ON MEMORY'S BACK TRAIL
History of Ramona Volunteer Fire Department
By Darrell Beck

At Santa Rosa, left to right, D. Beck, J. Darrough, T. James, J. Reed, T. Gowan and L. Serabia. photo Courtesy of Darrell Beck

In Ramona during the early years before any organized fire department existed, the settlers learned to take care of emergencies themselves because if they didn't do it, there was nobody else here on the frontier to do it for them. Being self-reliant and aware of their surroundings many of them carried shovels, water containers and burlap sacks in their rigs and, when alerted by the sight of nearby smoke, would join in and help their neighbors beat out small fires.

The large wildfires of the period sometimes burned for weeks before they ran out of fuel or the wind shifted, as there was no great urgency to protect brush-lands because few homes existed at that time. However, those folks who chose to build in the brush did so at their own risk and had to be prepared for the probability of nature taking her course.

In 1924 John Bargar purchased a soda-acid, push cart extinguisher for his lumber yard and offered it for use in the town. In 1927 Bargar donated a solid-tire, chain-drive Reo truck for fire protection. It carried a 50 gallon water tank that was pressurized with air from the local gas stations and was truly a primitive but reassuring piece of fire fighting apparatus.

In 1928 the first official volunteer fire department was organized, comprised of 18 men who named Charles Weseloh as chief. At that time Weseloh donated a 1923 Dodge truck that was used to haul hose to the newly installed hydrants within the town water district.

A shed was built to house the apparatus and equipment at Coddington's place at 7th and Main Street (now Packard's). Here Coddington took phone calls from the local switchboard operators to alert the firemen. The alarm at the time consisted of a railroad engine wheel mounted on a wooden frame that Coddington struck with a sledge hammer.

As the town continued to grow, a need arose to provide better fire protection. Leaders at the Chamber of Commerce appointed a committee known as The Fire Commissioners. In 1937 the commissioners raised funds by public subscription to purchase a slightly used 1935 Dodge, 250 gallon pumper that would become Ramona's first authentic fire engine.

In 1943, two major fire losses in Ramona prompted the committee to seek more modern fire protection. During that year the famous Kenilworth Inn and the grammar school were destroyed by fire but it would be 1946 before the Ramona Fire Protection District could be formed thus providing a tax base to purchase equipment and build a new station house.

By 1953 the fire commissioners had built a new station at 222 9th Street (now Firehouse Glass) that was equipped with modern radio communications, a WWII air-raid siren, a training tower, sleeping quarters, kitchen, meeting room, office, a 1951 Mack, 750 gallon pumper, a 1946 Chevrolet hi-pressure brush rig, a 1000 gallon Ford tanker and the chief's pick-up.

During the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s and aggressive training program was implemented first by Chief Bernhard, and later by Chiefs Eller and Robertson and their officers. About 25 volunteers worked every Tuesday night for three hours in training for smoke drills, first aid, hose and ladder drills, pre-planned hose lays and testing and cleaning of every fire hydrant in town. The volunteers burned fire hazard property as a public service, held rabies clinics, gave blood donations, participated in state competitions and performed all the usual and unusual services expected of the fire department.

But Ramona was growing and times were changing. By 1978 the original Ramona Fire Protection District and what was left of the volunteers was coming to an end as the fire department was taken over by the RMWD. Only a few old timers are still here who can recall the hey-day of the volunteers when it was quite a sight to see the boys come-a-runnin' to answer the call.

Darrell Beck is the author of "On Memory's Back Trail: A Story History of Ramona and the Backcountry of San Diego

County." For information about the book, contact the author at 760-789-2534.