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1953
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January 6, 1953 - Aerial 1 hit St. John Church at 3rd and Topeka.
1953 - Station No. 7 - Franklin and Porter -R.P. Braitsch, J.N. McGrew, L.L. Carney, W.F. Reimer.
Capt. A.J. Hillman, Firefighter L.L. Carney at new Station No. 7.
| In January of 1953, firefighter's salaries had been increased to an all time high, $326 for a first-class firefighter; after three years, starting pay was $275.
New No. 11 Fire Station was opened at George Washington and Harry later that year.
Firefighters worked for the reduction of hours; they sought a fifty-six hour work-week in place of the seventy-two hour week they were working. They collected 15,000 signatures of citizens on a petition, asking for a special election to vote on lowering the fireman's work-week.
The Commission offered a sixty-six hour week, but firefighters refused to accept.
August 6, 1953, old Station No. 5 was abandoned to make way for a new building. F.W. McCleave drove the USA Engine out of the station on the last run from the old quarters.
Six days prior to Fire Prevention Week 1953, a major fire broke out in the 300 block of N. Waco. Two buildings were destroyed with a loss of $100,000. This didn't dampen the spirit of Fire Prevention Week, "Miss Flame" and the whole Chamber of Commerce Safety Committee were driven around the downtown area on Aerial No. 1, and the Fire/Police Safety Caravan made the rounds of the elementary schools. That year, 3,000 letters were sent to businessmen by the Fire Prevention Committee requesting their help in preventing fires.
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