Two shots of Loyola station. Left photo lineup: Chief Bassett, next to chief's car, and firefighters Anderson, Norton and Brummett next to a Mack pumper. Photo 22 January 1954. Right photo taken October 1955. Note the two separate bay doors, later replaced with a single, double-wide door during the station's renovation in 2000.
Left photo: Firefighters test their new 1956 International/Coast pumper. It was the department's fifth truck. Photo 1 March 1956, by Helga Melgar. Right photo: Two second grades from Hillview School, Los Altos pose with driver Don Fosnaugh. Los Altos Times photo by Merlin Jones, 1956. Both photos from a newspaper articles.
In 1958, the Dodge tanker was converted to engine for the price of $1,800.
Chief Bassett next to Pickup 6, a Ford equipped with an Ansul extinguisher. Photo October 1958.
During 1959, all hose-coupling threads were converted from the obsolete Pacific Coast thread to the nationally adopted National Standard thread, bringing the department more up to date. A study was made to a certain the feasibility of a fire station being built on the Foothill College campus.
A Public Relations photo of Headquarters Personnel. Photo is dated 3 March 1959.
Firefighter Vince Tandin on a Mack pumper. Photo December 1959.
(Newspaper Article) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1960
There's one school in Los Altos that's never been on double sessions. On the other hand, there's no school so subject to abrupt interruptions.
The Los Altos Fire Department's fire-fighting classes hear their lectures in a dormitory full of neatly made beds. Their laboratory may be beside a ladder or, as in the pictures, on an unoccupied patch of parking plaza. No one knows where final exams will be; a fire can happen anywhere.
During their 24 hours of duty, Los Altos firefighters receive at least two hours of instruction from their shift captain. Assistant Chief James Pirie supervises the teaching, which includes, for instance, work in driving, ladder handling resuscitation, first aid, tool and equipment use, and such cranial exercises as hydraulics theory and elementary physics. First-year men, known as "probationaries," have the initial task of memorizing street locations and the sites of the 650 hydrants in the 17-square-mile area served by the department.
The department has 21 men under the rank of captain, seven of whom are in their first year. They are divided between the downtown and Loyola stations, two shifts to each. The old-timers take instruction, too, to keep brushed up. Officers take advantage of classes offered by the state.
These pictures were taken during a morning training session when the firemen - none of whom, incidentally, wear red suspenders - received lecture and field instruction.
Top left: One of the department's four captains, Robert Henshel leads a discussion of hydraulics.
Top right: Captain Henshel and Al Law are involved in a practical application of hydraulics theory.
Bottom: Jack Wimer adjusts the truck's pumping mechanism under Captain Henshel's supervision.
Forty-one firemen from Stanford, Palo Alto and Los Altos companies battle a 15-acre blaze on Stanford University foothills land Sunday afternoon, circa 1960. Photo from newspaper article.
In 1962, when Los Altos decided to switch the color of the engines from the traditional red to a safety-inspired white, the firemen offered to handle the painting chores in a huge savings of money to the City. This saved the city $400-600 per engine. From a newpaper article, 8 November 1962.
El Monte station was located at 12345 El Monte Road, on the Foothill College campus. This station housed two rigs, one engine and one squad. It served as living quarters for three regular firemen who were on duty at all times, and for 12 students who were on duty at night and on the weekends. The station was adequate at the time, but was somewhat limited in storage space due to the number of people living there full time.
Then and Now: Prior to the construction of the current station in 1996, El Monte Station was located a quarter mile east on the southern edge of the Foothill College campus. This building was originally leased from the college in 1962, and was converted back for use by the college when no longer used by the department, but it still retains some vestiges of it's former use, such as a red lamp at it's southeast corner (right corner in photo).
In 1963, the 1941 Mack was sold and a new International was stationed at Loyola station.
Two more shots of the original El Monte station. Left photo 1 May 1963, the day it was put into service. Right photo circa mid-1960s.
In 1965, an International patrol pumper was purchased and was stationed at the new El Monte station.
Los Altos had this 1963 International/Coast with a 1000gpm (3790 l) pump and 500 gallon (1895 l) tank. The first two photos show it prior to having a roof installed; the third shows it with it's roof.
The same engine, later running as Engine 72, at an undated, unidentified fire.
JOINT DRILL - Firemen battle a two-story blaze on O'Keefe lane in Los Altos Hills as part of a joint emergency drill involving the fire departments of Los Altos, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Stanford. The donation of the unoccupied home for the fire drill proved an effective and fruitful means of cementing the mutual-aid system of the four communities, respective chiefs agreed. (Los Altos News article, 11 April 1963.) Note Los Altos Coast pumper in foreground.
In 1966, the big event of the year was the White Cliff fire. This was the biggest fire the Los Altos area had ever suffered as the total damage for the fire was $363,945. Also, during 1966, plans to construct a new Sequoia station were started. In 1967, work was begun on the new station (now known as Los Altos station).
Los Altos used this 1965 International as a squad. The first photo was taken 19 Feb 1973. The second, with the rig renamed squad 75, was taken 6 Aug 1980. This vehicle was later turned over to the Fire Associates of Santa Clara Valley for use as their Fire Support 2 vehicle.
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