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Panama-Pacific International Exposition Fire Department Click here for information about the PPIE 100th Anniversary Event
In May 1914, the Fair Commission contracted with the San Francisco Fire Department, to operate the Fire Protection facilities at the Fair. An agreement between both parties meant the San Francisco Fire Department would supply the manpower for the fire protection equipment and the Fair would provide the stations, apparatus and other firefighting equipment. The first company went into service at Station 1, June 9, 1914. The motor driven fire apparatus was leased by the Fair under an exhibit contract from the American LaFrance Company, Elmira, New York, at a gross rental fee of $16,400.00, covering an average period of twenty (20) months.
Rental price was based on the type of apparatus rented:
Three Fire Stations were located on the Fairgrounds:
Notes: The SFFD organized Engine Company Co. 46 on June 24, 1913. The company was assigned the Fair Grounds at the Panama Pacific International Exposition during the construction phase. The company’s apparatus was a high pressure Hose Wagon and a small hose wagon, both horse drawn. In fall of 1914, the company was relocated to new quarters at 441 12th Avenue. In 1914 the American LaFrance Company used registration numbers in the 500's for leased apparatus. Regular off- the- line registration numbers at the time were in the high 200's. After the Fair closed, the apparatus was sold to the following cities:
2014 Four of the ten above units are known to be still in existence.
VOL. XII - NO. 13 SAFEGUARDING THE EXPOSITION FROM FIRE. By Howard G. Hanvey According to experts on fire risk there is not an area in the world that is as safely guarded against conflagration as California's$50,000,000 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. On the 635 acres of highly inflammable structures, practically every known agent for fire fighting has been installed, from water to chemicals, and from high-powered motor apparatus to automatic sprinklers and alarms. The Exposition fire-fighting system is a unit in itself, independent of San Francisco's system from the standpoint of everything except water. High-pressure and low-pressure mains on the Exposition grounds tap those of the city's system. With equipment the Exposition system represents a valuation of more than $500,000. In view of the fact that great disasters have gone hand in hand with expositions in the past, nothing has been left undone here in fire prevention. Three modern up-to-date fire engine houses, harmonizing in architecture with the architectural scheme of the exposition, are situated on the grounds. No. 1, fire headquarters, is at the Fillmore street entrance, in the main exhibit palaces section; No. 2 firehouse is in the "Zone," the amusement area, and No. 3 is adjacent to the Fine Arts Palace, in the state and foreign nations section.
EXPERIENCED MEN AT HAND. Battalion Chief Jas. F. Layden, one of the city's oldest and most experienced fire fighters, is in charge of the Exposition department as chief, with Timothy Harrington assistant chief. At present there are 100 men, the pick of the city's department, stationed at the three houses, comprising in all seven companies, and by the formal opening of the Exposition this number will be greatly increased. The men are put through daily drills to acquaint themselves with the grounds and the intricacies of the great exhibit palaces and other structures. The Exposition's motor fire apparatus alone is valued at $100,000 and represent, according to authorities on the subject, the very latest in equipment of that character. At the headquarters station are housed an aerial truck, a pumping engine, hose wagon and squad wagon, all motor driven. The aerial truck is equipped with eighty-five-foot ladders and is an innovation in ladder trucks in service on the coast. The squad wagon, in addition to hose and chemicals, carries a special crew of firemen, the purpose of this being to get to the scene of every fire in the quickest time possible with a force of men trained to take the lead in either extinguishing fire or preventing its communication to a larger area. At No. 2 firehouse on the "Zone" are a pumping engine, a hose wagon and chemical. At No. 3 firehouse are a ladder truck and engine and hose wagon. The total equipment for the three houses consists of three pumping engines, two trucks, one chemical and one squad wagon, all motor driven. It is probable that the equipment may also be increased after the opening of the Exposition. HYDRANTS PLENTIFUL. That the equipment can be gotten to the scene of a fire in a minimum amount of time was demonstrated recently at a test, when motor apparatus stationed on the "Zone" made the run through the Exposition to the westernmost extremity of the grounds in one minute and two seconds. The Exposition taps the city's high-pressure system in eight and sixteen-inch mains, drawing on the 10,000,000 gallons of fresh water stored in the Twin Peaks reservoir. High-pressure hydrants are located 200 feet apart throughout the Exposition grounds, and at these 200 pounds pressure has been registered, which gives a higher nozzle pressure. In addition to the high-pressure system there are several miles of mains, carrying the ordinary water supply, which in comparison with the city's emergency system is known as "low-pressure." The hydrants of these are situated twenty feet distant from the high-pressure. The hydrant of these are the ones which the motor fire engines use for increasing the nozzle pressure of the streams. As in the city's system, in case of the failure of the fresh water supply in a great emergency, the Exposition can draw on the salt water pumping auxiliaries at Fort Mason and in Townsend street. Supplementary to these also are two manifolds, one located at the Exposition ferry slip, and another at Yacht Harbor, into which the fire tugs Scannell and Sullivan can pump. These manifolds connect with the system of mains on the grounds, and tests have shown that should all other means fail a tremendous pressure can be developed from the two tug manifolds.
ALARM SYSTEM COMPLETE. There are 194 high-pressure hydrants distributed over the grounds, with double valves and the same number of "low-pressure" hydrants. In addition to these there are ninety-five three-inch hydrants on the roofs of the main palaces, and batteries of six-inch swinging monitors. In Machinery Palace alone there are twenty-one hydrants on the 100-foot level. At all hydrants in the buildings and on the roofs are full equipments of hose, so that firemen do not have to delay pulling the hose after them when answering an emergency call. Within each of the palaces are six forty-gallon chemical tanks on wheels and a large distribution of three-gallon fire extinguishers. A model working exhibit in the Palace of Liberal Arts serves as the fire alarm signal bureau. There are 102 fire alarm boxes on the grounds, an alarm from any one of which goes into the Exposition signal station. No alarms on the Exposition grounds communicate with those of the city's system, excepting one vicinity alarm which is automatically sent in, calling city equipment to the Exposition gate nearest the scene of the fire. Besides this signal system, however, there is an auxiliary automatic system known as the Aero alarm. There are seventy-six miles of this system running through the main exhibit palaces. It consists of a hollow wire tubing, which on heating from a fire expands the air in it and automatically sends in an alarm.
A system of automatic fire sprinklers in the palaces and curtain sprinklers running along the top walls gives added protection to the big structures. The Exposition fire protection system has been installed under the direction of W. M. Johnson, chief engineer of the department of water supply and fire protection and engineer of the National Board of Fire Underwriters. An advisory committee consisting of George W. Booth of the National Board of Fire Underwriters; F. H. Porter, manager of the Fire Underwriters' Inspection Bureau, George M. Robertson, Chief Engineer of the Board of Fire Underwriters of the Pacific, has supervised the development of the fire prevention system of the Exposition. WATCHING FOR FIRES. Like the forest ranger on his mountain top sweeping the Sierran timber for the smoke of a fire, an exposition guard stands day and night at the top of the Tower of Jewels, watching the forest of roofs and domes for a possible blaze aloft which might not be seen from the ground below. RELATED ARTICLES
PPIE FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING There may have been a change as to who provided manpower “An agreement between both parties meant the San Francisco Fire Department would supply the manpower for the fire protection equipment”. Recently found in the “Fire Prevention Annual” of December 1924 is the following: The organization charged with protecting this vast undertaking from fire, although paid by management of the exposition company, was a part of the San Francisco Fire Department, experienced men from the city forces having been exchanged with the new men employed by the corporation, the unit thus formed being under the direct supervision of the chief engineer of the San Francisco. PARADE TO BE HELD IN HONOR OF DEDICATION A grand parade for New Year day in honor of the dedication of the machinery hall for the Panama-Pacific exposition, in which all military branches of fraternal organizations, a division from the police department, naval cadets from Yerba Buena island, the California Grays, the League of the Cross Cadets and a delegation from the fire department have been invited to take part, is being arranged. The parade will start at 1 p. m. from Sutter street and Van Ness avenue and will proceed along Van Ness avenue to Lombard street, out Lombard to Fillmore and thence to the scene of the ground breaking ceremonies. Chairman Phil T. Clay of the special committee in charge of the celebration has appointed Paul T. Carroll and Otto Schiller as a committee to arrange the parade. SUMARINE MAY DIVE Members of the Olympic club will swim off Harbor View on New Year day. Aquatic sports, aeroplane flights, an exhibition by the fireboat Denis T. Sullivan and probably a trial by a submarine will be among the events of the day. For the program on the exposition site, singing by school children, a band concert, addresses to President Moore, Mayor Rolph and others have been arranged. PPIE WATER SUPPLY The Panama-Pacific Exposition Co. is now installing a high pressure water system for fire protection at its exposition grounds. Provisions have been made to connect this system to our high pressure system in three different places, namely on Van Ness avenue between Bay and San Francisco streets, Van Ness avenue near Chestnut street and in the Fort Mason reservation opposite Franklin street. These connections, however, will only be of a temporary nature, terminating with the closing of the exposition. It is also the intention to erect three fire houses in the grounds and to install two fire boat connections in order that the fire boats can connect thereto and pump into the high pressure mains if required. GOV. GLYNN NAMES WOMAN AS NEW YORK FAIR COMMISSIONER ALBANY, Dec. 27. —Governor Glynn today announced the appointment of Mrs. Millicent V. Hearst, wife of William Randolph Hearst, as a member of the Panama-Pacific exposition commission from New York state. 1915 PALACE TO BE OPEN TO PUBLIC
EXPOSITION TO THROW OPEN MACHINERY HALL DURING THE NEW YEAR DAY FESTIVITIES The public's first glimpse of the interior of machinery palace, the biggest building at the Panama-Pacific international exposition, will be obtained New Year day. Ground for this building was broken January 1 last. The announcement was made today that the public will be admitted to the structure during the New Year celebration on the fair grounds. Some of the exposition statuary will be dis-played in he hall. The barbecue has been eliminated from the New Year day program, which Includes a life saving crew drill, exhibitions by a fireboat and a submarine, and a drill by the California Grays. There will be special boat races under the auspices of the Pacific Rowing association, for which the exposition has offered cups. A motor boat race is one feature. The Yerba Buena naval training station lads will enter half a doen (sic) crews in the cutter race, and the Dolphin, South End, Alameda and other clubs will be represented in the barge and outrigger events. The races will be directed by President J. E. Skully of the rowing association. EXPECT 100.000 AT FETE Not less than 100.000 persons, it is anticipated, will participate in the New Year celebration at the Panama-Pacific exposition grounds. Boat races, fireboat drills, military drills, lifesaving drill and motor boat races are scheduled. The palace of machinery, ground for which was broken last New Year day, will be thrown open to the public. The statuary that is to adorn the various courts and buildings will be placed on exhibition, as well as paintings of structures that are now in course of erection. Music will be rendered by the municipal band. Lieutenant Jensen. U. S. N., has been instructed by the navy department to take two of the latest submarines off the exposition site on New Year day to go through maneuvers. HIGH PRESSURE WATER SYSTEM INSTALLED The Panama-Pacific Exposition Co. has also installed a high pressure water system for fire protection purposes at its exposition grounds which has been connected with our high pressure system at three different points, namely, Van Ness avenue between Bay and Francisco streets, Van Ness avenue near Chestnut street and in the Fort Mason reservation opposite Franklin street. These connections, however, will only be of a temporary nature, terminating with the close of the exposition. MEETING OF THE FIRE COMMISSION Source: Pacific Fireman, Vol. XII.-NO.24, May 8, 1915 MACHINERY HALL FIRE FIREMEN THRILL EXPOSITION VISTORS On the report of the Chief Engineer and upon motion of the Fire Commission letter was ordered sent to Battalion Chief Layden of the P.P.I.E. . commending the efficient and good service rendered by his men at the Exposition on May 31, 1915, in handling the fire in Machinery Hall, said letter of commendation to be read to the crew by captains of the various companies. FIRE CHIEF’S DAY The 23rd annual convention of the Pacific Coast Association of Fire Chiefs will be held at San Francisco, from September 27 to October 1, inclusive. The last day of the meeting will be known as Fire Chief’s Day. when special exercises will be held. FIREMEN’S BIG VAUDEVILLE SHOW The great vaudeville show to be held at the Exposition grounds, Sunday, July 4, for the benefit of entertaining visiting fire chief’s under the auspices of the San Francisco Fire Department will eclipse anything the department has heretofore taken in hand. There will be talent from the Orpheum, Cort, Columbia, Empress and Pantages theatres, and band and orchestra numbers by musicians at the Exposition. It is estimated that over 6,000 tickets have been sold and the demand still continues. FIREMEN’S BIG VAUDEVILLE SHOW REPORT The benefit entertainment held in the Festival Hall at the Exposition grounds last Sunday afternoon for the purpose of raising funds to entertain visiting chiefs was financially and socially a great success. As President Fogarty stated in his address, "If all those who had purchased tickets were present the hall would certainly have been none too large to accommodate them." FIREMEN IN THE PARADE. A detail of about fifty firemen took part in the great military parade Monday, which was headed by the chief's car, in which were seated Commissioners Fogarty and Herring, Chief Murphy, W. E. Carroll and Captain Jerry Collins at the wheel. Directly behind the chief's car, on foot, came Battalion Chief Cook at the head of four men carrying life-line guns, eight men encircled with ropes around shoulders, four men carrying life-nets, eight men carrying scaling ladders, and a detail of about thirty men marched, followed by a motor-driven squad wagon, brought up the rear end of the parade. The firemen, with their life-saving apparatus, attracted considerable attention from spectators along the line of march. FIREMEN WIN TUG-OF-WAR MATCH. Saturday, July 3, the tug of-war contests between the crew from the battleship Oregon and the S. F. F. D. tug-of-war team was won by the S. F. F. D. team in five minutes. The following are the names of the fire department team: Captain of team, Capt. J. E. Dolan, engine 19; anchor man, Leo Morsch, truck 6; Chris Lutz, truck 8; Walter Krohn, truck 1; Dan Sullivan, truck 5; Tony Swanberg, fireboat 1 and A. Penobesky, engine 10. The contest took place at the P. P. I. E. grounds July 3, at 4 p. m. The winning team was presented with a magnificent silver cup. Presentation was made July 5, at 9 p. m by Battalion Chief Jas. Layden of the P. P. I. E. grounds to Capt. J. E. Dolan.
FIREMEN RECEIVE MEDALS FOR SKILL. Monday afternoon, in front of the Zone at the Exposition grounds, under the supervision of Battalion Chief Layden, contests of skill and alertness took place between firemen. The following are the names of the winners who were presented with medals: Standing on sills—D. Voisin and L. Demattel of engine 2. Standing on ladders—Wm. G. Dunn and C. Schlichtman of truck 2. Rescue drill, consisting of ascending to fifth floor of tower with life line and ladder, make life line fast, and one member of team carrying down another on the line—Won by team composed of W. Viereckt, O. Kaufer and J. Murphy. Standpipe and ladder drill, consisting of raising 32-foot ladder, going up inside to fifth floor, raising 50-foot section of hose and shutoff nozzle to roof and playing stream —Won in 1 minute 8 1/4 seconds by team composed of H. Dowd, S. Nathan, G. Peterson and W. Bagala. The firemen showed also how to jump in the life net and shoot a life-line to the top of the tower. Engine company 1 also received a silver cup for getting water on first at a fire on the Marina last Saturday. LOP-SIDED FROM CARRYING LIFE-NET. Mike Foley of engine company 19, one of the four men who shouldered the life-net in the parade from the ferry to the Exposition grounds last Monday, says by the time the reached the Exposition they were all lop-sided one shoulder being six inches higher than the other. They were given the afternoon off but Mike went home and went to bed and next morning he says he was so sore his mother had to help him out of bed. And the worst of it all he says his right hand is now two inches longer than the left. What agony the three others suffered h says he can imagine from his own condition-they must all be lop sided. FOUR BRONZE MEDALS Four bronze medals won by the Sacramento Fire Department in competition at the Panama-Pacific Exposition officially were presented to the department last week. On recommendation of Chief Murphy, Chief Layden and the Exposition fire-fighting force were commended for their efficient work in handling the late fire in the Food Products building, and the same was ordered to be spread upon the minutes. FIRE COMMISSION From the American-LaFrance Company asking conditions of biding be made such in specifications for new motor apparatus for this department that they will be in a position of pieces of American-LaFrance apparatus now at the Exposition. PACIFIC COAST FIRE CHIEFS' DAY AT EXPOSITION.
10:00 a. m. - Demonstration of Pumping Engines. BERKELEY vs. SAN FRANCISCO The athletic contests held in the Exposition grounds last Tuesday between the Fire and Police Department’s, included a tug-of-war, and a special rope-hauling competition, between the local and Berkeley firemen. In the evening a rescue fire drill took place at 10 o’clock at the fire station on the Zone. Exposition medals were presented to Chief Engineer Murphy and Chief of Police White. Secretary Rainey acted for Mayor Rolph as chairman of the occasion. The athletic contests held in the Exposition grounds last Tuesday between the Fire and Police Department’s, included a tug-of-war, and a special rope-hauling competition, between the local and Berkeley firemen. In the evening a rescue fire drill took place at 10 o’clock at the fire station on the Zone. Exposition medals were presented to Chief Engineer Murphy and Chief of Police White. Secretary Rainey acted for Mayor Rolph as chairman of the occasion. CHIEF ENGINEER’S PPIE REPORT In view of the fact that the fire prevention and fire protection features of the recent Panama-Pacific International Exposition were under the supervision of this department during the period of the construction and operation of the Exposition, I deem it fitting to submit a brief summary of the services performed by that department, inasmuch as the same was officered and principally composed of regular members of this department. The fire fighting forces consisted of three engine companies, two truck companies, one chemical company and a flying squadron, consisted in all of ninety men when operated with the full equipment and but eighty men at the time of the close of the exposition. Forty-four alarms of fire were responded to by these companies while the exposition was under course of construction and prior to its formal opening, 62 alarms within the grounds and 4 outside during its termination. The financial loss from fire during the construction period and the operation of the exposition, extending over a period of several years, did not exceed the sum of $250, which taking into consideration the exposed condition of the site and the inflammable nature of the buildings consisting of 443 structures, all frame with the exception of two, and covering a space of 635 acres, is remarkable to this department and the fire prevention methods adopted, more so in view of the fact that the losses from fire at the last two international expositions, namely St. Louis and Chicago, were $100,000 and $478,000 respectively, while these two expositions were in operation for but six months as against nine and one-half months for the recent exposition. |
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