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Building Maintenance
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Zarion Stanbrough repairing protective gear.
Building Maintenance, 416 N. Water, Al Page and John McMurtray
1966 - Zarion Stanbrough, Neal Fugit, Jack Lane, and Avin Page.
| Maintaining fire department buildings from the earliest hose houses to the modern, multi-bay fire houses has indeed been a challenge over the years. Most of the early day maintenance was performed by the firefighters themselves. This practice continued until certain willing individuals volunteered to work on special projects. In 1928 #8 Station was built. Two years later several volunteers selected by the Chief built a building out of old paving brick north of the station. This building was called the paint shop, and it was used until #1 Station was built in 1931 and facilities were provided for vehicle and building maintenance. A few years later the shop was moved back to #8 Station at Third and Wabash and remained there until the station was vacated.
In 1943 Lt. John Greenstreet was appointed as building maintenance mechanic. As additional help was needed, firefighters and/or rookies were volunteered to assist on various projects. After #8 Station closed, the maintenance shop was moved to 416 N. Water. Later, in 1971 this building was razed and the shop was again moved, to 436 S. Emporia, its present location. Starting with one man, this section has grown to four building maintenance mechanics, and one civilian employee who is assigned to hydrant repair.
When one considers all the problems that are faced while maintaining their own home, they can get some idea of the responsibility of this section. In addition to the present sixteen fire stations, which are the firefighters' homes for twenty-four hours, they have in their care the building and vehicle maintenance shops, the training grounds with the drill tower and two smoke huts.
The personnel who make up this division have come from the ranks and are skilled in the various building trades. They are also subject to call twenty-four hours a day for maintenance repairs and to aid in combating emergencies.
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Related to 13 - Divisions and Organizations (1978) |
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