Poulsbo Fire Department History - Poulsbo, Washington, USA

A Brief Written History of Poulsbo Fire Department

Part 4 - 1940 to 1950 & Period of War
The 1918 American LaFrance fire engine continued to service the City of Poulsbo as the only pumping unit (with a splendid record) until 1940, when a brand new truck was ordered. This was a 1941 Ford equipped with a 95 HP Mercury engine and fitted with a 500 gallon per minute American LaFrance pumping unit, plus a 200 gallon water tank, 150 feet 'of booster hose, aluminum ladders, 650 feet of 2-1/2" hose and 200 feet of 1-1/2" hose in the hose bed, (4) 5-gallon backpack-type canister hand pumps, 10 hard helmets, a first aid kit, and many other items, making this unit strictly up to date. The driver's seat was on the left, as is the custom in all American highway vehicles; however it had an open cab without a roof over the driver or assistant riding with him up front. A new fire hall had been constructed at the present location of City Hall including two truck bays and a hose drying tower. Construction was of reinforced concrete and a most welcome home for the Fire Department. By this time there had been accumulated considerable additional fire hose, all tested and approved to 250 psi and in sufficient quantity that all wet hose returned from a fire could be hung in the tower to dry and the truck hose bed reloaded with fresh dry hose. No longer was wet hose kept on the truck. Also, additional water storage tanks had been added in the city and water mains were extended.

The tranquil days of the late 1930s, especially 1938 and 1939, were happy as the great Depression that began in 1929 and extended until about 1935 came to an end; unemployment was a thing of the past. Then, in September 1939, Germany invaded Poland and World War II began. When intense fighting began in Europe and the Mediterranean, activity at the Naval Stations at Keyport and Bremerton was greatly intensified. Kitsap County experienced an enormous influx of people working at these facilities. Day by day there was news of the war, but it was in Europe and Kitsap residents felt safe. The U.S. Navy purchased a large tract of land on Hood Canal to develop into a new ammunition depot on the west side of Clear Creek Road, the facility now known locally as Subase Bangor. The hot breath of war was inching a little closer to home month by month. Late in the summer of 1940, the huge British battleship WARSPITE limped into Puget Sound Naval Shipyard having been heavily damaged in the Mediterranean near the island of Crete. Now we could see first-hand some of the destruction of war. Then, on December 7, 1941, a day recorded by President Roosevelt as "a day of infamy", the Japanese Navy airplanes bombed Pearl Harbor; War was upon us and we in the distant northwest corner of the U.S. were possibly the next target!

A national program for home defense was organized and referred to as Civilian Defense. Under these overall auspices, the Poulsbo Fire Department undertook a program of local instruction. The former meetings of the men of the Department had been held monthly but now were increased to weekly and in some cases to twice weekly. Local area first aid stations were set-up and many civilian defense drills were held to include the public. The threat of aerial bombs being dropped here or submarines entering Puget Sound and shelling the Naval facilities was on everyone's mind and people had to be prepared. The news media gave graphic accounts of the destruction being experienced in London and throughout Europe. First aid schools were set-up under the direction of the Poulsbo Fire Department with Leif Ness as the head and classes were held at the local schools, grange halls, fraternal lodges, and wherever necessary. A huge air raid alarm horn had been installed in the center of Poulsbo to alert the people in the event of an air raid. Air raid lookout stations were established on the tops of the surrounding hills and these were manned 24 hours a day, although not by the Fire Department. Additionally, a night patrol with a deputized armed guard stood watch each night at the telephone building to prevent sabotage.

These changes did not all occur overnight but over a considerable period of time. The Poulsbo Fire Department acquired additional equipment as funding became available. The official membership had increased from thirteen in 1937 to fifteen in 1943. However, there were many non-members that responded to fire calls when the alarm sounded.

In 1943 it became apparent that one fire truck was insufficient. New fire trucks could not be purchased, as the automobile and truck factories were working overtime producing war materials. To meet the need, a used 1937 Ford truck rated at 1-1/2 tons was purchased. Also a 500-gallon portable pump built by the Chrysler Company had been obtained from the Office of Civilian Defense. These were taken to George Knudson's garage and the Fire Department members worked many nights installing the pump on the truck, constructing a hose bed and salvaging what other items they could from the old 1918 American LaFrance engine that was now retired. This gave the Department two trucks equipped with dual rear wheels and four-wheel brakes that could respond to a fire either in the City or outside. Still, the entire department manning was made up of volunteers, responding to the loud fire alarm horn. No one remained at the station overnight but still the first truck was rolling onto the street usually within three minutes after the alarm sounded during the night, and in less time
during the day.

The war ended in August of 1945 and the area returned to more quiet conditions. Employment in the Naval stations was drastically reduced and many people left Poulsbo and the vicinity. The City had grown tremendously during this first half of the 1940's and the last half saw extended City limits. There was now a system of fire alarm pull boxes located throughout the City so that an alarm could be activated from any of these. The water main system had been improved and extended and by 1951 there were 51 fire hydrants in the City. The water storage and supply had been increased so that a test during the 1951 inspection indicated a flow of 860 gpm could be obtained and still have 60 pounds pressure in the mains on First Street; or a flow of 2600 gpm with 20 pounds in the mains. Further, the number of registered volunteers in 1951 was 31.

During this decade one incidence is worthy of mention. Sometime between 1943 and 1945, a fire broke out in the high school/grade school in Silverdale. Help was requested and Poulsbo responded with the open cab 1941 Ford truck. On arrival, Chief Rudie Iverson asked the Silverdale Fire Chief where they were needed. He replied "Get us water"; there was not enough available from the hydrant. Silverdale had attempted to draw water from the creek but had sucked sand and gravel into the pump until it failed. The boys from Poulsbo took the tarpaulin from the cover of the hose bed and, with the ladders and pike pole stretched across and the tarpaulin laid in the creek with one end supported by the ladders and pole, a dam and pool was made. The draft hose from the truck was lowered into this pond and clean, sand-free water was obtained. The crew laid all of the available 2-1/2" hose from the creek to the Silverdale pumper truck and with this water the school building was saved. Ingenuity had paid off.

During this decade (1940 - 1950), an ambulance service was established in Poulsbo by the American Legion, starting service in 1948 with a 1942 Ford panel delivery truck, somewhat akin to a station wagon without side windows. The crew was trained only in first aid and/or how to place a splint over a broken bone and then transport the patient to the Bremerton hospital.

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