The next non-rainy drill will involve raising ladders and laying hose to the roof of the Courthouse, but rain is expected for awhile, so in the meantime we'll be touring some of the buildings around town.
As you know, two of our own, Moon Lee and Leonard Morris, have been honored by the Trinity Journal as Trinity County "Citizens of the Year". Moon has been a member of the Department for over 50 years, and Leonard served as a member 26 years and as a Commissioner 15 years.
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Alarms: January 27: A phone system malfunction activates the horn. January 28: Flue fire on Pine Street. January 30: Flue fire on Mill Street. January 31: A Trinity General nurse who wasn't told about a fire drill phones in an alarm. January 31: Generator testing trips the alarm (one more time) at the hospital. February 2: Captain Miller hits the horn button on his phone by accident. (At least he had the guts to admit it.) February 4: A phone company crew accidentally sets off the alarm. February 6: A workshop burns to the ground at Fawn Lodge. OES 183 backs up Lewiston. February 7: A request for medical aid-- the horn goes off for unknown reasons. February 8: Flue fire at Morris Hardware. February 10: A cigarette ignites a foam-stuffed chair, and the livingroom burns up on Hart Street. Barking dogs alert the occupants, who escape safely. The team of Butler and Honda did an excellent suppression job. Engine 5 practiced hose lays. February 15: Flue fire, East Weaver. February 15 again: False alarm at the High School. 17 incidents so far this year.
Thanks, all you Sirens who turned out to Station 1 during the early morning fire on February 10.
Regarding the medical call on February 7: If you receive a report of a person down/collapsed/unconscious/dead, or of a cardiac arrest or heart attack or stroke, or of someone choking or not breathing, or anything like that, make sure an ambulance is called and then go there to render aid until medical help arrives. It will take Trinity 1 two to eight minutes to reach locations in Weaverville, but maybe the victim is right next door to you. If CPR is required, it is essential to start as soon as possible.
There was a very good turnout for the blood drive last week. 89 people showed up, although due to flu, hypertension, and trips to Mexico, only 64 were able to donate.
Speaking of Mexico, tales of the daring exploits of Assistant Chief DeRosear in the bull ring have spread far and wide and require no repetition here. Let us be thankful that our Assistant Chief was not also spread far and wide.
Don't forget the Officer's Meeting February 27 at Station 2. Attendence is not limited to officers.
The tractor has been removed from its position under the 5000-gallon CDF tanker, so that tank is no longer full. It is still available in emergencies of course, if we find a tractor.
Siren's Officers for the new year are: President: Pat Gardner, Vice President: Deborah Taylor, Secretary: Kathy Sumpter, Treasurer: Peggy Palmer. Sirens meet the last Tuesday of every month at 7:30 at Station 1.
Training Officer Mike McMillan will be giving an introductory course for new firefighters, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 15th (if it doesn't rain) at 8 am, at Station 1. The program will probably last until 5 pm. Attendance of the following people is required: Jay Shults, Jerry Eamer, and anyone voted into the Department at the March dinner meeting. Anyone else who's interested is also welcome to attend.
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Notes:
- Howard Lovely, father of Mo Lovely, ran Trinity Hospital's ambulance for many years.
- Dan Miller later served as WFD Volunteer Chief.
- Hap Miller, former long-term WFD Volunteer Chief, operated a service station and auto-repair garage (now vacant) east of the Trinity County Sheriff's Office. As a hobby, he cast bells.
- John Honda was a hard-working logger and valued Volunteer, but people change: much later he was shot/killed in a standoff with Humboldt County law enforcement.
- Moon Lee is a Trinity County historic icon. See...
- Leonard Morris, descended from Trinity County pioneers, operated Morris Hardware, which was kiddy-corner across Hwy 299 from the Courthouse.
- Prior to 9-1-1, folks reporting fire emergencies called 623-2111, which was a 'party line' ringing in ~10 firefighters' homes. A button on each phone could activate the Fire Horn, which was the principal means of calling out the Department.
- 'Engine 5 practiced hose lays.': The first-in attack-engine told E5 to "lay a line from the bottom of the hill". All were vague as to the location of Hart Street. E5 (the present 2112) laid 2.5" line from the Joss House hydrant, til it ran out, with maybe a quarter-mile yet to go.
- In 1980, all WFD members were male. The 'Sirens' were the women's auxillary.
- In 1980, WFD did not routinely respond to medical calls. 'Trinity 1', the equivalent of today's '301', was called that because the principal radio contact for ambulances all over northeastern California was NorCalEMS dispatch in Redding.
- Dick DeRosear, in those days, owned Radio Shack, with his wife Charlene.
- 'CDF' is of course today's 'CalFire'. Weaverville's water system in 1980 was truly marginal. CDF supplied a 5000-gal water trailer for fire emergencies, which, to recollection, was never used.
- Pat Gardner was wife of Volunteer Dave Gardner, who operated the bike shop on Weaver Creek St. Deb Taylor was wife of Volunteer Dale Taylor (son of Volunteer Captain Glen Taylor); she worked for years on the ambulance, and later as a TCSO dispatcher; mother of present TCSO dispatcher Jennifer Taylor. Kathy Sumpter was wife of long-term CDF Captain Tom Sumpter. Peg Palmer, with husband Volunteer Captain Don Palmer (parents of Deb Taylor, and current Undersheriff Eric Palmer), worked for years on the ambulance.