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    • 1950 Fireman Aubrey E. "Jack" Miller, San Rafael FD
    • 1950 Fireman William "Sonny" Bottini Jr., San Rafael FD
    • 1958 Battalion Chief David A. Coutts, San Rafael FD
    • 1960 Cheda, Virgilio San Rafael FD Fire Marshal
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The Fatal Mar Vista Motors Fire
San Rafael, May 21, 1950
Two firefighters died in the line of duty

Two San Rafael Firemen were killed fighting this fire. Photos courtesy San Rafael FD Historical collection.
The story, followed by a feature video below. 

With thanks to author Diana Toci, then with San Rafael FD, and retired MCFD Firefighter Todd Lando, who was able to extract the article from an older version of software. This was originally printed in a San Rafael FD newsletter in 2008. Special thanks to the photos and information from the San Rafael FD historical collection, the Larkspur Volunteer Fire Foundation, for the film footage shared by the Nelson, Kohler, and the Wedemeyer families. Thanks also to retired SRFD Captain John Diego, the family of Charles I. Daniels Jr., and the Marin Independent Journal for their story about what happened on May 22, 1950.

 
By Diana Toci, San Rafael FD (written in 2008)

 
"Roof Collapses on Victims As Thousands Watch (May 21, 1950)
 
Those were the words of the headline in the daily Marin Independent Journal for the Monday edition on May 22, 1950. The fire began close to lunchtime on Sunday just as the marching members of the Fire Department were supposed to participate in a downtown parade. Thousands of San Rafael residents were lining the downtown area to watch the St. Raphael’s Mission parade.
 
Flames began to shoot high above the building with black smoke moving its way into the downtown area as the business “Mar Vista Motors” became totally engulfed, even before the firemen were able to arrive. The building was L shaped, and the crews set up their hose lines and ladders to attack the fire from the front and the back of the building. Aubrey E. Miller, 34, a World War II Veteran, married and father of four, and William Bottini, Jr. 24, also a Marin Veteran, were trapped in the fire.
 
William was alive when the crew pulled him to safety and administered first aid. He was later transferred to Cottage Hospital [the main Marin hospital. Aubrey was trapped under a burning beam when the building collapsed, and it was believed that he died instantly. Twelve hours later, the fire claimed its second victim when William died of his injuries and San Rafael Fire Department had its first two casualties in the line of duty in 75 years. Two men employed at Mar Vista Motors were interviewed by the Police Chief, Frank Kelly and Charles I Daniels, Jr., Fire Arson Inspector.
 
They were questioned as to whether or not they were smoking in or around the area that the fire started prior to the occurrence. The two men were Augustus Johnson, 23, Marin City, and James Thornton, 19, Woodacre. Miller and Bottini were inside the front of the building manning a hose line when the building collapsed. Robert Franzel, a young fire volunteer, was closer to the entrance of the business when the building collapsed and was able to escape uninjured. George Canessa and John Canziani pulled Miller’s body out of the building and Franzel went back in the assist Bottini.
 
William Bottini suffered a compound fracture to his leg as well as third degree burns. He received blood plasma from Hamilton Air Force base. Miller’s father in law, Second Assistant Chief, Matt Hart, was also uninjured in the fire. Franzel, who had recently graduated from San Rafael High School, and was the closest person to the two firefighters who perished in the fire, remarked: “I didn’t know what happened, it all happened so quick. Then I saw Bottini and wanted to help him out.”
 
Firefighter George Canessa remembered: “I just finished setting up the lines when the roof crashed in. I spotted Jack (Miller) in there. John Canziani and I and a third fellow (I don’t know who he was) went in there and dragged him out. His helmet had been knocked off his head.”
 
Captain Arthur Coutts, Richard Colombo (a volunteer) and George Simonds were on a ladder when the roof caved in. Johnson and Thornton had been working on Johnson’s car sanding it in preparation for painting it. They told the Arson inspector that they had been smoking up to the time of the fire but not during the fire. They said the fire started in a quart can of paint thinner sitting on one of the paint benches.
 
They told Kelly and Daniels that Thornton smelled and saw smoke in the can. He walked over to one of the paint booths to grab a blanket to fight the fire with, when in the moment of excitement he might have knocked over another can of thinner into another can of thinner (5 gallons big) that poured onto the floor below. “The five gallon can and the floor below it began to burn and Johnson went to get an extinguisher.”
 
“Harry (Thornton) hollered he was on fire, so I squirted the extinguisher on him” Johnson’s statement read. “I was going to pick up the five gallon can but it was stuck", Thornton said, and tipped over. "Then the fire really started.” P.G.& E. lines were destroyed in the fire causing power outages throughout town for several hours. Fire Chief Clarence Johansen, estimated total damage as $75,000-or maybe more. Owners of the business, Craig Baugess, and Ed Searing, were both from San Francisco.
 
Miller, the son of a San Quentin Prison correctional officer, Fred Miller, left his wife, Bernadette, and four children; John 11, Joanney, Dennis 6, and Barbara Kay 2. Bottini, a former bartender in his father’s San Rafael tavern, was a member of a well-established San Rafael family. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Carrie Bottini and sister, Marie Brandt.
​The President of the Fire Commission, Walter Castro, began a spontaneous fund drive to help support Audrey Miller’s widow and four children.
 
By noon the next day the fund had risen to $1,000 with individuals and organizations offering help. Pledges, donations and fundraisers were offered to give his family support and relief."

 
Charles I. Daniels, Jr’s. (Marin County Arson Investigator at the time of the fire) recollections of the event. See the Biographies section for his life story and obituary.
 
“At the time, I was the Marin County Arson Investigator working with all the Fire Departments of the County. I graduated twice from Purdue with a Law Enforcement Officer Investigator credential (the only one in the State of California to have two credentials). They trained CIA, O.S.I. and Canadian Mounties in this program. [The Office of Special Investigations was a unit within the Criminal Divison of the United States Department of Justice. Its purpose was to detect and investigate individuals who took part in state sponsored acts committed in violation of public international law, such as crimes against humanity.]
 
This particular day was supposed to be a Celebration day in San Rafael. At the time we were having a problem with someone setting off false fire alarms. Nick Gampoli and I thought because of the parade and a number of Fire Engines being dedicated to the parade that we might have issues if fire alarms were to go off so we were working downtown watching and waiting.
​The fire started at 4th & Lincoln, Mar Vista Motors. Smoke was billowing out into the street. Engines responded and worked the fire. I pulled up on Lincoln to the small paint and body shop about 1/3 block up 4th Street and the West side of Lincoln.
 
Two workmen that I questioned were preparing a car for painting with a sander. They had been smoking but were not smoking at the time of the fire. A spark from their sander had apparently fallen into a can of paint thinner where the fire first ignited.
In the excitement of putting out the one fire, the workman had knocked the can of paint thinner into a larger can of paint thinner, igniting both.
 
Fire from their area moved around the building engaging the entire Mar Vista Motors building in the blaze. The fire had gained headway by the time the San Rafael Fire Department was able to begin their attack. They hooked to the 4th and Lincoln hydrant with a 2 ½” hose line the middle of which was siamesed into two 1 ½” lines. Audrey Miller (known as Jack) attacked the fire from the East side of the building. Bill Bottini took on the West side.
 
Firefighters had a ladder against the front of the building on the East side. Chief Mat Hart and Captain Cootz climbed up to survey the damage over the roof. All of a sudden, Chief Hart and Capt. Cootz noticed the roof give way. They barely escaped by sliding their legs down the outside of the ladder to the sidewalk and safety. Jack Miller was on the right and Bill Bottini on the left side of the building when the ceiling gave way. Jack was trapped under the collapsed roof.
 
A number of Fire personnel, regular and volunteer - attempted to rescue Bill Bottini. They got him out because he was still holding on with a full grip to the hose line. He was a powerfully strong man that I had been a classmate of. We laid him on his back on 4th Street. His eyes had such a blank expression. As I looked down he looked up at me and said, 'I think I’ve had it.'  
Bill was taken to Cottage Hospital where he died ten or twelve hours later.
 
When we got to Jack Miller, who happened to be Chief Mat Hart’s son in-law, he was seriously burned and we believe died instantly from the collapse of the building. It was a sad day for the San Rafael Fire Department and for everyone in the City of San Rafael. I submitted the case to the Marin County District Attorney’s office as an accidental fire. No action was taken against the two workmen working on their car when the fire started.
 
As I recall, the only protective equipment they wore were their turn out coats and helmets. I feel because of this disastrous fire and several others that occurred around this time, that all the Fire Chiefs within Marin County were more cognizant of the origin of fires whether by natural or other causes."

 
Retired San Rafael Fire Captain John Diego’s recollections of the event:
 

"When I first started, we only had one Firehouse and 15 firemen. I made $225 a month and we worked 83 hours a week.
I started in 1946 and we were either on the A or B Shift. We would come in at 8 am and worked until 11 am. B would come in and relieve us one hour for lunch. Then we would come back and work until 5pm. B would come back and let us go to dinner. At 6pm we would be back and work all night until 8am. The B Shift would come in and we would relieve them for lunch and dinner.
 
We had to live in San Rafael for several years before they would hire us. Most of us lived either in Bret Harte or Sun Valley.
You could never leave town and if you had to leave town, you had to get someone to relieve you. We had house gongs (6 inch bells) any alarm in town would set off or someone at the Firehouse could press a button and set all our home bells off.
We would respond to all and any fires - even on our days off.
 
We got a call for a fire from fire boxes. There were no Dispatchers and our Fire Secretary worked out of City Hall. We had a whistle that was in operation that rang 8 am, noon, and 5 pm daily that you could hear all over the City when it went off - people set their watches to it. The day of the fire I was the driver on Engine 1 - we had three engines all together at that time. Bill Bottini and Jack Miller rode on the back - the guys stood on the back and held on, back then.
 
I stopped at the first hydrant outside Joe’s and 4th and ran my first hose line that Jack and Bill took in the front door.
Then I went down to the second hydrant on 5th and Lincoln and ran the second hose line. I am not sure who was on that line. Then I came around and ran a third line that I was on. I came up the alley. I don’t remember the roof coming in, but it seemed like I was in that position for hours.
 
Chief Hart (Jack’s father–in–law) was working the fire and he came up to me and said, 'We lost your buddy.' That was the first I heard of it. I never saw him or anything. Father O’Meara was there and I asked him if they were alive and he said, 'Yes.'
He didn’t want to tell me but I was pretty sure that they were dead. This was an automotive place where they were getting a vehicle ready. They had a gallon of volatile liquid - I am not sure what it was. It spilled and started the whole fire.
 
Jack and Bill went in the front door. I don’t think the roof was secured that well—that’s what trapped them. Fred Shuer was the Fire Chief and the first paid Chief in San Rafael. Chief Castro was there as a volunteer. These two were my closest friends that died that day. I had nightmares for two years after that.  Jack and I started doing fire alarms together. I ran six bare cables to all the stations that were built later plus the fire alarms.
 
Jack’s wife and my wife were close friends. I was pall bearer at both funerals. They both took place at St. Raphael’s. People and school kids were lined up all the way down Fifth Street to Lincoln on both sides. The Mayor, Commissioners, and Fire Department members from all over the County were there. A Special Marching Unit from San Francisco Fire Department was there as well as all the members of the San Rafael Police Department.
 
We were very close to the Police Department in those days—I know you guys still are. When I started we had 22 Fire Alarm boxes. When I retired we had 100 boxes. When East San Rafael was underwritten they told the Fire Department had to increase the alarm boxes. Five boxes were pulled the day of the Fire. I was glad I had worked on placing them there."

For full screen, lick on the symbol to the left of the word vimeo in lower left corner.

Mar Vista Motors Fire 1950 MCFCA from Tom Forster on Vimeo.

This eight-minute documentary video is a compilation of film footage shot by Arthur Wedemeyer, Sr., a former Mayor of Larkspur. In addition, footage from Larkspur resident Rudy Nelson is included of a parade and trains in Larkspur, and a brief clip from a feature film named "Impact" that was also shot in Larkspur. Special thanks to retired Larkspur Chief William Lellis, and retired San Rafael Chief Bob Marcucci for their narration. Thanks also to the Marin Independent Journal for their coverage of the fire. The video was produced and edited by Tom Forster for the 2005 Marin County Fire Chiefs Association Installation Dinner. The historical footage is shared courtesy of the Larkspur Volunteer Fire Foundation.
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      • Corte Madera FD
      • California Park VFD
      • Corte Madera Volunteer Fire Department Ltd.
      • Fairfax FD
      • Forest Knolls VFD
      • Hamilton Field & Hamilton Air Force Base
      • Homestead Valley VFD
      • Larkspur FD
      • Marin City VFD
      • Marinship FD
      • Northwestern Pacific Railroad Depot Tiburon FD
      • Olema VFD
      • Presidio FD
      • Ross FD
      • San Anselmo FD
      • San Geronimo Valley VFD
      • Sausalito Fire Department
      • Synanon Fire Department
      • Tamalpais Valley Fire Protection District
      • Tamalpais Forest Fire District
      • Terra Linda FD
      • Tiburon Naval Net Depot FD
      • Tomales VFD
  • Blog
  • Videos & LIVE! Stream
  • Line of Duty Deaths
    • 1909 S.J. Frooman Died Fighting Jute Mill Fire
    • 1914 Fireman Aristid Papadimetrion Ross VFD
    • 1924 Fire Chief Walter A. Cook, Sausalito FD
    • 1932 Fire Warden Clarence C. Grimm, Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • 1936 Captain Robert A. "Bert" Meagor, San Anselmo FD
    • 1937 Fireman Louis H. Hewelcke, San Rafael FD
    • 1948 Fire Chief Samuel L. Mazza, Marin County FD
    • 1950 Fireman Aubrey E. "Jack" Miller, San Rafael FD
    • 1950 Fireman William "Sonny" Bottini Jr., San Rafael FD
    • 1958 Battalion Chief David A. Coutts, San Rafael FD
    • 1960 Cheda, Virgilio San Rafael FD Fire Marshal
    • 1961 Fireman Paul Hogancamp Marin County FD
    • 1961 Fireman Frank Kinsler, Alto Fire District
    • 1962 Fireman Thomas James Sutton Jr., Marinwood FD
    • 1967 Lake Keeper Raymond Paul Halderman, MMWD
    • 1969 Fire Chief George J. Cavallero, Novato FPD
    • 1970 Assistant Fire Chief Samuel J. Blumenberg, Hamilton Air Force Base FD
    • 1978 Fireman James Niven, Larkspur FD
    • 1980 - William Marsh, San Rafael FD
    • 2003 Firefighter Steven Rucker, Novato FPD
    • 2006 Paramedic and Captain Robert Paoli, Marinwood FD
    • 2008 Deputy Chief Jeff Powers, Southern Marin FPD
  • Major Fires, Incidents
    • Structure Fires >
      • 1875 Saucelito House Fire, in Sausalito
      • 1876 Structure Fire San Quentin Prison
      • 1884 Steamer Sausalito Ship Fire San Quentin
      • 1885 Tocaloma Hotel Tocaloma
      • 1890 Tiburon Burns Down
      • 1893 Sausalito Stables Fire
      • 1893 Sausalito Downtown Fire
      • 1893 San Rafael Buildings Burn
      • 1894 Larkspur Inn Burned Down
      • 1898 Tomales Downtown Burns
      • 1907 Original Muir Woods Inn
      • 1907 San Anselmo Structures
      • 1908 Lagunitas Country Club Fire in Ross
      • 1909 Jute Mill Fire, San Quentin Prison
      • 1910 Corte Madera Homes Burned
      • 1910 Rossi's Villa Fire San Anselmo
      • 1911 Pastori's in Fairfax
      • 1913 Robert Dollar School Fire San Anselmo
      • 1913 Muir Woods Inn
      • 1913 Corte Madera Structure Fires
      • 1914 Town of Ross Structure Fires
      • 1915 Warehouse Fire San Rafael
      • 1915 B Street Fire, San Rafael
      • 1916 Samuel P. Taylor Paper Mill Fire
      • 1916 Tocaloma Hotel Fire
      • 1917 Belvedere Union Fish Plant
      • 1918 E.K. Woods Lumber Company San Anselmo
      • 1919 St Raphael's Church
      • 1920 The Great Tomales Fire
      • 1920 Madden Shipyards Fire Sausalito
      • 1920 St. Francis Club, Kentfield
      • 1921 Tiburon, NWPRR Machine Shops
      • 1921 Tiburon Main Street Fire
      • 1923 Tavern of Tamalpais Burns Down
      • 1923 Mason Distillery Fire Sausalito
      • 1924 Shriner's Lodge San Rafael
      • 1926 Alta Mira Villa Fire, Sausalito
      • 1928 Rafael Hotel Fire
      • 1929 Tam O'Shanter Inn Corte Madera
      • 1929 Larkspur Nursery Explosion & Fire
      • 1929 Hotel Rossi Fairfax
      • 1929 Red Mill Inn, San Quentin
      • 1934 St. Cecilia's Church, San Geronimo
      • 1937 Belvedere, Union Fish Company Cod Plant
      • 1937 Orpheus Theater San Rafael
      • 1940 Hotel Nicasio Burns Down
      • 1940 Christiansen Lumber Mill San Rafael
      • 1945 Pini Building Novato
      • 1946 Crockett Warehouse Fire
      • 1949 Bath House Fire San Rafael
      • 1950 Marin Storage & Trucking Company Fire San Rafael
      • 1950 Mar Vista Motors San Rafael
      • 1951 Food Bank Fire, Larkspur
      • 1951 Jute Mill Fire, San Quentin Prison
      • 1952 San Rafael Building & Plumbing Fire
      • 1952 Little Heating & Sheet Metal San Anselmo
      • 1952 Jocko's Hotel Nicasio
      • 1955 Bleu Baie Tavern, Marshall
      • 1955 Lodge Fire San Rafael
      • 1956 Olema Fatality Fire - Three Children
      • 1957 Hotaling Mansion Fire San Anselmo
      • 1957 Fourth St. Fire San Rafael
      • 1958 Simmons Building Downtown Novato
      • 1958 Bellach Furniture Fire San Rafael
      • 1960 Shipyards Fire Sausalito
      • 1960 O'Neill and Logan Fire
      • 1961 Puerto Suello Tunnel
      • 1963 College of Marin Gymnasium Kentfield
      • 1963 American Distilling Company Fire in Sausalito
      • 1964 Duplex Fires Tiburon FPD
      • 1969 Novato Olompali Mansion Burns
      • 1969 San Rafael Tire & Brake
      • 1971 Court House Fires, San Rafael
      • 1975 New Joes Fire, Corte Madera
      • 1976 Peter Donahue Building Fire Tiburon
      • 1977 Lumber Yard Fire Novato
      • 1990 Dominican Convent Fire SR
      • 2008 Upland Fire, Corte Madera
    • Wildfires >
      • 1800's >
        • 1852 Marin County Wildfires
        • 1859 Mt. Tamalpais Fire, Mill Valley
        • 1865 Forest Fire Bolinas Bay Woods
        • 1878 Nicasio Wildfire
        • 1881 Forest Fire Blithedale Canyon Mill Valley
        • 1889 Forest Fire Corte Madera
        • 1890 Forest Fire San Rafael to Bolinas
        • 1891 Forest Fire Bill Williams Gulch
        • 1892 Wildfire Bolinas Road
        • 1893 Forest Fire Mill Valley and Mt. Tam
        • 1894 Forest Fire Mill Valley
        • 1899 Corte Madera, Mill Valley, Larkspur Wildfire
      • 1904 Forest Fire Bolinas Ridge
      • 1909 Larkspur Forest Fire
      • 1913 Mt. Tamalpais, Larkspur, and Muir Woods Fire
      • 1917 Inverness Ridge Wildfire
      • 1919 Muir Woods and Mt. Tam
      • 1919 Sausalito Hills
      • 1923 Wildfires including Ignacio to Bolinas Ridge, Fairfax
      • 1926 Tamalpais Fires
      • 1928 Wildfire Fort Barry
      • 1929 The Great Mill Valley Fire
      • 1932 Shafter Ranch Fire West Marin
      • 1932 Thanksgiving Day Wildfire, Near Alpine Club
      • 1936 Bolinas Ridge Wildfire
      • 1943 Bald Hill Fire Ross Valley
      • 1945 The Mill Fire, Carson Canyon
      • 1947 Corte Madera Wildfire
      • 1949 Ignacio Big Rock Ridge Wildfire
      • 1953 St. Vincents Marinwood
      • 1953 Sausalito, Wildfire
      • 1954 Guide Dogs for the Blind Terra Linda MCFD
      • 1958 Black Canyon San Rafael Wildfire
      • 1959 Kent Canyon, Brazil Ranch Wildfire
      • 1964 Hanly Fire, Sonoma County Mutual Aid
      • 1965 Muir Woods Wildfire
      • 1965 Chileno Valley Wildfire
      • 1966 Marincello Wildfire, Southern Marin Headlands
      • 1967 Bald Hill Fire, Ross
      • 1969 - Red Hill Fire, San Anselmo
      • 1972 Angel Island State Park
      • 1972 Kent Woodlands, October 9
      • 1976 Sorich Park Wildfire San Rafael
      • 1991 The Oakland Fire Mutual Aid
      • 1995 Mount Vision Fire Inverness
      • 2008 Angel Island Wildfire
    • Storms and Weather
    • Accidents and Rescues
    • Hazardous Materials Incidents
  • Special Recognition & Award Recipients
    • Bain, Mert, Fireman Larkspur Fire Department
    • Bent, Edward W. State Fire Training
    • Coleman, Ronny J. State Fire Marshal, retired
    • Dufficy, Dr. Rafael Jr. San Rafael FD
    • Marcucci, Robert, Chief San Rafael FD, retired
    • McLaren, Richard Evans, Chief San Anselmo FD
    • Massucco, Ken, Chief Marin County FD
    • Nelson, Ron, Lieutenant, Larkspur FD
    • Reilley, Charles R. (Jr.) Chief Marin County FD
    • Selby, Norman, "Kid McCoy" Fire Chief San Quentin
    • Wedemeyer, Arthur E. (Jr.), US Marine Corps, Larkspur FD
    • Wilson, Irwin "Willie" , Engineer Larkspur FD
  • Biographies
    • Corte Madera FD Biographies >
      • Childress, John Corte Madera FD Captain/Medic
      • Ferguson, Joseph Stanley - CMVFD Ltd., Artist, Cartoonist
      • Forster, Jack William, Corte Madera Volunteer FD Ltd.
      • Kelly, Harold - Assistant Chief, Corte Madera VFD Ltd.
      • Larson, Lee Assistant Fire Chief Corte Madera FD
      • Moreno, Anthony "Tony" Corte Madera VFD
      • Nelson, Franklin Lars - Chief Corte Madera VFD Ltd.
      • Nelson, William Corte Madera VFD
      • Ralston, Bud Corte Madera FD
      • Salarpi, Larry Corte Madera FD
      • Walker, James Corte Madera VFD
    • Kentfield FPD Biographies >
      • Kamp, Kenny - Chief Kentfield FPD
      • Mariani, Guido Kentfield FPD Asst. Chief
      • Mariani, Robert - Chief Kentfield FPD
      • Ruhland, Fred Kentfield FPD
    • Larkspur Fire Department Biographies >
      • Archer, Douglas - Deputy Chief Larkspur FD, retired, Historian
      • Bartram, George Larkspur FD Chief
      • Doherty, Dolph - Chief, Larkspur FD
      • Lellis, William - Chief, Larkspur FD retired, Photographer & Historian
      • Nelson, Rudolph "Rudy", Filmmaker
      • Raggio, John Fire Chief, Larkspur FD
      • Shurtz, Craig Larkspur FD Chief
      • Wedemeyer, Arthur Edward Sr., Filmmaker, Pilot, Mayor
    • Marin County FD Biographies >
      • Bloom, Louis - Chief, Marin County FD
      • De la Montanya, Lloyd - Chief, Marin County FD
      • Jennings, Greg , Senior Captain Marin County FD retired, Historian
      • Martin, Pete - Captain, Marin County FD, retired, Historian
      • Meuser, Brian Marin County FD
      • Nunes, Clarence Marin County FD
      • Rowan, Stan - Chief, Marin County FD, retired
      • Selfridge, James - Deputy Chief, Marin County FD, retired
    • Mill Valley FD Biographies >
      • Davidson, Jeff Mill Valley Chief
    • Novato Fire District Biographies >
      • Bacon, Harold A. "Tony", Captain, Novato FPD retired
      • Berthinier, James - Chief, Novato FPD, retired
      • Meston, Jeff, Chief Novato FPD, retired
      • Rentz, John - Chief, Novato FPD, retired
    • San Anselmo FD Biographies >
      • Beedle, Robert San Anselmo FD Chief
      • Cartwright, Charles San Anselmo FD
      • Marcucci, Marty Battalion Chief Ross Valley FPD, retired
      • Marcucci, Nello Fire Chief San Anselmo FD
      • Meagor, Linda Louise San Anselmo FD
      • Sousa, Frank Chief, San Anselmo FD
    • San Rafael Fire Biographies >
      • Castro, Walter San Rafael FD
      • Diego, John San Rafael FD
      • Daniels, Charles I., Jr. (Chuck)
      • Johansen, Clarence Fritz San Rafael FD Chief
      • Johansen, Martin San Rafael FD Chief
      • Martin, Bruce - San Rafael FD Chief
      • Mizroch, Dr. Stephen, M.D. - SR Fire Commissioner, Historian & Collector
      • Scheuer, Fred J. San Rafael FD Chief
      • Schneider, D.N. San Rafael FD Chief
      • Williams, John - Captain, San Rafael FD, retired, Historian
    • Sausalito FD Biographies >
      • Bogel, Steve - Chief, Sausalito FD
      • Bunker, Fred - Division Chief Sausalito FD, retired.
      • Pedersen, Swede Sausalito FD
      • Perry, Matts Sausalito FD
      • Poole, Gene Sausalito and San Rafael FD's
      • Quayle, Robert - Chief, Sausalito FD
    • Tiburon FPD Biographies >
      • Rappole Bliss, Rosemary - Chief, Tiburon FPD
      • Buscher, Franklin - Chief, Tiburon FPD
    • Barrows, Richard "Dick", Chief State OES
    • Drady, Harold "Spike" Nicasio VFD Chief
    • Gardner, Edwiin B. Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • Goodson, Carl - Battalion Chief, Santa Rosa FD, retired.
    • Hensley, William J. Tamalpais Forest Fire District
    • Heynen, Carl Otto, Jr. Alto Richardson Bay FD
    • Kobseff, Nicolas 'Nick' Chief Nicasio VFD
    • Livingston, Dewey - West Marin Historian
    • McMurray, Bill Marin County Communications, MCSO
    • Mersereau, Laurence "Bunk" - Chief, Belvedere FD
    • Rogers, Art - Photographer
    • Souza, Robert - Chief, Tamalpais FPD
    • White, Dan - Ambulance Company Owner, Businessman & Videographer
  • Current Fire Service Associations
    • California Fire Chiefs Association
    • California State Firefighters Association
    • Retired Fire Service Groups
    • Fire Safe Marin
    • Fire Training Officers Section MCFCA
    • Fire Prevention Officers Section MCFCA >
      • Fire Investigation Team
    • International Association of Fire Chiefs
    • Marin County Fire Chiefs Association >
      • 2017 Installation Dinner
      • 2018 Installation Dinner Ignacio
      • Perpetual Leadership Award Recipients
    • Marin Office of Emergency Services
    • Northern California Fire Prevention Officers, CFCA
    • Northern California Fire Training Officers, CFCA
    • Operation Chiefs Section MCFCA
    • Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association
  • Former Fire Service Associations
    • Larkspur FD Ladies Auxiliary
    • Lucas Valley Volunteer Fire Association
    • Marin County Association of Fire Departments
    • Marin County Association of FD's Ladies Auxiliary
    • Marin Sonoma Fire Training Officers Association
    • Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs
    • Redwood Empire Tri-County Fireman's Association
    • Redwood Fire and Protective Association
    • Stockmens Protective Association
    • Tamalpais Forestry Association
  • Competitions, Sports, and Events
    • Baseball & Softball Teams
    • Chili Cookoffs
    • Football Team
    • Hose Cart Racing
    • Larkspur Fire Muster 1978-1984
    • Oregon & Nevada Musters
    • California Fire Musters
    • Water Fights
    • 4th of July Fireworks Displays
  • National Fire Heritage Center
  • Emergency Medical Services
    • Annual EMS Survivors Dinner
  • The Hazardous Materials Team
  • College Fire Science and Technology Programs
    • Santa Rosa Junior College
    • College of Marin
  • Residential "Sleeper" Programs at FD's
    • Corte Madera FD Sleeper Program
    • Kentfield FPD Sleeper Program
    • Ross Fire Department Sleeper Program
    • Tiburon Fire Protection District Sleeper Program
  • History of California State Fire Training
  • Marin County Fire Training
  • Fire Water Systems
  • Communications Systems, Radios, MERA
  • Urban Search & Rescue Team (USAR)
  • Tamalpais Fire Crew
  • Sanborn Fire Maps
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • National Fire History, Related
    • The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders, Origin
  • Fire Apparatus & Equipment
    • C.A.M. Manufacturing & Louis P. Soldavini
    • The Transition to Motorized Apparatus
    • Historical List of Apparatus For Marin County
    • 1850 Austrian Hand Pumper, Larkspur FD
    • 1916 Ford Model T Chemical Engine Larkspur
    • 1922 Stutz Fire Pumper San Rafael
    • 1923 American La France Pumper, Mill Valley FD
    • 1923 Ford Model T, Novato FD
    • 1927 American La France Pumper, Kentfield
    • 1929 Seagrave Pumper, Fairfax FD