In conducting the research for this report, I interviewed many members of the fire department from trainees to retired firefighters. Two things stood out about these people, their love of the fire department, and their dedication to the members of the community. You can see it in their eyes when they talk about being firefighters. All of the firefighters I interviewed told me they could not wait to go to work and all had big, genuine smiles on their faces. These people feel a sense of duty so deeply that they place their lives on the line each time the alarm goes off. Even though the dangers of firefighting are many, when the call comes in, they rush out to the truck bay, put on their bunker gear and in an instant they are gone and unfortunately, sometimes they do not come back. This feeling of brotherhood, of a connection between all firefighters makes the job so unique. All firefighters feel a bond to those who have gone before them. During my time at station #19, I would run out into the truck bay with the firefighters when a call came in and I would watch very intently as they would “gear-up”. The connection to the past was evident when the firefighters would place their helmets on their heads because it was as though they were honoring the firefighters who had come before them. They took great care and pride in placing this symbol of heroism on themselves because they know the dangers that await them and by performing this small quick ritual, they take with them to whatever run they are going to the spirit and strength of the “brotherhood”.

I use this term “brotherhood” because it is how the firefighters see it, even though there are many female firefighters in the department today. All firefighters share a loyalty to the department and to one another. I was told by one firefighter that to be a firefighter you have to be one at your core. A deep sense of responsibility, bravery, and sacrifice defines this core feeling. Tradition and history plays a very large part of any fire department and San Antonio is no different.

Early San Antonio
As early as 9000 BC, there is evidence that many animals gathered around what is now downtown San Antonio. “ Bones of mastodons, giant tigers, dire wolves, Colombian elephants, and extinct horses have been found around the banks of a small spring fed lake that we now call San Pedro Springs Park”. (SAFD Hist. Pg. 18) The springs were a source of life in the area and many American Indians called this area home during different times in history. The area also served as a meeting place for different tribes from the high plains to barter with the tribes from the lowlands. Over time, the path these Indians took became a footpath that came to be known as the El Camino Real or the King’s Highway that was an important transportation artery vital to the Spanish Sovereignty in Texas.

In the early 1700’s, Spain was worried about ‘French aggression and the colonization in the Louisiana area’, (SAFD Hist. Pg. 18) The Roman Catholic Church wanted to build missions in the area to spread the Catholic faith to the Indians but the Spanish Empire wanted to build military presidios in an attempt to repel any French aggression. The plan was to send out expeditions in the area to scout for a spot to build both missions and a permanent presidio. On April 13, 1709, an expedition led by Father Antonio de San Buenavaventura de Olivares along with Father Isidro Felix de Espinosa reached the site of some springs and Fr. Espinosa wrote:

 “…after going through a mesquite flat and some holm-oak groves we came to an irrigation ditch, bordered by many trees and with enough water to supply a town. It was full of taps or sluices of water, the earth being terraced. We named it San Pedro Springs.” (SAFD Hist. Pg. 18)

In 1716, Fr. Espinosa came back to the site in an expedition led by Alfedez Domingo Ramon. This group was allowed to enter peacefully in to area by the Indians because the convoy leader, a man by the name of Louis Juchereau de St. Denis, a Frenchman, was familiar with the customs of the local tribes and could speak the same language. Ramon took the opportunity to develop plans for missions in Texas that were to be used in an attempt to stop French advancement in Texas. The Spanish government approved the plans and gave the job to Fr. Olivares and Martin de Alarcon, “the governor of the Texas province and a solider of fortune”. (SAFD Hist. Pg. 19) Alarcon and the Father did not get along and eventually terminated the relationship.

The site for the first presidio and mission was selected by Alarcon, which was south of the springs. The presidio was named Villa de Bejar and the mission was named Mission San Antonio de Valero. The year was 1718. This date is considered by many historians to be the founding date of San Antonio. The Spanish government ordered that canals (acequias) be built in an attempt to provide water to both the mission and the presidio. It would be the allocation of water that would be causing the local government problems when Spain relocated 56 settlers from the Canary Islands to San Antonio. They named their community San Fernando and were given plots of land by the presidio. It was these plots of land that soon became a problem. The strain on the water from the springs caused the first community project in San Antonio history. It was clear that the water system in place at the time was inadequate to provide water to all who needed it. The settlers began to dig a new canal which led directly to their settlement area and then branched off into their individual plots of land. There were arguments over who was to be in control of the water that went on for years. “Finally in 1778 Governor Rioperda authorized construction of the Upper Labor Acequia. These projects would remain the main source of water for San Antonio for more than 100 years.” (SAFD Hist. Pg. 19)

During the fighting between Mexico and Spain, San Antonio suffered economically to the point that it fell into impoverishment. Over the next ten years, the Spanish granted sections of land to Anglo-Americans in a desperate attempt to dilute the Mexican influence in the area. The Mexican economy also took a tremendous blow but in July 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain. This opened the door for pioneers of the Oregon Trail to immigrate into Mexican territory. They brought with them Negro slaves which would cause problems for Texas with the United States, but would be very beneficial to San Antonio during the Civil War. The war between Mexico and Texas turned out in favor of Texas as it won its independence. Texas was now the Republic of Texas and in the Texas Charter on December 14, 1837, “the Congress of the Republic of Texas creating a ‘body politic and corporate, by name and title of The City of San Antonio.’ The United States annexed Texas about nine years later on may 13, 1846. The First Fire Fighting Company would be organized a little over eight years later.” (SAFD Hist. Pg. 19)

“ A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark.”
--- Dante

The origins of Fire Fighting in San Antonio

The City of San Antonio began its fire fighting service with volunteer companies. The year was 1854 just eighteen years after the Battle of the Alamo. San Antonio was growing exponentially as was proved by a Federal Census which stated that the city had just under 3500 residents. Emigrants from all over the world came to live in San Antonio. The United States, Mexico, Germany, Prussia, Ireland, France, England, and Scotland all called the city home. It is important to note that there were also 262 Black slaves in residence as well. This is a very significant note to the fire department because in a short time, the Slave population would take over fire fighting operations in the city.

This was a time of growth, not only population wise, but business wise as well. The city sported many restaurants, saloons, and four churches. As the city began to grow, a construction boom began in an attempt to build housing for everyone. The major building material used during this time was wood. As we all know, wood and fire do not mix very well. Many major fires were recorded during this time and the powers that be decided that the city needed a fire suppression service. Modern fire fighting equipment was many years away so the only alternative during this time was a good old-fashion bucket brigade. All the members of these brigades were volunteers and so began the first organized fire fighting service in San Antonio.

The patrons for these fire fighters were local companies. They were supported so much that the companies actually owned the fire companies. June 6, 1854 saw the creation of the Ben Milam No. 1, the first fire company in San Antonio. A.A. Lockwood and C.G. Krempkau of the Milam Organization were credited in forming the company. They elected a man by the name of Ed Braden to serve as the company captain and recruited 20 members. This company was a very enthusiastic bunch and displayed early on ‘fire fighting to the core’. Primarily a bucket brigade, in 1856, the Milam Company sported a new piece of equipment, a two wheeled ladder truck which carried a variety of ladders. As the years went by, the Ben Milam bucket brigade became known as Fire Company No.1 and on February 8, 1858, it received an official charter by the State of Texas which recognized it as “The Fire Company of the City of San Antonio”.

 In the summer of 1859, the population of San Antonio had grown to over eight thousand residents. The signs were on the horizon that Fire Company No. 1 was too small to handle a major fire in a city so large. The formation of a second fire company was soon to become a reality. The original Ben Milam fire company operated primarily out of the West Side of the San Antonio River. The new fire company would operate out of the East Side of the city. Businessmen gathered from around the area and began to raise an estimated 2,000 dollars to form the company. When the businessmen met at the Menger Hotel on December 21, 1859, they formed the newest, most well equipped fire fighting force the city had seen to this point. Peter Gallagher was appointed chief and William A. Menger was appointed assistant chief. The Alamo Fire Association No.2 went into service on December 22, 1859.This company was very well equipped and made many innovations in fire fighting. Gone were the days of the bucket brigade and now the hand pumper with hose reel was in use. These pumpers did not come without a price. The firefighters would have to manually pump water from the apparatus to the fire. It is said that even the strongest man could only work the pump for only ten minutes at as time. It usually took six to seven men to operate a hand pumper. The other problem was getting to the fire. In the mid 1800’s, the streets of San Antonio were not the beautiful streets we have today filled with pot holds and speed bumps, they were dirt roads. Dirt roads turn to mud when it rains. This saw the employment of horses in order to take the pumper to the fire scene. The company captain would commandeer some horses and pay the owners the amount of $5.00. 

The company also engaged in active fund raising and training for its firefighters. Soon the State issued the company an official charter and Menger replaced Gallagher as Fire chief. As you can imagine, with only two fire companies in the city, rivalries began. Many fights would break out among the fire fighters from the two companies. It became so bad at one point that some firefighters were left permanently injured from the fighting.

The outbreak of the Civil War left firefighting services in San Antonio nearly depleted. Many members from both fire companies joined the Texas Confederate Army. The few firefighters that did remain behind were tasked with keeping the fire service going. Help came from Confederate forces and from an unlikely source, Black Slaves.

The Colored Fire Companies were formed soon after large numbers of men began to enlist for military service. Local slaves under the direction of military officers began to organize these companies. Up to this point, volunteer companies enjoyed prestige and political influence and it is very likely that the Colored Companies were attempting to gain entrance into some of this influence. The fire companies were composed of free slaves but unfortunately, not much is known about them because they were still ignored and not looked upon favorably by the community.

The two new companies, No. 3, (1865) and No. 4, (1866) were made up entirely of Freedmen with white representation during City Council elections of a Fire Chief. Even though these companies served faithfully, they were not granted funds, as were the white companies. After two decades of service, the companies decided to request funds for operations. This led to the dissolution of the companies when it was determined that the Black volunteer companies were going to become a financial burden. By the year 1888, the saga of the Colored Fire Companies were a memory and it would no be until the year 1967 before an African American firefighter would once again respond to a fire alarm in San Antonio. In the years that followed, many other fire companies were formed. The year 1891 saw the end of “The Grand Old Volunteer Fire Department of San Antonio”. The Mayor of the City was Mayor Bryan Callaghan. He realized that there was a need for a formal firefighting force in the city and began to install a fire alarm system. March 1, 1891 saw the official creation of the San Antonio Fire Department. The volunteers that had been fighting fire in the city for some time were offered the opportunity to join the fire department. Many did join, but those who were businessmen and professionals could not leave their positions. With the official creation of the department, a large part of the city history was about to be written. San Antonio has one of the finest fire departments in the state. Innovations in firefighting, the creation of a modern Emergency Medical Service, and advancements in telecommunications makes the San Antonio Fire Department an outstanding firefighting force.

“There is nothing training cannot do. Nothing is above its reach. It can turn bad morals to good; it can destroy bad principles and recreate good ones; it can lift men to angelship.”

--Mark Twain

The Journey Begins: The Making of a San Antonio Firefighter
All firefighters today must go through the fire academy’s firefighting course. The modern course of instruction is a very rigorous series of firefighting techniques that the cadet must master in order to proceed to the next evolution. During my investigation, I had the opportunity to spend time at the San Antonio Fire Academy and saw the kind of training the cadets go through. The day I spent there the cadets were practicing entering a smoke filled structure during a live fire exercise. The cadets would enter through a door way wearing full gear and a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus or BA, then make their way up to the second floor and exit out a side door. The smoke was very dense and visibility was very low. The cadets were using a device that looks like a large room fan at the entrance of the doorway in an attempt to clear smoke from their path. This devise is a standard piece of equipment on all fire apparatuses. The training covers a wide variety of subjects from basic ladder operations to training on weapons of mass destruction, an unfortunate sign of the times. Over the years training has evolved to fit the needs of the community. This is evident in the changes the department has made in its firefighting training throughout its history.

The long road begins for the prospective firefighter with an examination given by the city. Once the exam is passed, the applicant is placed on a waiting list and is called according to the need of the city to fill vacancies within the department. The next step is a physical endurance test which tests the applicants stamina and physical agility. Next follows a series of evaluations. The psychological evaluation and the polygraph test weed out most applicants who would not be able to handle the amounts of stress the job requires one to withstand. A background check further eliminates applicants. These investigative evolutions are a necessity because the firefighter will be placed in positions of trust and be exposed to issues of confidentiality when dealing with the public. To ensure the highest level of personal character, these evaluations are needed.

Once the applicant has been notified that they will become members of the academy class their training begins. The curriculum is set by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection which requires 458 hours of fire training for a basic certification as a firefighter in the State of Texas. The San Antonio Fire Department exceeds this minimum requirement by providing an additional 552 hours of training for its cadets.

Training is divided between three phases. The first phase is the basic firefighting course required by the state. Next comes the basic emergency medical technician course given by the University of Texas Health Science Center. Each cadet is required to become state certified as an EMT-Basic in order to graduate from the academy. This is in response to the ever-growing need for fire companies to respond to medical assistance runs. With each firefighter certified as an EMT or EMT-Paramedic, the city is covered for all medical response situations. The last portion of the course is the additional 558 hours provided by the city. The total amount of time the cadet spends in the academy is 25 weeks.

 The academy itself is located on the south side of San Antonio. The academy, or “Drill School” began in 1974 and was patterned after the New York Fire Academy. The modern academy is staffed by the Chief of Training, the Training Coordinator, Training Instructors, and the staff secretary. The building itself houses a library, two large classrooms, and administrative offices. The campus is divided into three parts. The first being the main academy, the second is the Services Division or “The Shops”, this is where all of the fire suppression and EMS vehicles are maintained. The last part of the academy is the training grounds. The grounds resemble a very large schoolyard with a five-story brick tower in the center. This tower is used during live fire exercises and ladder training. Another component is what is called the “Save Our Own Program”. This is a specially designed structure built with survival training in mind. Departments from all over the country took lessons from fires that took the lives of firefighters and designed a building that would recreate the same type of situation in an attempt to train other firefighters in emergency escape procedures. In a sad note, the firefighters that came to San Antonio to instruct the staff in the structure use were killed in the September 11 attacks.

Training is not limited to the academy itself. There are many off-location sites which are utilized by the department during cadet training. The Comal River is used for water rescue training, Lackland AFB is used for live fire training, and Brooks AFB is used for emergency driving training. The city also trains its firefighters in what is called the Public Transportation Ciurriculum. This training is designed for all modes of public transportation such as buses and trains. The fire cadets learn every aspect of emergency exits and fuel sources on all city buses. The training also covers trains. Trains move many tons of materials through the city each year, some being hazardous and other being human cargo. Firefighters are exposed to all types of boxcars, shut off valves, access routes, and fuel tanks. After the completion of academy academic and physical requirements, the cadets are ready to be sworn in as professional firefighters. The Fire Chief addresses the cadets, then a guest speaker addresses the class. Many distinguished members of the community have given the graduation address to include St. Mary’s University President Dr. Charles Cotrell. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the new firefighters take their Oath of Office:

I, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of Fire Fighter of the City of San Antonio of the State of Texas, and I will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and Laws of the United States and of this State, and I furthermore swear that I have not directly nor indirectly paid, offered money or valuable thing or promised any public office or employment as reward for receiving this appointment. So help me God.

The new probationary fire fighters are now ready for their first assignments.

During the first six months of the fire fighter’s career, he or she is assigned a duty station. The Chief of Operations for the department lets the academy know where the vacancies are in the city, then the “Probie” is assigned. They are also assigned a mentor to evaluate them out in the field. After the six month evaluation is complete, the mentor will make a recommendation as to whether the fire fighter had any deficiencies and reports to the Chief of Ops. When the fire fighter has been cleared, they are given their choice of assignments in the city. The rank of the new fire fighter is fire private. After two years in this position, the fire fighter is eligible for promotion. The promotion is based upon a written evaluation and on recommendations from the fire fighter's commanding officer. The next rank is Fire Apparatus Operator, or FAO. In years past, the rank of FAO was called Fire Engineer. This was changed because someone believed that the word engineer was not appropriate to the duties of the rank and changed it to FAO. There was some disagreement in the ranks over this decision because the fire fighters felt that they should be called engineers for the fact they were trained to work the pumps on the engine. Now the rank name is accepted by the fire fighters but the “older guys” still call themselves engineers. This is a prime example of the meaning of tradition in the fire department. Was this change really necessary? Who am I to say, but there were some changes that the department had to accept in its tradition for the better of the department and the community, mainly EMS. Following FAO, the next rank is the first command rank in the department, Lieutenant. The Lt.’s are responsible for the station house and for the engine company. They sit in the front passenger seat of the “motor” and will lead the scene when the unit goes “10-97” (arrived on scene), more on the 10 code later. The next rank is Captain. The station “Cap” performs the same duties as the Lieutenant, with one difference, the Captain can double as a District Chief and the Lieutenant can not. The District Chief is in charge of one of the seven districts the city is divided up into. The “DC” job is to supervise the stations in that district and to take command at any large incident that occurs in the district. This unit is also sometimes call and “incident commander”. The DC rides in an SUV that is equipped with all the necessary tools needed to set up a command center. After this point, there are many DC positions within the department. Some are in charge of the academy, while others are in charge of EMS. They are the supervising authority out in the field and an invaluable member of the team. Once the rank of FAO has been achieved, the fire fighter is eligible for transfer to other divisions within the department. There are several divisions to choose from including EMS, Hazmat, Technical Rescue, Arson, Aviation, and Fire Prevention.

“We will either find a way, or make one.”

---Hannibal 

It has been said that necessity is the mother of all inventions. The San Antonio Fire Department is no different. Some of its most successful divisions came as a result of necessity. The first to arrive on scene was the Arson Division. The earliest account of any arson investigation dates back to 1939. Not much is known about arson during this time but in the late 1940’s an investigator is mentioned by name in a department document, Arthur F. Dresch. There is some debate as to the rank of Dresch, but a consensus reveals he may have been a Captain. Records are scarce during the early days of arson investigation in the city, but the division would begin to make a dramatic come back in the 1970’s.

            During the 1960’s all fire investigations were handled by the San Antonio Police Department. They had a team of two men, Captain L.L. Findlay and Police Detective Johnny Caroll. In 1965, the Texas Legislature required that all Arson investigators should be certified peace officers. This opened the door for a significant part of history in the fire department. Due to the reassignment of Det. Caroll, Fire Lieutenant Dan Davila was selected for the Arson squad. Since the Texas Legislature’s ruling on police powers for all investigators, Davila was sent to the police academy for police training, the first fire fighter in San Antonio history to do so. Davila was 37 years old at the time. The fire academy physical training is tough, but the police academy is even tougher. Some fire fighters I interviewed described Captain Davila as being “in great shape”.

 Captain Davila had a tremendous task ahead of him. When he was assigned officially to the Arson Division, there was no real school for investigators. The Captain had been an instructor at the academy and was a veteran fire fighter. During a telephone interview with the Captain, he told me that in order to gain experience, he would respond to each and every fire in the city. Armed with only a flashlight and basic tools, Captain Davila wrote the book on Arson Investigation in the city. He received help from many different departments in the city. City Public Service, Southwest Research, Electrical Inspectors, and the Police Department were instrumental in his “self-training”.

 As time went on, the caseload became too heavy for one man and gradually, more investigators were added to the Division. Another addition over the years was new specialized schools and training for investigators. In the old days, Captain Davila told me that he would arrive at a fire and look at the structure both inside and outside and try to look for patterns. Today, modern technology aids the investigators in ways never imagined back in the 1970’s. The United States Government offers schools for Arson Investigators ranging from Fire Investigation School at the National Fire Academy in Emittsberge Maryland, to explosives training conducted by the ATF.Investitgators also receive training in how to read body language and how to investigate business financial records for possible fraud. This school is conducted by the IRS. The Division Investigators are also trained hypnotists. Hypnosis aids in helping a witness remember elements of a fire scene that may be useful to the investigation. The Division had a dog that was specially trained to smell hydrocarbons at a fire scene. This was considered one of the most valuable tools the investigators had. The program was cancelled because of funding, what a shame. The Arson Division is one of the most highly trained Divisions in the Department. Funding did come from a Criminal Justice Grant that allowed the Division to purchase equipment needed to do the job. Now every Arson vehicle is fully equipped with cameras, evidence kits, and tools. Captain Davila stressed to me that even though the Arson Squad had a variety of tools and equipment at their disposal, the most important piece of equipment was the investigator’s eyes. Being able to look at a scene and attempting to recreate what happened is the First Commandment in Arson Investigation. Being both fire fighters and police officers, explosives experts and hypnotists, the Arson Squad bring a very unique capability to the San Antonio Fire Department.

 MS to 8-19, 8-19….
I use station #19 to illustrate different aspects of the department only because I spent so much time there and because it happens to be the busiest station in the city. On the first day I arrived to interview FAO Hector Cardenas, I was amazed by the number of responses the motor was making. As soon they went 10-8 (arrived at station), another run would come in and off they were again. I counted 5 runs in a little over an hour. Most were for medical assists. The station houses a single fire truck (motor) and an EMS unit (8-19). The fire department responds to more medical calls that actual fire calls now days so all of the company members are either EMT’s or Paramedic’s. This is due to the limited number of EMS units in an ever-growing city. Each motor carries medical equipment capable of stabilizing a patient until the EMS unit arrives to administer advance life support. Both fire and EMS work very well together in providing medical coverage for the city. If you are involved in a serious accident or suffer a sudden illness such as a heart attack or stroke, you can rest assured that the fire department will administer outstanding emergency pre-hospital care. In years past, this was not always the case.

In the 1960’s if you were in need of emergency care out in the field, your chances of surviving the trip and actually making it to the hospital were about as good as you winning the lottery. There was no official EMS system “back in the day” and ambulance calls were handled by funeral homes. This was appropriate considering that 60% of the patients died before they arrived at the hospital. At most, the best you could count on was a “high-speed taxi ride”.

The U.S. Department of Transportation conducted a study and found the results alarming. The ambulance attendants had little or no medical training; they were funeral home employees for crying out loud! There was little anyone could do to “package” a patient for transport, and to top it off, the funeral homes would constantly compete for calls. It was obvious that the city needed an organized system of medical care in the field. In the 1970’s, the Bexar County Medical Society headed by Dr. Charles “Daddy” Rockwood, came up with an idea for the first citywide EMS system. A Task Force was created with Rockwood and Dr. Jack Williamson leading the way. The wheels were put in motion. In the early 1970’s EMS was in its infancy. The idea of field medical care came from the military idea of a field medic. U.S. Army Special Forces Medics were trained in advanced life support techniques and were very successful in treating the injured during the Vietnam War. The “Para” Medic idea was already being proven as a life saving system.

 One October day in 1972 at #32’s, a call came in for Captain J.D. Miller. The caller was City Fire Chief Bart Mulhern. The conversation went something like this:

Mulhern: “J.D., I want you to sit down with a bunch of doctors.”

Miller: “Chief, what’s this all about?”

Mulhern: “ I don’t know, something about ambulances. Just sit down with these doctors and tell me what they want.”

(Miller Interview, 13 Oct., 2001)

Little did Captain Miller know, but he had just become “The Father of EMS”
Once the idea had been visited, the Task Force had to structure the future service before they took it to the City. The idea was presented to the City and they loved the idea. Now, The Task Force had to figure out who was going to run the operation. The first choice was the police department, but they were already handling a large amount of calls so the next choice was the Health Department. This choice was passed up as well, then someone mentioned the fire department. They were already trained in basic first aid and had the manpower and station location as well as the communication system established. The decision was made and the SAFD would have a new Division.        

The call went out to Miller who was now a District Chief, and the planning began. DC Miller had a budget of 1.4 million dollars to work with. The Chief would have to find personnel, buy ambulances, supplies, find an appropriate training center for the new paramedics, and coordinate medical supervision by the in-house physicians at Bexar County Hospital, now named University Hospital. The Chief had a time frame of one year in order to accomplish this task. When the project began to grow, Chief Miller was made full-time EMS Coordinator and was given a staff of one. Executive secretary Helen Crapps was to be Chief Miller’s right hand in the project.

 Chief Miller and Ms. Crapps went to work immediately. Ambulances were purchased from a company out of Dallas, The Modulance Corp. Chief Miller traveled to places like Dallas, Jacksonville, Florida, and Seattle, Washington in order to view their EMS System. Upon his return, he was faced with finding the personnel to staff the new Division. Over 50 fire fighters were needed for the Division. The class attracted 55 fire fighters in all and on February 28th 1974, all 55 fire fighters graduated as the department’s first paramedic class. Known as “First Fifty Five”, the new medics did not have much time to celebrate because they were to go on-line at midnight. The ambulances were stocked and ready, the man power was ready and at one minute past midnight on March 1, 1974, EMS was officially open for business. The first run went to unit 8-08 on the West Side and history was made. It was estimated that the system would handle 1300 calls a month, but by the end of the first month 2200 calls had come in with the year ending total of 24, 336 runs. With only seven units in the city, the First Fifty Five were running 24-7.

 1999 was the 25th anniversary for EMS. Since the early days, the Division has grown considerably. The Division has grown to over 300 paramedics and has a budget of 31 million dollars. With the number of ambulances increased from 7 in 1974 to 23 today, the number of runs has also increased from 24, 336 in 1974 to 86, 635 runs in 1998. The equipment carried on the units has also changed and reflects the modernization in medical technology. Units now carry Pulseoximeters which monitor the level of oxygen in a patient’s blood by using an infrared beam of light that shines through your fingernail, Plectron Radios, a Mobile Digital Terminal in all units, better Electrocardiogram monitors, cell phones, and Life Link which is a video telephone relay to Medical Control. The City has also instituted a bicycle program in an attempt to get paramedics to a scene in a crowded area such as the parades.

I spent a good deal of time with the members of EMS. With names such as The Prophet, Cookie, The Animal, Little Rat, Dead Dog, The Worm, The Canary, The Ferret, The Moose, The Squirrel, The Dancing Bear, Cool Hand Luke, Popcorn, Moe, Hollywood Jack, Potsey, Teen Angel, Brother Buzz, Doc Savage, El Mosco, Chino, Sandy, Bimbo, The Beach Boys, and Iron Mike, the EMS Division sports some of the departments more colorful members.(SAFD Hist. Pg. 111) With all the trauma, pain, and death that these paramedics see on a daily basis, you have to keep a sense of humor to you or you will be taken away in a rubber ambulance. The men and women of EMS are truly the Cities’ Angels of Mercy.

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing”
---Helen Keller

 The San Antonio Fire Department welcomed some new members to the family in 1979, women. Female firefighters were a relatively new concept twenty years ago, but have steadily grown throughout the years. Many of the women in the department are the daughters of firefighters, which gives them a unique perspective of the job because they grew up around it. My friend FAO Bertha Soto-Lopez, a paramedic with #19 told me that she felt at home when she entered the department because she knew so many of the firefighters. Her father, FAO David Soto has been a long time member of the department. I asked Ms. Soto-Lopez about the life of a woman in the department, “ We are all part of a big family, the girls don’t see much of each other because we are all stationed throughout the city but when we do see one another, its like seeing your sister. We try to help each other and support one another. So many of the firefighters are related, it really is one big family.” I asked her what was the most difficult thing about the department, “ The hardest thing for me, anyway, is the kids. When we make a scene where children are injured or worse, that really hurts.” Women have obtained command rank in the department and recently, history was made once again by the “girls” when two women were promoted to the rank of Captain. One of these Captains is Yvette Granato of the EMS Division. Currently there are about 50 female firefighters in the department. Many firefighters are highly educated and hold graduate degrees. Ms. Soto-Lopez holds a BS from Texas A&M University and a Masters from Southwest Texas State University. It is clear that women are an important part of the firefighting family. We have not yet seen what they will achieve, good luck to all of them.

 Women are not the only minority group represented in the fire department. In 1981, The United Black Firefighters of San Antonio received a charter to be recognized as a non-profit organization. As contributors to organizations such as United Negro College Fund, Sickle Cell Anemia Programs, the YMCA, and the Boys and Girls Clubs, the UBF continues to play a significant role in the community. The UBF is open to fire fighter of all races and religions and wishes to foster enhanced interracial progress within the department.

 Political and community service organizations are not new to the fire service. In the early part of the twentieth century, fire fighters endured below average pay, few days off, and no benefits for family members should the fire fighter be killed in the line of duty. In 1901, the first attempt at a union was made in Washington DC with the creation of the American Federation of Labor. The AFL did not survive political pressure but in 1903, the Pittsburgh Fire Department “organized a labor union affiliated with the AFL which later became Local No. 1 of the IAFF and by 1917 some 4000 fire fighters belonged to local unions throughout the U.S. and Canada.” (SAFD Hist. Pg. 50)

In 1918, the International Association of Fire Fighters was created which gave fire fighters unified strength in dealing when negotiating with city governments. The new Union was meet with resistance in San Antonio. IAFF Local 84 was formed in 1918 and drew fire from the City fathers. An ordinance was passed prohibiting fire fighters from joining the Union. Those who refused were to be punished by being fired from their jobs. In May of 1920, 92 San Antonio fire fighters were fired because they refused to go along with the ordinance. The fire fighters were left out in the cold for the next twenty years. In 1947, a bill that moved through the State Legislature enabled Civil Service benefits and rights to be granted to fire fighters. This came to be known as the Fireman’s Welfare Association. While not a Union, the Association was the representing political body for fire fighters until January of 1958 when fire fighters rejoined the IAFF and began Local 624, the Union of today. As before, the City “punished” the fire fighters by not allowing pay raises for the next five years. Today, as a result of the tireless efforts of Local 624, fire fighters enjoy many well-deserved benefits. The San Antonio Professional Fire Fighters Association IAFF Local 624 has been and will continue to be a driving force in the representation of fire fighters today and beyond. 

Technical Rescue and Haz-Mat

The fire department has a specialty rescue team know as Technical Rescue. These fire fighters are specially trained in difficult rescue techniques. They are called out for multiple alarm fires and if a fire fighter get into trouble, technical rescue goes in to get them out. They also staff specialty water rescue equipment. Every time we see someone stuck in a low water crossing, its technical rescue that is called to get the people out. They receive additional training at various schools throughout the country and are also members of Texas Task Force 1 a specialty rescue force made up of rescue teams from the State ready to respond to any Statewide disaster within hours. Some members of Technical Rescue flew to New York to assist the FDNY in searching for victims in the aftermath of September 11. Fire fighters like to name pieces of equipment in honor of fallen fire fighters. Rescue 4, a vehicle used by Technical Rescue is dedicated to Lt. Willie Ojeda who was killed in the line of duty on May 8, 1975 when he jumped in a fast flowing river in an attempt to rescue a young child. The child was never found. Lt. Ojeda was the father of the current City Fire Chief Robert Ojeda.

The fire department also has a unit called Haz-Mat. The Hazardous Materials Unit was formed after a train derailment on Wetmore Road in June of 1986. The derailment caused such a concern for the safety of the community that the City Fire Chief I.O. Martinez decided to create a unit with the specialized training to handle hazardous materials. Currently, 30 fire fighters are members of Haz-Mat and receive an additional 80 hours of training in hazardous materials techniques. In the wake of the terrorist attacks, Haz-Mat has been very busy. They have responded to hundreds of calls for possible anthrax and bio-terrorism devices in the city, all of which have been false alarms.

The final Division I whish to feature is the least talked about but probably the most important, Fire Prevention. One fire fighter told me that a fire departments job is not to extinguish fires, but to prevent them. The concept of fire prevention began back in 1846 when the city would impose fines on citizens that would create a hazardous environment where fire could be the result. In 1854, the first Fire Marshal was appointed with the responsibility to enforce fire codes. Throughout the years as technology became more and more available, the role of the fire marshal expanded to include building and electrical code enforcement. Today, the Fire Prevention office works with local and federal agencies to ensure that proper fire safety is met when a building goes up. The Division also investigates citizen complaints and fire deaths or unusual fires. The inspectors also review fire sprinkler and fire alarm systems to ensure public safety. A large portion of the Division is public education. Over the years, the Division has promoted public awareness in fire safety by offering demonstrations on escape and the proper use of fire extinguishers. Today, the Division uses a different approach to reach the youth of the community. The SAFD “Backdraft” Band and “Sparky”, the Division mascot teach children the do’s and donut’s of fire safety. The newest addition to the Division is the SAFD SAFE House. A portable mobile home which is geared up to teach children how to get out of a burning room. The Division also holds public safety fairs, which enable the fire fighters to interact with the community face to face. The Fire Prevention Division is the first line of defense in fire fighting.

As we have seen, the San Antonio Fire Department has a long history spanning well over 100 years. In that time the department has witnessed many changes, both good and bad, but has weathered them all with dignity and bravery. From the creation of EMS to the changes in cadet training that reflects the new age of terrorism, the San Antonio Fire Department will always be there to answer the community’s calls for help any day at any time.

Fire fighters are a special breed of individual. They go to work each day knowing full well that they may not return. The job can be frustrating at times, it is always dangerous but most fire fighters will tell you that it is mainly a lot of fun. You can see an almost childlike quality when they get on the fire trucks and respond to an emergency, they have the same smile that most children have on their faces when they play with toy fire trucks. I suppose that is one reason why we love fire fighters so much. In some ways they remind us of our childhood and the good times we had when we played and imagined what the future would be like. As adults, they remind us that strong moral values do indeed still exist in this crazy world, in short, they make us realize that heroes do exist and that there are those in this world who are of such character and bravery that they will willingly each day risk making the ultimate sacrifice….so that others may live. I have no words to express the gratitude and admiration I have for the department, so I give to all fire fighters all over the world something I cherish very deeply, my everlasting respect. I hope that I have given you a look behind the scenes of the fire department and an idea of what courage really is all about. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. If you want to see the true essence of the word courage, just look into the eyes of a fire fighter for courage is their soul.