According to the 22 July 1950 newspaper article that this photo was taken from,
"375 Tons an Hour - That's what new $20,000 fire engine accepted yesterday by Santa Clara County Central Fire District can pour in way of water. Only one of its kind in this area, huge machine can push out 1500 gallons of water a minute through eight hoses; will prove especially valuable in fighting large industrial fires. Carrying four-man crew, it boasts 25-foot extension ladder, 16-foot roof ladder and collapsible ladder, all of aluminum; 500-gallon tank reservoir; 2000 feet of 2-1/2-inch and 500 feet of 1-1/2-inch hose. Entirely product of West Coast manufacturers, truck is powered by 245-horsepower engine, will be stationed at Tully Road Headquarters Station."
It appears from the photo to be Engine 9.
Fire at Sunnycourt off of 24th St. E/FF C. Mengrone, E/FF Tip San Fillipo, E/FF Ray Maher, E/FF J. R. Fruegoli. Photo 1951.
Colonial Club fire, Monterey Highway. Photo 1951.
Fireground, September 1951. This photo shows FF Jim Ackley approaching and about to chew out the photographer (Rocky Santoro, San Jose Mercury News), who is standing on the roof of Ackley's truck while taking the photograph!
Ladder Drill. Aug 1959.
Large training burn at the old Cambrian School. Note that the right-most firefighter is wearing his helmet backwards. Date unknown.
Central Fire firefighters attack a dwelling fire, probably 1950's. Photo undated.
Central firefighters operate in a burned attic. The style of helmets in use indicates this was probably taken in the 1950's. Date unknown.
Exterior attack, early in the history of Central Fire. Date unknown.
A rescue drill at the firefighting school at the county fairgrounds. Victim is FF Ray Maher. Drill instructors sent him into the building to set off a smoke bomb and hide. Then FF Ratkovich (carrying feet) and FF Don Warning (carrying shoulders) made the rescue. FFs Reed Fowles, left, and George Wharton, right, were stationed at the door with rope lifelines attached to the rescuers. At extreme right is FF Jim Ackley. Note old-style respirator masks, and lack of protective clothing. Photo used in a newspaper article dated 19 December 1953.
FF Jim Ackley at a Piercy Road brushfire. Photo dated 2 July 1951. Rig is a Dodge, known to have had a small pump and a 100 gallon tank, but otherwise unidentified.
Two shots of a 1950s training fire. In the left hand photo, FF Charles Ford has the nozzle.
Apricot pit fire, 20 September 1955. A processing plant, barn and tons of apricot pits were destroyed in this fire on the Santa Clara-Los Gatos road at Vasona Junction. The pits oil was extracted for use in cosmetics and other product. 25 firefighters from the Quito, Cambrian and San Tomas stations fought the blaze under the direction of B/C Jim Ackley. The heat was so intense that two firefighters, Captain Del Coombs and FF Roger Hodgson burned their hands trying to connect a hose to a fire hydrant 100 feet from the burning building. Bulldozers were used to spread the pits to hasten extinguishing of the fire. Lower left photo shows FF Ray Lubert and Captain Walt Cunningham working hoses over the red hot pits. Photos from newspaper clippings.
Market fire. Captain (later Chief) Curtis Kirby and FF Mingroni battle a fire at the Future Co-op Market at 2276 Alum Rock Av. The fire gutted the structure and destroyed most of the stock. Photo from a San Jose Evening News clipping, 3 January 1956.
Two shots of various rigs at the 1956 Almaden McKean wildfire.
County Fire crew drafting from Stevens Creek to fill the pool at the Crippled Children's camp, located above the Stevens Creek reservoir. From a newspaper clipping, 12 October 1956.
Two obviously staged photos of a fire suppression evolution, taken behind the Tully HQ station. Some clues are the firefighters stiff poses, white shirts and ties, and rather sheepish expressions. In addition, each firefighter just happens to be in exactly the correct position for each action that is taking place. These photos were taken for an insurance company in 1956. In the right photo, left to right: Fran Swanson, Charlie Mingrone, Dick Ravizza, and Chuck Wilson. In the left photo, the officer on the roof is Fred Luhring. These scans are at least 4th generation copies; the originals are long-lost.
Trench rescue. FF Bob Scott (center) and FF Frank Martorano (top) help dig in an attempt to free a construction worker buried in a collapsed sewer trench being dug in Cupertino. The rescued worker was pronounced DOA at O'Connor Hospital. Photo from a newspaper clipping, 1 August 1957.
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