Persons in the News
Guthrie Chief at Atlanta
L. Waits Guthrie was named chief of the Adanta, Ga., Fire Department on June 1, succeeding Chief C. C. Styron, Sr., who retired after 51 years service in the department.
Guthrie, a 21-year veteran of the department was named lieutenant in 1945 and two years later was promoted to captain. In February 1953, he was injured fighting a fire, but while abed convalescing attained first place in an examination for battalion chief. Prior to his most recent promotion, Chief Guthrie served as first assistant chief.
Bing Named Sandusky Chief
Paul Bing, who attained first place in a competitive examination, was named chief of the Sandusky, Ohio, Fire Department on May 11. He succeeds Wilson McLaughlin who resigned earlier this year to become state fire marshal.
Chief Bing was appointed to the department in 1937, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1949. He was appointed captain in 1955 and assistant chief in 1958.
Dickerson Heads Austin
R. H. Dickerson, a veteran of 25 years service, and for the past 12 years assistant chief of the Austin, Tex., Fire Department, was named fire chief on June 25. He succeeds Chief John Woody who was elevated to assistant director of public safety last October. Chief Woody headed the Austin department for more than 30 years.
Chief Dickerson joined the department in 1933 and was promoted to captain in 1936. He became district chief in 1940 and assistant chief in 1947.
Bulger Succeeds Mercier in Rumford, Maine
George A. Bulger has been named chief of the Rumford, Maine, Fire Department to succeed Chief Solomon A. Mercier who retired on December 27, 1958, after 32 years service.
The new chief joined the department in 1948 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1955. In November 1958, he was appointed probationary chief pending Chief Mercier’s retirement, at which time he was appointed to head the department. He is an instructor in the Maine fire training program.
San Diego Ups Officers
Two veteran San Diego fire fighters were named in March to fill newly created jobs as assistant city fire chiefs. They are Paul B. Allen, 55, in the department since 1924, and Orville II. Lusk, 54, who joined in 1928. Both Allen and Lusk have been battalion chiefs since April, 1947.
Fire Chief George Courser said the new assistants will be directly responsible for supervision of the fire fighting force, leaving administrative duties to himself and Deputy Fire Chief Al Penrose. Both Courser and Penrose, however, will continue to respond to multiple-alarms.
George Proper Named to New York Safety Division
George H. Proper, Jr., chief of the Midway Fire Department, Town of Colonic, N. Y., was named deputy director, New York State Division of Safety on July 16. He has been associated with the New York Fire Insurance Rating Organization since 1950. During the past five years he has been with the Engineering Department engaged in municipal inspection work. A correspondent for FIRE ENGINEERING, Chief Proper is a certified New York State fire instructor and has lectured at several state instructor training conferences. He is also widely known in first aid and rescue circles.
Foster Named Minneola Chief
Jim Foster was recently named fire chief of Minneola, Kans., upon the retirement of O. R. Byerly who served as fire chief for 30 years. Chief Byerly was a member of the original fire department organized in Minneola in December 1922.
Snyder Chief of Beloit
Gordon Snyder became chief of the Beloit, Kans., Fire Department on July 1, succeeding Ed Schurtz who filled the post for the past 15 years.
Los Angeles Changes
Battalion Chief Thad Whippo, formerly head of the Los Angeles Fire Department’s fire information and education unit, was recently promoted to assistant chief and placed in charge of Division 4, San Fernando Valley. He succeeds Assistant Chief Herbert A. Krumsick, who retired July 3. Krumsick joined the department in 1914 and was senior man in service. Battalion Chief Elwood M. Culp has been named to succeed Whippo in the information unit.
In another change, Battalion Chief Henry Sawyer, Mountain Patrol commander, was promoted to assistant chief and remains in command of the patrol.
Wayne C. Nelson Named New Galesburg Chief
Wayne C. Nelson was appointed chief of the Galesburg, Ill., Fire Department on June 30, to replace W. T. Ekwall who resigned in May. Born in Galesburg 42 years ago, Chief Nelson joined the department in 1942. He was promoted to captain in 1951 and to third assistant chief in May 1958.
Garcia Heads Union City
Kenneth Garcia, engineer of the Decoto Fire Department, has been appointed chief of the Union City, Calif., Fire Department. The new department is a result of the incorporation of the cities of Decoto and Alvarado into one community with the name Union City.
Wheeler Honored by Southeastern Chiefs
Miami Mayor Robert K. High (left) and City Manager Ira Willard (right) congratulate Miami Fire Chief Newton L. Wheeler on presentation of his past president’s plaque by the Southeastern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. The plaque was awarded to Chief Wheeler for his outstanding leadership as president for the year 1958-1959.
City of Miami News Bureau Photo
Holmes Heads Monroe
Glenn C. Holmes advanced to chief of the Monroe, Mich., Fire Department on July 1, upon the retirement of Chief Russell Emerson, a veteran of 36 years service in the department. Chief Holmes joined the department on August 5, 1929. He was vice president of the Michigan Fire Fighters Association from its organization in 1933 to 1949.
Admiral Named Honorary Los Angeles Chief
Rear Admiral J. W. Ailes, III, USN, was made an honorary fire chief of the Los Angeles, Calif., Fire Department on June 6. Los Angeles Fire Chief William Miller presented Admiral Ailes a fire chief’s helmet in a ceremony in the Pentagon office of Fred A. Bantz, Under Secretary of the Navy.
The presentation was made on behalf of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the hundreds of men in the fire services who served with the Navy and other branches of the armed forces, according to Chief Miller, who is himself a commander in the United States Naval Reserve.
Chief D. G. Aid Retires
Chief Daniel G. Aid, U. S. Naval Station Fire Department, Green Cove Springs, Fla., will retire on September 1 after 40 years in the fire service. Chief Aid was appointed to the Jacksonville, Fla., Fire Department in 1919 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1927. He was appointed a captain in 1933 and held that position until his retirement from the city department in 1946.
On March 6, 1946, he assumed command of the Naval Station fire department and has served continuously in that post until recently when he was placed on extended sick leave due to hypertension and a heart condition. A contributor to FIHE ENGINEERING, he is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Florida State Fire Chiefs and during 1953-54 served as state vice president, Southeastern Association of Fire Chiefs.
New Dobbs Ferry Chief Honored
Retired Lieutenant Hugh Kelleher of the New York Fire Department, left, presents plaque with official chief’s badge to Clifton Foote, recently elected chief of the Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., Fire Department. Chief Foote became a member of Resolute Hook and Ladder Company in 1943. Subsequently he served as recording secretary, warden, lieutenant and captain. In April 1955, he was elected second assistant chief of the department and in April 1957, he was advanced to first assistant chief.
Photo by James Hallock.
Chief Foote is manager of office service and facilities with the General Electric Company in New York City. The presentation was made at a luncheon tendered to Chief Foote by a group of New York City firemen presently employed by General Electric.
Chief Broden Retires
Fire Chief Norman D. Broden, Cranston, R. I., retired August 3 after 32 years of service. He has headed the fire department for the past six years. He was appointed a fireman in 1927 and promoted to lieutenant in 1929. He was named captain in 1940 and deputy chief in 1946. Chief Broden is a director of the New England Association of Fire Chiefs and a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Club.
Chief Bendel Retires
Chief Roland Bendel, Decoto, Calif., Fire Department, retired June 1 after 34 years of service. He joined the department with the rank of captain on July 1, 1925, when it was organized and became chief in 1927. Chief Bendel is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and a life member of the Pacific Coast Inter-Mountain Association of Fire Chiefs.
