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Chapter Six

Houston would get a new nickname in the 1960’s. The development of NASA in our region would bring the world to our doorsteps and make the name “Space City” a familiar term. The nickname seemed appropriate since one of the first major fires of the decade was at a “Globe” retail store. Rockets in space were allowed but the city banned fireworks in town. Houston’s southward expansion would include the Medical Center fueling a growing demand for emergency services. A new landmark would grace the plains in the form of a domed stadium. The Astrodome was billed as “The Eighth Wonder of the World” and brought big league dreams to town. Houston’s population would exceed a million people within a 466 square mile radius keeping

its growth on the fast track. In 1965 the Fire Department had 54 Fire Houses and 1341 Fire Fighters to protect the citizens of Houston. The battle veteran “Water Tower” would see its end of service being replaced by not just one, but two Pitman Snorkel trucks. Prosperity would shine on The Fire Department and Fire Fighters would see a couple pay increases during this decade. In 1968 a new Central Station was opened. A new central motor repair shop also opened that year at a cost of $600,000. The 1960’s would end with the opening of a new department training academy, a new airport (Houston Intercontinental) to service. In 1969 the world listened as the first word spoken from the moon was, “Houston”.

1960-1969

Left: The Globe Discount Store was established in the late 1950’s by a family named Danburg. The store was located at 3030 Woodridge. The store was near the new Gulfgate Mall that was thriving at the time. Business was good for Globe as well. On the morning of October 17, 1961 a large fire broke out with over 200 customers in the store. The fire went to five alarms and was very difficult for Fire Fighters to extinguish. The store was very well built, one of the newspapers referred to it as a “Fortress”. The building was steel and concrete, the store had a large supply of ammunition that exploded. It took the Fire Fighters several hours to control the blaze and the damage exceeded five million dollars. Thirty Fire Fighters were treated on the scene for smoke inhilation. (Houston Fire Museum)

Fire Chiefs:Joe LobueW.O. HunterC.R. “Jake” Cook

Line of Duty Deaths:Don ContornoClaude Jackson HopkinsSteve Charlie BaranowskiJames Louis WallsTruxton Joseph Hathaway Jr.

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Left: Artist’s rendition of the soon to be new Fire House No. 1. (Houston Fire Department)

Below Left: Fire House No. 1 was located at 410 Bagby at Preston, just a short distance from the old Central Station, which closed down after serving the City for 44 years. (Houston Fire Department)

Below: Grand opening of Fire House No. 1. Ceremonial ribbon cutting done by Mayor Louie Welch. (Houston Fire Department)

Oppositse Page: The Globe Department Store fire, October 17, 1961. (Houston Fire Museum)

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Above: In the early 1960’s the Houston Fire Department started a Home Inspection Program. Each Fire House in

the City would inspect the homes in the neighborhood upon request by the resident. The HFD wood shop

was assigned to construct signs for all fire equipment. (Houston Fire Department)

Above Right: The crew of Fire House No. 42 inspecting a home in their territory. From left to right, Garrett Young, “D” Cunningham, Wayman Cravin, Samuel

Kempt, Milton Alford and Captain Doyle Ebel. (Doyle Ebel)

Right: This photo was a publicity photo to advertise the Home Inspection Program. This photo was taken at Fire House No. 33 in 1963. From left to right, Captain

George Lowdermilk, Captain John Gunthrie and Harold Hendricks. (Houston Fire Department)

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Left: Building fire in the late 1960’s. (Houston Fire Department)

Above: Crew of Engine 18 in 1962. From left to right, Chauffeur Joe Pollett, Robert “Bobby” Swisher, Captain A. C. “Buster” Green and Dave Ward. (Family of “Buster” Green)

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Above: Fire Chief “Jake” Cook inspecting Ladder 21, a brand new 1966 American LaFrance, 100 ft. Aerial.

(“Jake” Cook)

Above Right: Crew of Fire House No. 14, 1960. From left to right, back row, Leo Barr and Benard Thompson.

Front row, Edmond “Red” McKee, Bill Simmons, W. D. “Birdie” Thompson, Eugene “Duke” Jahnke, Otto Muller

and Andy Saraco. (Leo Barr)

Right: Leo Barr, Chauffeur, Ladder 14. (Leo Barr)

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Left: Crews training on a new 1966 American LaFrance. (Houston Fire Department)

Above: Cadet Class President, giving his speech. (Houston Fire Department)

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Above: Chief Fred Hooker getting a promotion and receiving his new badge from Fire Chief W. O. Hunter.

(From the Family of W. O. Hunter)

Above Right: One Sunday in 1960 these members of the Fire Fighter’s Union Local 341 took a trip to the Houston

Veterans Hospital. They took this group of patients out of the hospital and to breakfast and then to church. From

left to right, J. A. Perry, Captain Woodrow Pope, Willie Cooper, and Chief James “Jim” Honea. (Earl McWilliams)

Right: The Crew of Fire House No. 14 training on new equipment. Photo taken 1960. (Leo Barr)

Opposite Page: In 1967 the Houston Fire Department started an education program, educating school children

about the dangers of activating Fire Alarm Pull Boxes, creating false alarms. Chief Thompson was the District

Chief that was quartered at Fire House No. 14. The Chauffeur that day was a Fire Fighter named Amado

Garza. (Family of “Birdie” Thompson)

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Above: Fire House No. 4, 4106 Shepherd at Banks, was built with one apparatus bay on the front and the other

on the back side of the building. The Fire House opened at the S. Shepherd location in 1941 and remained an

active Fire House until it was closed in 1979, The Engine crew was moved to Fire House No. 16. The building was later converted to a fitness center, and was dedicated and named “The Lonnie Franklin Fitness Center” after Chief Franklin who died in the line of duty in January 4, 1983.

The building was later publicly sold. (Houston Fire Museum)

Right: The Crew of Fire House No. 4 doing a ladder drill on a 35 ft. extension ladder Photo taken mid-1960’s.

(Brent Friedman)

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Left: Brand new 1966 American LaFrance 100 ft. Aerial Ladder Trucks. They are being outfitted at the HFD Motor Repair Shop on Freeman Street. (Family of W. O. Hunter)

Below Left: Three HFD Mechanics in front of a 1950 Howe Engine. Left to right is Ed Chovanec, James Baker and Robert “Bobby” Mercilliott. (Family of W. O. Hunter)

Below: The Fire Fighter in the foreground is a hard working man named Frank Viola. He entered the Department in 1940 and left for a short time to serve in the Military. When he returned to the Department, he worked at a Fire House for a short time. He then went to work at HFD Motor Repair until 1997. Two of his most noted projects throughout the years were building the main body of the HFD Light that served the Department for many years and in 1954 outfitting the Ladies Auxiliary Chevrolet Station wagon. They used this vehicle for many years serving coffee and snacks to our Fire Fighters. Frank was forced into retirement in 1982. He was later re-hired as a civilian and eventually retired after 57 years of service to the HFD. (Family of W. O. Hunter)

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Above: In the 1960’s this emblem served as the official Houston Fire Department Logo.

(Houston Fire Department)

Above Right: In 1966 this Pittman Snorkel was purchased by the Department to be deployed to large fires

to replace the retired Water Tower 1. From left to right are Steve Berry and Captain Carl Weber. Photo taken

1966. (“Jake” Cook)

Right: Training on Snorkel 3. Behind the wheel is Jace Rogers and on the side is Steve Berry.

Photo taken 1966. (“Jake” Cook)

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Above Left: All the photos on this page were shot at Fire House No. 28, 5116 Westheimer Road, in 1962. In the back left of the photo is Harold McBee, on the right side is Hiram Woods. In the front is Captain Wayne Lanford and his Chauffeur, Ed Caesar, and standing between the two men is Domino. (Family of John S. Little Jr.)

Above: Captain Langford and Domino. (Family of John S. Little Jr.)

Left: In this photo behind the men is Domino. The Fire Fighter in the foreground is Stanley Boykin and the driver is Royce Gest. (Family of J. D. Fisher)

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Opposite Page: A Fire at Pettigrew Auto Supply on Jensen Drive in 1962. The truck on the right is a 1960

Ward LaFrance Service Truck, the one on the left is 1959 Howe Defender Service Truck.

(Houston Fire Department)

Right: In 1968 the Department purchased a brand new crash truck to be used at the new opening of IAH airport

in North Houston. The Crash Truck was a Yankee Walter. This photo shows how it arrived into Houston.

(Family of W. O. Hunter)

Below: Fire House No. 54 was built in 1969 at the new International Airport. The address of this Crash Station

was 2500 Bulk Fuel Road. With the expansion of IAH a new Fire House was built on airport property and where

this building stood is now a major taxi way. The new Fire House No. 54 is located 19006 Aldine Westfield Road.

(Houston Fire Department)

Below Right: 1968 Yankee Walter Crash Truck being prepared for service at IAH. (Family of W. O. Hunter)

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Above from Top Left to Bottom Right: Houston Fire Department Fire Chiefs 1960-1969. (All Photos Houston Fire Department )Joe Lobue, Fire Chief, 1964W.O. Hunter, Fire Chief, 1964-1968C.R. “Jake” Cook, Fire Chief, 1968-1973

Above Left: The Houston Fire Department bought several 1966 Ward LaFrance trucks to replace its aging fleet of Engines. This is how they arrived in Houston. (Family of W. O. Hunter)

Left: Chief Val Jahnke at the HFD Training Academy giving operating instructions to the crews on their newly acquired Ward LaFrance (Family of W. O. Hunter)

Opposite Page: Fire at the Big Oak Lounge on March 6, 1965, at Chenevert and McGowen. (Houston Fire Museum)

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Opposite Page: This was one of several publicity photos taken September 26, 1967. The campaign was designed to reduce

Fire Alarm Pull Box false alarms. (Houston Fire Department)

Right: Fire House No. 7 on 2403 Milam closed in 1969 and the new Fire House No. 7 opened at 1402 Elgin. This group of Fire Fighters were some of the last to work in the old quarters.

From left to right, top row, Clyde Harris, Captain Donald Gunnels, A. B. Whitehorn, Bobby Joe Jernigan, Captain James

Stahl and Captain Rufus Smith. Bottom row, Richard Gillis, Hilario Torres, Larry Benson, Charlie Green and John Martin.

Photo taken late 1968. (Larry Benson)

Below Right: Crew of Fire House No. 61, 1969, during a Fire House tour. To the far left of the photo is Brian McLeory Sr.

and the Fire Fighter on the far right is Joe Bryant. (Family of Brian McLeory Sr.)

Below: Fire Dispatch office, 1960. Seated from left, J. F. “Bubba” Arto, Wesley Earl Summers, James Othel Anderson,

Ed Bergman and “Big” Bill Hausinger. The Fire Fighter standing is Fred Jaynes, (W. W. Hausinger Jr.)

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Above: The new Houston Fire Training Academy opened in November of 1969. It is located next to Hobby Airport.

This new modern facility replaced the old academy that had been built in 1928 and was across the street from the

old Central Fire Station. (Houston Fire Department)

Above Right: The mayor of the city of Houston had just signed a proclamation. From left to right is Einar

Beckman, Fire Chief Claude “Rip” Bullock and Mayor Lewis Cutrer. Photo taken 1962.

(Family of Claude Bullock)

Right: A fire at the C & I Building, 1006 Main Street. The building was the home of a large insurance company,

C & I Life Insurance Company. Fire occurred early 1960’s. (Houston Fire Museum)

Opposite Page: Fire at the Coastal Paint Company, with Engine 10 first to arrive. Fire occurred early 1960’s.

(Houston Fire Department)

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For many years all Fire Fighters who attended the Houston Fire Academy were required to jump in the Life Net. Photo taken about 1966. (From the Family of W. O. Hunter)

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The Astrodome symbolizes the “can do” spirit of the region. It is located just south of the Medical Center sitting on an old oilfield called Pierce Junction. The temporary “Colt Stadium” can be seen next to it and the Shamrock Hotel in the

background. Photo taken 1968. (The Story Sloane Collection)