Page 69 - History of the Colton Fire Department

Volunteers - 1958 supervises the tower drills. All compa-
Wesley Vaughn Charles Smith nies are required to receive a minimum of
E. Sheppard Foster Hall 20 hours training every month. To meet
Desmond Harris F. G. McPike this requirement the company must train
Ray Hunter Bill Coleman at least two hours every shift. Last year
A.B. DeLaVergne William Reed the Department devoted 6,731 man hours
Charles McCoy Paul Hubbs to training. All company officers have
Noel Crabtree Bob May completed a course in Instructor training
Joe Hackley Art Powell and meet the requirements for a Califor-
nia Vocational Teaching Certificate. This
The volunteer firemen disband. The Colton Fire training was to develop their abilities to
Department has been on a full-time basis since conduct meaningful training sessions.
1955. With the completion of the train-
- Colton Courier, June 5, 1958.
ing facility Chief Temby again contacted
The training tower was enclosed the fire underwriters to reevaluate the City
with siding and fire fixtures were added of Colton which resulted in a Class 3 fire
to simulate a high rise structure. Other protection rating in 1960 while the buteau
departments then copied this form of maintains a “Class 1”.
construction of a then modern training
facility. The department also conducted 1961
several fire prevention programs in the October 27, 1961 the department
1950’s under the direction of Chief Harry developed a cadet fireman program. This
Norfleet. program utilized students from San Ber-
nardino Valley College as cadet firemen.
1959 The department would have a minimum
Chief Temby would look around of two student firemen at each station
the state and see what was special about from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 a.m. In addition
other departments and implement those they would be required to work a mini-
ideas in order to improve the City of Col- mum of one 24 hour shift per week. Stu-
ton and he was not shy in asking for help. dents were compensated with room and
Chief Temby developing a training man- board and $50.00 per month.
ual so that every rookie and firefighter
would know what was expected of them. 1962
Assistance in creating this manual came One of the largest multi- agency
from Phillip Pifer of Bakersfield Fire De- live burn exercises was conducted at the
partment. Bakersfield was one of the few old Camp Ono site near I-15 and Kend-
Class 1 fire departments on the west coast. all Street in San Bernardino on February
6-10, 1962. These exercises were con-
1960 ducted with 28 departments participating.
January 28th of 1960 the depart- This training exercise was to be known as
ment built a hose drying tower at Sta- “Operation Intersection Anywhere”. The
tion 1. They also installed 9 additional purpose of this drill was to test mass mu-
fire alarm boxes. The Fire Department tual aid of multiple departments during an
operation was divided into two major urban conflagration. This exercise came
categories, Fire Prevention Bureau and as a result of a recommendation bulletin
Training Division. The Training Di- from the National Board of Fire Under-
vision proceeded to develop a training writers. The credit for the organization
schedule to assist the Company Officers of this drill can be given to Chief Earl L.
in meeting the training needs of his com- Mathiot of the Muscoy Fire Protec-
pany. The Training Division plans and tion District. 69