This history covers the first half of the Maintenance Division's years, from 1947-1975.
Prior to 1950 all maintenance was handled at Pacific Trucking Service until the shop was built at the Headquarters Station in 1950. The first mechanic was a firefighter, Elmer Guidice, working part time in the shop. After a short time he left and was replaced by Dave Bilick, who was also primarily a firefighter. He in turn left, and the position was filled with Sam Madden, a Buick automotive mechanic. On Madden's departure Howard Baker took his place. Baker was primarily a tune-up man.
On 1 Sep 1952 the first "Truck Mechanic" Willis "Willy" Hall was hired. Prior to his employment with Central, Willy was a field truck trouble shooter for Cali Brothers. Hall was hired as a third step firefighter/mechanic. His job was to do total maintenance on all fire rigs, as well as to respond to any major fires to fill in as a firefighter.
Back in 1950 the mechanic had 20 pieces of equipment to keep in good shape, including major engine and pump overhauls and all related jobs except tire, front end, and machine work, which were farmed out. All paint and body work was done by Bob Basile.
Over the years the firefighting portion of the mechanic's job was phased out, and full time was devoted to maintenance of equipment, which also included general station maintenance such as electrical, plumbing, etc. at the various firehouses.
The shop was handled by one man until Tony Bulygo was hired 1 Feb 1971 to cope with the increase of department equipment. In 1975 there were 28 fire trucks, 12 cars, 5 pickups, 1 light unit and 1 utility truck, with five additional fire trucks scheduled to be received.
The shop averaged one major overhaul, four brake jobs, three or four transmission overhauls, and six to eight clutch replacements per year. This doesn't count the everyday general maintenance, tune-ups, pump work, and repairs, and complete annual check-ups on every piece of equipment. These include oil changes, lubrication, and repair of any problem which may have cropped up over the past year (carburetor adjustment, clutch adjustment, etc.). Nor does this count the emergency work at the shop or in the field, broken axles, cooling system problems, rig won't run, won't start, broken crank shaft, clutch failure, automatic transmission problems, defective starter, broken drive lines, just to name a few.
Central fire has been a leader in Santa Clara County in safety equipment on the rigs. They were first in the county to install beacon ray lights, first to install the Twin-sonic light bars with the electronic siren, first to install the Grover Air Horn, and one of the first in the county to comply with the new State laws such as the emergency red lights law, and the air brake laws in 1965, - this done with still only one man in the shop!
The shop took care of the maintenance for helmets, resuscitators, SSBAs, and all other mechanical equipment on the rigs. The responsibility for maintaining these items are now distributed throughout the department, with each station having a specific maintenance responsibility.
Many times the shop had to work with improvised tools for special jobs, and sometimes had to actually design and build special tools.
It was Hall's responsibility to draw up specifications on the chassis and mechanical portions on all new rigs that were ordered.
Up until now the fleet had been gasoline driven engines, but by the first of June 1975, the first diesel engine rigs were the line, with four more following soon after.
Photo labeled "Rudy the Repairman", working on an unidentified car, possibly a personal vehicle. March 1952.
E/FF Donald "Tip" San Fillipo, performing maintenance on an unidentified engine. Photo dated September 1953.
Willy Hall, master mechanic, working on the engine of Alum Rock station's Tanker 6, a 1960 International/Van Pelt. Behind the tanker can be seen the nose of Maintenance 2. Photo 1963.
Ford Maintenance 2 pickup truck, a 1959 F250. It was assigned to the department mechanic. Date unknown.
This 1967 Ford F100 was Maintenance 3.
This 1969 International IHC 1000 was driven by the shop mechanic. The Training Division's 1952 Jeep can be seen parked behind the hood.
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