The Ladies of the YFDLA - 30 December, 1999

Y2K Cookie Baskets
The Cookie Basket evening was a major success. We were aiming for about 10 baskets and actually produced 25! Fantastic job, Ladies. All the goodies were delivered on time to the Fire Department Personnel and their Support Staff for the Y2K Upstaffing Contingency. Thanks to all the ladies and kids who participated and brought their talents with them. Thank you to Cheri for making the beautiful cards that were attached to the baskets. Thanks also goes to the ladies who delivered the baskets, and to Amanda for hosting the event. We all had a great time.

The cards that Cheri made and just two of the 25 baskets that were made for the Fire Dept and their support teams for the Y2K Upstaffing.

More pictures from the cookie basket session can be seen here.

A Brief Reminder
Just a quick reminder that membership dues are now past due. If anyone still has not paid their dues, please could you do so at your earliest convenience. The dues are $5 and should be made payable to the YFDLA. Please either see Shawna at the next meeting or mail them to:

YFDLA
711 S 14th Avenue
Yuma AZ 85364.

Thank you.

A Cursedly Good Donation

A big thank you to Station 2 for the donation of the contents of their cuss jar. Um... although $32 means a whole lotta cussing been goin' on... ahem... we are very grateful. Thank you all very much and um... keep up the good work.

YFDLA Kitty

At the last meeting, a motion was made to enlist the aid of a "kitty." The motion was passed and the kitty was whipped around at the meeting. Everyone made a donation and we raised $27.85, which will be put towards the costs of the Centennial Centerpieces. If we do this at every meeting, we will be helping our organization and enabling it to do bigger and better things. We did not set a minimum amount or a limit, so just donate what you feel comfortable giving or what you can comfortably afford. It's just a way for us to raise a little extra funds to enable us to start doing some really nice things.

The Annual City Christmas Party
Our presence was made known at the City’s Annual Christmas Party, held on December 18th at the Yuma Civic and Convention Center, and a good time was had by all. However, there was a moment of despair, since the PD personnel had seized our usual corner. Never fear. We dealt with this situation in true fire house fashion. We infiltrated the area, staked out a few key seats, and with rowdy fire house tactics we were soon able to regain our territory with ease, thus ensuring that we were seated together as usual (and not off pestering the rest of the City employees… Ok, ok, so we rearranged the furniture… we admit it. Ahem!). Our department was the group best represented and we all had a great time. And by the way, was that Paco or Martin that we saw out there learning to line dance? Or David or Daniel… Only they know for sure - we still struggle to tell who’s who! (Oh, if only we had pictures!! ...Just kidding, guys! )

City of Yuma Fire Department Celebrates
Its Centennial January 25, 2000

The early history of the Yuma Fire Department reads more like a chapter of fiction than real facts. Up until the year 1897, the village of Yuma was without a means to fight fire. The citizens were called to the scene of a fire by the firing of the well known six-shooter into the air two or three times, which, sometimes worked and more often, did not alarm anyone for the simple reason that it was a familiar sound in the populace. Being without fire hose of any kind, a bucket brigade would be formed and the fire put out in that manner, if and when possible.

Sometime in 1898 a hose cart with 250 feet of hose was brought to the village. It is believed that large companies, such as the railroad, provided their own fire brigades. Pictorial accounts show the SPRR Hose Company #1. Personnel organized, trained and in a small way, provided Yuma with some form of fire protection, but early photographs only portray these hose companies drilling or in parades.

The abilities of this fledgling hose company went unrecorded, if not untested until August of 1899. At 3am on August 30 the Gandolfo building on the corner of Second and Main Streets, occupied by the Sanguinetti and Gandolfo General Merchandise Store, caught on fire. This building was among the few, if not the only, two story structures in town. Hose carts were brought to play upon the flames but were ineffective in reaching the seat of the fire on the second floor. As the fire spread on the second floor, citizens helped with the removal of merchandise from the lower floor. Disaster struck when the top floor collapsed, trapping five men in the burning building. The victims were identified as Jerry Tapia, Refugio Riveras, father of six, and City Councilman Harry Neahr and Julian Preciado (who was to be married later that same day). Richard Wilson was rescued from the burning building but later succumbed to his injuries.

Yuma's Sentinel Newspaper caught the mood of the town when the editor wrote, "a pall is cast over the city. Flags fly at half mast and all business has been suspended."

Shock and the realization of the need for ladders capable of extending high enough to fight a second story blaze soon brought action. At the city council meeting of September 15, 1899, the decision was made to order ladders, helmets and protective clothing for the volunteer firemen. Two months later, the council decided a special volunteer company was needed to handle the ladders.

Based upon the recording of these as facts on January 25th, 1900, Hook and Ladder and Chemical Company No. 1 of the Yuma Volunteer Fire Department was organized.

As we begin to enter our second century of operations the composition of the City of Yuma Fire Department has changed immensely from its beginnings. Presently the Fire Department provides fire suppression, prevention, advanced life support emergency medical services, hazardous material response, technical rescue response, along with disaster planning and mitigation services.

Currently we are authorized 78 suppression personnel, 1 Fire Chief, 6 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Fire Marshal, I Dispatch Supervisor, 8 Dispatchers, 2 Inspectors, and 7 support staff (Clerical and Maintenance). Our operations now respond from five fire stations strategically placed throughout the incorporated areas of the city. Annually we respond to approximately 6000 calls for service, not only fire related, but now serving the City of Yuma as an “all risk” responder. As we reflect back on our previous century try to envision what our fore fathers viewed as we now view into our future.

This account was prepared as a direct result of research conducted by Battalion Chief Hank Green.