fire extinguisher apparatus, some ranging $10.00 to $250.00
were contributed.
A very
effective chemical equipment was obtained, which has on
several occasions saved the town from a serious fire loss.
Sufficient money was not available to mount this chemical
equipment on a chassis with its own power. Consequently, it
has been necessary to tow it with an automobile except on
level portions of the town site. This has been a serious
obstacle on several occasions, and it is most apt to at some
time render the equipment of no value, particularly in the
winter when the streets are wet and muddy. Then, too, very
few people care to risk hooking a good car to it, and others
would not know how to even if willing to risk damage to
their car.
For
lack of funds, this apparatus has had to be left standing
out in all kinds of weather, with the result that while the
chemical engine itself is in nowise injured, the two-wheel
carriage on which it is mounted is in bad repair”.
The
letter goes on to state that they found an automobile
chassis suitable for conversion into a fire truck on which
to mount the chemical and other equipment, and had an offer
of a suitable location for the Fire House. Finally it asks
all non-resident owners who had previously contributed to
give $10.00 and who had not contributed previously to give
$25.00 by check payable to Frank Airey, the treasurer.
This
first firehouse was located on the upper-most part of the
Airey store property at Highway 1 and Calle Del Mar.
"....the Fire Truck in those days didn't start very easily
so my parents donated... .the top part of our property ...So
you'd push the fire truck out the door headed down hill and
hope that the momentum would get it going. Even if the fire
was up the hill you went down the hill to get started," Hal
Airey, son of Frank Airey, remembered in the oral history he
gave. We don't know who was chief at this time, but we
suspect it was Frank or Frank's uncle, Jack Airey, who owned
the Sea Beach Hotel on Highway l . We know William Airey,
who inherited and operated the hotel, spoke
as representative of the Fire Department since 1941 at the
Progressive Club meetings and named as Fire Chief by 1947
when the planning for the new firehouse was started.
In a
1934 letter to the community, the department called again
for $2.00 per year per house to meet the expenses of
repairing trucks and equipment saying, "Hereafter the Fire
Department will be run on a business basis with a regular
financial report submitted showing receipts and
expenditures." In July 1938, the formation of the Stinson
Beach Fire Protection District was voted by citizens, and
three men were subsequently elected as Fire Commissioners.
The expense of the Volunteer Fire Department began to be
supported by property taxes. The sum of $438 was collected
in its first year. In May 1939, the Fire Department asked
the Progressive Club to find "a place to put the fire engine
more or less permanently." A couple of locations were
pursued, but nothing happened until 1947.
The
Volunteer Ambulance Corps was probably started as a
combination of the first aid station and the volunteer
lifeguard. In February 1938, a Red Cross first aid class was
held at the Seadowns Resort (near present GGNRA Lifeguard
Station) for 15-25 locals, and a plan to have a first-aid
station at the location was announced at the Progress Club
meeting. In April 1941, seven men started volunteer
lifeguard services directed by the Progressive Club's
Lifeguard Committee, and in June, the club donated $30.00 to
build the first Lifeguard Tower in front of the old Dipsea
Lodge (near GGNRA's main bathroom building). The American
Red Cross gave them supplies and uniforms. The current
Volunteer Ambulance Corps was established in 1962. Today it
is the only volunteer ambulance corps in the Bay Area. The
Director of the Ambulance Corps works under the direction of
the Fire Chief. About 85% of 150-or-so calls the firehouse
received in one recent year were for this corps.
The
early activities of the department were often supplemented
by the Progressive Club's Disaster Committee activities. In
1942, this Committee established the firebreak to the west
of Stinson Beach. In 1948, Chief William Airey explained the
need for water mains large enough for adequate water flow,
and the Club negotiated with water companies to install
larger mains. The fire hydrants were installed and painted
by the firemen.
On May
7,1947, the Community Center was incorporated to receive the
gift of the land to build the Community Center complex. The
first project was the Fire House. The buildings were built
by volunteer labor with materials bought by funds raised by
July 4 carnivals. Chief William Airey asked on the Jan. 8-9,
1949 ground breaking of the Fire House that "...every son,
brother and husband be on deck." On June 1 that year, the
fire engine was moved inside although the electrical works
and septic tank field were not yet completed. After the
building was flooded in the winter of 1956, the Corps of
Engineers changed the course of the stream and built the
bridge in front. The building was remodeled and expanded to
hold three vehicles in 1970. Fire House No.2 was built by
another volunteer effort in 1980.
Presently, the SB Beach Fire Protection District includes
five elected commissioners, a Fire Chief, four Asst. Fire
Chiefs, and an Ambulance Corps Director, Maintenance
Manager, secretary and 31 volunteers. Many firefighters do
double duty in the Ambulance Corps. In May 2001, Kenny
Stevens became Fire Chief inheriting the reins from Kendrick
Rand who served 25 years.
Research by Tamae Agnoli
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