Page 51 - History of the Colton Fire Department

1946 to join the fire department.
Friend I. Lombra is to retire from the Fire Department in 1947
November after 30 years of service and nine years as Chief. He be- Chief Carter asked the Council for six more per-
gan work as a volunteer in 1916 and five years later, on April 10, just sonnel but was willing to settle for two. He further stated
twenty five years of age, he was appointed Chief at a salary of $25.00 that in the past twenty five years the department had an
per year. Twelve years later he was named Chief by the volunteers. In
1937 he was elected first full-time Chief on a paid basis and has held increase of only three paid men.
the office ever since. When he began work with the City Fire Depart-
ment, it was shortly after the horse and buggy days. 1948
- Colton Courier, April 16, 1946. The Fire Department continued to rely heavily
upon volunteers to assist the paid forces. Again Chief
On November 1, 1946, Chief Lombra retired from the Carter asked the City Council for additional personnel in
Colton Fire Department, perhaps for health reasons and 1948. Since 1937 the Drivers have been working two 12
later died in March of 1948. hour shifts per day (24 hour shift) for an 84 hour work
George C. (Nick) Carter was promoted to fire week which was in violation of State law requiring a 72
chief of the Colton Fire Department and Ed Temby was hour work week. Now the paid fire department person-
hired. Carter was the 2nd fulltime Fire Chief, he was a nel consist of, Ed Temby, Don Dunniway, Joseph Howe,
native of Midland Texas and came to Colton in 1907. In Harry Norfleet, Walter Skelly, Milton Fog, Jack Russell,
1912 George went to work for the Colton Cement plant Frank Miller
where he was employed four and a half years. After leav- The fire department worked under civil service
ing the cement plant he worked for a construction com- rules and regulations which at this time the department
only had two job classifications, fire chief and driver.
But within the volunteer ranks the department did have
rank structure of assistant chief, captain, lieutenant and
fireman. This did pose some personnel problems within
the organization with the paid personnel which were ex-
pected to take orders from the volunteer officers. This
proved be troublesome at times.
Threats of fires during the 4th of July celebra-
tions have always been a concern by adding additional
volunteers during the holiday. The city also passed
early ordinances for building and electrical codes. The
fire department actively conducted weed abatement pro-
grams clearing vacant lots by using contractors and trac-
tors and part of the firefighter’s duties included burning
weeds from lots, parkways, streets and around fire hy-
drants. These duties were given to the most recently
hired drivers Milton Fogg, Harry
Norfleet and Walt Skelly.

During the Christmas season
the members of the depart-
ment built holiday scenes to
the rear of the fire depart-
ment for the citizens to en-
joy. That annual tradition
was carried on for many
years and was very popu-
lar by the citizens to drive
George Carter (Nick) by and see what theme this
Christmas would
pany in Hollywood for a time and then returned to Colton be. 51