The Stinson Beach Fire Protection District has a long and proud history. While a beach won't burn, fires in the community have always been a threat. This small town's population can swell to thousands on hot summer days or during events such as the annual Dipsea Race. In addition to fire protection, they started a volunteer ambulance service in the 1960's that continues to this day. This West Marin FD remains primarily volunteer, along with Bolinas, Inverness, Nicasio, and Muir Beach.
View the start of a history page for SBFPD under the Current FD's section - we are first using a written history provided by the department to Bill Lellis during his visit. Included are some historical photos in a slide show, and to follow at some point in the future a much more comprehensive summary of fires, rescues, and other incidents in the area. We'd also appreciate any contributions from anyone who has old photos or other documentation to share. I was reminded of these song lyrics from Bill Joel's 1977 hit song when learning about the death of Fire Warden Clarence C. Grimm of the Tamalpais Forest Fire District. The origin of this old saying goes back much further than Billy Joel, all the way back to ancient Greece. A proverb as told by Greek Historian Herodotus c. 445 B.C. includes the phrase "Whom the gods love dies young."
Visit our Line of Duty Deaths section on the Marin Fire History web site and read about the loss of Fire Warden Grimm in 1932. He was survived by his wife Anna and four children, and the Marin County FD Fire Station on Throckmorton Ridge is dedicated in his memory and "...to all firefighters who serve to protect the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais from Wildfire." Thanks to Marin County Firefighter Todd Lando, retired, for his help with this story. Marin Independent Journal Reporter Nels Johnson wrote a great feature story published on August 31, 2013 titled "Hometown Heroes: The untold story of Marin's fire service casualties" He correctly pointed out that there is no common group memorial for the fire service line of duty deaths involving the Marin fire service.
This week we are starting the process of detailing the stories of each firefighter, and are pleased to announce that the earliest known incident has been rediscovered. Sausalito Fire Chief Walter A. Cook died while fighting a basement fire in a home in Sausalito on March 7, 1924. The story is told on our Line of Duty Deaths page for him, and includes some deeper historical information on Chief Cook that was not told at the time of his death in the local newspaper. It involves his role in the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906. Read all about it now. It is always important to understand the larger context when reviewing fire service history - what was happening in not only the larger fire service, but in our nation, state, society, and in our local communities?
In a few days we'll upload the first part of a written history of the Sausalito FD, one of our fire departments that "no longer exists" as an organization. As of 2012, the fire protection is formally provided through the Southern Marin Fire Protection District. Sausalito FD was one of the oldest in Marin, with roots dating back to the aftermath of a large fire on July 4, 1893. Look forward to the start of a detailed review, along with some great photographs. This was collected and prepared by retired Sausalito FD Operations Chief Fred Bunker, with help from many, all of whom will be thanked in the credits. |
AuthorOur Blog announces new site content, and gives the context of the topic and it's relationship to fire service history. Written by Bill Lellis & Paul Smith Archives
August 2022
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