Page 99 - History of the Colton Fire Department

ever we left the station, we were required It makes you appreciate all of the hard
to wear our class “A” uniform hat. I work that you devoted toward your stud-
didn’t mind that either. It looked sharp ies when you discover that not everyone
but I haven’t grown tired of wearing the makes it through the rookie year.
hat like some of the guys. Colton had 2 fire stations and my
As a rookie, I had one year to first partner was Terry McNeill. Prior
study everything that I could about fire to my arrival their original squad was a
fighting practices and improve my skills Dodge that was exactly like the squad on
so that I may function as a valued mem- “Emergency” the TV series. Terry Mc-
ber of the department. When you were Neill was driving code 3 on a hospital
not studying, you had to be busy doing follow-up and was t-bonded in an inter-
something. Everyone in the Department section. After the accident we inherited
was expected to be busy. The Engineers the mechanics truck for a squad(for those
would be polishing on the Engine while that still thought we looked like one in
the Paramedics would be cleaning out our gray shirts). Our backup squad was
their drug box. The Captain would be a 1960’s Ford Econoline van that swayed
figuring out the drill for that afternoon from side to side as you went around a
and the Fireman would be sweeping out corner. It was very slow but it had an
the back shop. You would keep your electric growler that was as loud as a
fingers crossed in hopes for a call that freight train. So people would pull to the
might get us out of the station for a while. side because it sounds so close but would
Training came first then busywork with a have to wait a while till they could see
10 to 15 minute brake at 10am and 3pm. were it was coming from.
Lunch was between noon and 1pm pro- Along with the medical gear,
viding there were no calls. Phil Ellison, we would carry forcible entry tools,
the grandson of Chief Nick Carter, was search & rescue, and extrication equip-
an Engineer at the time and he controlled ment. The original Jaws of Life was
what channel the TV was on. So any- very heavy. It would be a workout by
one that was at Phil’s station would be the time you swung that solid steel jaws
watching “All My Children” since Phil around for 20 minutes while extricating
has not missed an episode since the show victims from trapped situations. Our
started in 1970. The show will be end- latest extrication equipment is made of
ing it’s run in February of 2012. When I high strength aluminium with a fraction
called the fire station in June of 2011 to of the weight and size.
ask how Phil was doing after he found At station 1 we ran a squad with
out that the show was ending, Firefight- two paramedics and a 3 man Engine
er/Paramedic Jeff Miller responded that (EMTs). For Brush fires and poor ac-
“We had to put him on suicide watch”. cess areas there were two 6x6, 5 ton
Phil Ellison will probably be retired by trucks that were purchased for $1 from
then after 35 years of service. military surplus. The 5 ton trucks were
Six months after I began in Feb- again converted by Colton firefighters
ruary of 1982, Colton hired 2 more Fire- to 1000 gallon water tenders with 500
men, Mike Musgraves and Doug Blinkin- GPM pumps.
sop. It was great having others to study Station 2 had a 3 man engine
with and sharing the rookie load. Every with a Captain, Engineer and Firefight-
day was full of training and at night you er/Paramedic. We had two Crown fire
hit the books. I wouldn’t be seeing the trucks that were bought from Los Ange-
TV room for a year and at home it was les and housed at station 1 as reserves af-
more of the same. I witnessed a couple ter completing their time as first out en-
Rookies that thought they could slide by gines. Colton still had the 1943
their first year without too much effort. Seagraves 50’ aerial ladder 99