MISSION STATEMENT

It is the mission of the Sonora City Fire Department to serve and protect the community through public education, training, fire prevention, fire suppression, emergency rescue, disaster preparedness, mutual aid support, advances in modern technology and other services in order to minimize the loss of life and property, damage to the environment, and adverse economic impacts due to natural or man-made emergencies or events, while still preserving the City's historic character and charm.

Sonora City Fire Department History

With the rush of miners into the area, Sonora was built quickly and without much planning. Nearly all buildings were constructed with wood and were connected to other buildings or tents. As a result, fires occurred with regularity and often destroyed major parts of town. On July 30, 1852, the newly chartered City of Sonora passed Ordinance #20 which organized the fire department. Records showing how the department was organized are missing. In 1854, a guest at the Ile De France hotel at Washington and Theall Streets (now the site of the City Hotel building) fell asleep while smoking a cigar touching off the worst fire in the city’s history. Most of the city was destroyed.

Two things happened as a result of the fire. First, the city was rebuilt using brick and/or stone construction making the spread of large conflagrations difficult. Second, the city’s Common Council repealed Ordinance #20 and re-organized the fire department into volunteer companies who would systematically fight the flames.

Ordinance #45 stipulated that each company had to maintain a minimum of twenty active members, elect yearly a slate of officers, and elect with other companies a common fire chief and two assistants. Four companies were formed: Sonora Hose Company No 1, Independent Hose & Chemical Company No 2, Washington Hose Company No.1, and Washington Hook & Ladder Company No. 1. Each company purchased its own equipment, practiced regularly, and engaged in friendly competition with the rival companies.

While other communities (including nearby Columbia) had human powered water pampers, Sonora firefighters relied on the city’s gravity fed reservoir and pipeline system. At the scene of a fire, firefighters would tap into the nearest pipe to put out the fire. Hose was brought to the fire on Hose Carts.

Re-organization of the Fire Companies

In 1867, state law forced a re-organization of the different fire companies. Previously, no limit had been put on the number of fire companies in any community. Since Fire Companies were private and not limited by districts at this time, merchants in the larger cities would have to pay for protection to all companies or risk the loss of their business to fire. Heavy competition between the urban fire companies led to extortion and many instances of arson and lost businesses and lives. So the state legislature enacted a law to limit fire companies to one per each thousand of city residents. The law limited Sonora’s fire companies to two. As a result, by 1869, Washington Hose Co. No. 3, and Sonora Hose Company No. 1 were joined together to form Washington Hose Company No. 1

Thanks to Sonora’s topography, a gravity-fed water piping system worked fairly well for most fires, although problems occurred at fires at or above the town’s several reservoirs. By the mid-1870’s, the city decided to form a new company to purchase and maintain a new hand engine. The company was named Eureka Engine Company No. 1. An order was placed in 1875 with L.S. Button and Sons of Waterford, New York to purchase a “hand pumper” The pumper was built in early 1876 and shipped around the horn to Sonora via San Francisco. Now Sonora had an effective engine to fight all kinds of fire scenarios in the city.

Again, state law forced a further re-organization of the fire department. The new law stipulated that only one fire company could operate out of a single building. Since it was formed, Eureka Engine Company was housed with Washington Hose Co. 1. Instead of finding a second building, it was decided that Washington Hose would disband and merge into Eureka Engine Company becoming a single fire company. The two resulting companies were Eureka Engine Company No. 1 and Independent Hose & Chemical Company No. 2. The Eureka Engine Company station was located on North Washington St. and the Independent Hose & Chemical Company No. 2 station was located on South Washington St. near the center of the city. These two companies were the only firefighting force for the City of Sonora for more that a century. 

  Motorized Fire Fighting and the Fire Companies

Motorization came to Sonora Fire Department in 1918 when Independent Hose Co. No. 1 purchased and converted a Model T into a hose wagon. Now firefighters could get their equipment to a fire without first relying on a large turnout of men to the company firehouse. By 1920, it was clear that a stronger automobile was required for the hose wagon and a RIO truck was purchased by the City of Sonora and the Model T’s hose bed was install on it. In 1923, a second hose wagon made by Moreland was purchased by Independent Hose Co. No. 1. The Moreland is the oldest intact motorized apparatus of the Sonora Fire Department still in existence. It is also the last apparatus purchased by a fire company with the City of Sonora buying the engines from then on.

In 1937, the City purchased its first motorized pumper, a truck built by White Motor Company and fire buildup by Van Pelt Fire Apparatus in Oakdale. Despite being painted red, it is known as the “White”. In 1939, the city again purchased a motorized pumper, a GMC truck that was outfitted with the same hose bed that served the Model T and the REO. The fire buildup and pump was installed by Van Pelt Fire Apparatus in Oakdale. This engine was referred to as “The Little Jimmy” In 1952, another GMC truck was converted into a fire engine by Van Pelt and placed in service. This engine was the favorite of the “paid” staff until 1972. The “Big Jimmy” saw it’s last service during the Y2K scare in 1999-2000. The four antique motorized fire apparatus and the hand engine, Eureka No.1, remain the concern of Sonora’s historical fire companies and the muster team.

In 1966 the City purchased a 1000 GPM pumper from Van Pelt Fire Apparatus. This was the first Sonora fire apparatus painted white. Engine 4 was the volunteer’s engine until it was retired in 2003. It was converted into a water tender for use by the Sonora Public Works Department.

In 1972, the city purchased it’s last engine from Van Pelt Fire Apparatus. This was a 1000 GPM pumper with Ford C-900 Cab. Engine 5 became the “paid staff’s” engine and remained the “first out” engine until 1997. It is now a reserve engine.

The following apparatus are in service as of 2007;

             1972 - Ford/Van Pelt Pumper (Engine 755)

             1988 - E-One mini pumper (Squad 756)

             1996 - 3-D Quint 75 ft. ladder truck (Truck 757)

             1997 - Central States Pumper (Engine 751)         

             2003 - Weststates Pumper (Engine 752)

Professional Fire Fighting and the Fire Companies

Just before World War I I, the relationship between the fire companies and the city began to change. In the Depression-ear 1930’s, a combined City Hall, Fire Station and Police Department building was built on the location of Eureka Engine Company fire house as part of a Federal Works Project. Both fire companies moved into this building. After the war, the city paid for an on-duty firefighter and later hired a full time Fire Chief and three fire engineers to staff the station 24 hours a day. In 1982, three firefighters were hired to increase the paid staff and provide 2 full time firefighters per shift. The city still relied on volunteers from the two companies to fight fires, but the paid fire staff eventually took over the day-to-day  operations of the department.

In the 1970’s and 80’s, state and federal governments enacted stricter requirements for a city’s volunteer firefighting forces. Previously, anyone joining the fire companies was automatically considered a volunteer firefighter, regardless of age, abilities or qualifications. Liability laws and new regulations required the fire department to test and train volunteers on an ongoing basis. Many of the companies’ members were merchants or citizens of the community who could not meet or make time for the new qualifications. That plus an increasing call volume caused many of these members to quit the active firefighting part of the department. Therefore, the fire companies ended their direct role as the city’s exclusive volunteer firefighting force and have become a social organization in service to the fire department.  

In the 1990’s, the city was growing and the emergency call volume was still on the increase. Large shopping centers were being built and it was becoming clear that the 1930’s station was not big enough to handle new fire apparatus or any additional personnel. Plans were made and work started on a new fire station. The new station was opened in October 1996 and located in the center of the city. The apparatus bays could hold the newer and larger apparatus that was needed to protect the city and living quarters could handle a larger staff. The 1930’s building was remodeled and is used as city administration offices and the city council chambers.

Eureka Engine Company No. 1 and Independent Hose Company No. 2 Today

Today’s companies, now social organizations, help maintain the fire department’s antique apparatus, including the 130+ year old hand engine and the motorized pumpers. Members also participate in local parades and events, and in fire musters (regional competition and static displays of antique fire apparatus) throughout the state. They also have participated in philanthropic work by sponsoring school events, Little League baseball teams, and helping to purchase fire prevention education tools. Both companies meet jointly on the second Thursday of the month at the Rother Corner Fire Museum located across from the old Fire Station. The museum has a large collection of fire department memorabilia and  the 1876 Button and Son “hand pumper” on display.