Color silent film shows the Rochester Fire Department deploying trucks and a portable water tank to fight a blaze in a barn. The barn was donated by the Pennington's for this training exercise. The following events take place during the film. (02:21) Chief Ollie Mertz in the green shirt on the right. (06:57) Jerry Kokovich, safety inspector is in the blue suit coat. (07:10) Fireman Fanning sticks his head out of the burned roof of the barn. (07:58) Fireman Eischen is running away from the barn with his gear.
Color silent film that of the fire, and aftermath, at FISCO on South Broadway. The company housed the equipment for the Rochester Fire Department to use for fighting rural fires.
Fire destroys St. John's Episcopal Church on Fourth Street South. The church was built in 1892. 4 firemen bring a fire hose up a ladder to the top of the church, hosing down the inside of the church in efforts to put out the fire.
Fire destroys St. John's Episcopal Church on Fourth Street South. The church was built in 1892. Fireman sprays the church with a hose from a distance as he stands on a hook and ladder fire truck. Firemen on the ground assist and look on. Roof of church has been destroyed.
Black-and-white silent film of a Home Service Survey - an inspection the firefighters would offer free of charge to homeowners to point out potential safety concerns and fire hazards. A 1967 Pirsch truck is the first engine out of the fire station at Sixth Street and Broadway Avenue. The following events take place in the film: (00:21) The ladder truck had both front and rear steering. (00:51) John Walsh is the firefighter doing the inspection.
Modern Bar and eight other businesses damaged by fire. Fronts of ice laden Horseshoe Liquor, Lucille Heinen Beauty Salon and Naldo's buildings after fire with St. Cloud Fire Department extension ladder truck parked in street.
Fire at the Hotel Norton on 104 Second Street southeast in Rochester. This was a very difficult fire to fight given the extreme cold temperatures. Several people died in this fire. The event spurred other businesses in Rochester to install sprinker systems.
Black-and-white, mostly silent, film of firefighters battling the blaze at the 52 year-old Norton Hotel on February 6, 1967. The hotel was located on the edge of the Zumbro River, on Second Street Southeast. Several people were injured as they jumped to escape the flames and several people were found dead in their rooms the following day. The firefighters were hampered by the extreme cold weather, with a high temperature of 12 degrees below zero, and ice that formed over everything. The hotel had no sprinkler system and the fire provided impetus to install sprinklers in businesses. The following events take place in the film: (00:27) Fire Chief Ollie Mertz in the white coat. (01:42) When ladder truck #32 arrives, it was driver Bill Haas' first day on the job. (02:00) Fireman with his hat off is Bob Fanning. (03:37) Firemen Buske and Mertz drinking coffee. (03:43) Survivor Wayne describes how he got out of the hotel and there is sound for his interview. (05:04) February 7th, 1967 investigators are able to clear those who were killed from the building and start looking for causes of the blaze.
Black-and-white silent film shows the exterior and interior of the Broadway Avenue fire station with firemen doing various tasks.The following events take place: (00:29) Bob Laack tests the air pressure in the tires on a fire truck. (00:54) The Maxim Aerial #1 ladder truck had a battery that swung out and was regularly tested. (01:27) Fireman Walt Clark is working on one of the many reports that needed to be completed after each incidence. (01:47) Jerry Jerabek checks over the paperwork. (02:16) The 1960 Bean fire truck is seen pulling out of the fire station. (02:28) The Diamond TT truck, Engine 11, hooks up to a fire hydrant to get water. (02:42) Firefighter Elgin Norman is pulling out fire hose. (03:02) Paul Clark holds a nozzle and demonstrates how water sprays from the hose. (03:24) The many dials and gauges firemen needed to monitor on the fire truck.(04:02) Firemen test the hoses. (04:42) The Maxim Aerial tillered ladder truck, which was eventually sold to East Grand Forks, does a practice drive. (04:52) Harvey Miller throws a chock under the wheels of the Maxim truck and Virg Nielsen pushes it completely under. (05:07) The aerial ladder is raised for training. The ladder truck was built in West Germany and assembled in Connecticut. A couple was hired to drive it to Minnesota. Lester Christopherson is at the end of the ladder. (06:53) The 1951 Ware LaFrance truck exits the fire station on Broadway. (07:07) The 1960 John Bean truck backs into the station on Broadway. There were no cabs on fire trucks at that time. (07:52) Hoses were laid out on the floor at Fire Station #2 to be carefully loaded back onto a truck. (08:24) Ken Chase on the bed of the truck with Bob Lovett, on the left, reloading hoses and Marv McGowan assisting. (08:57) Fireman Lester does Monday checks on the 1920 Arends Fox engine. (09:20) Closeups of the exterior of ladder truck #32, the American LaFrance. (10:01) Exterior images of Engine No. 31. (10:11) Bob Johnson sits at the alarm dispatch station, receiving calls and sending out the fire trucks as needed. (10:35) Firefighter Buzz Alexander is shown in conversation at the fire station.(10:40) Jerry Lenner is standing by the firefighter's lockers. (10:58) When a call comes in, firefighters sprint to their gear. Elgin Springen and Bob Wood put on their gear. Some men slide down the pole from upstairs to reach the trucks quickly. (11:34) Jerry Jerabek checks out the generator at the fire station. (12:06) Harvey Miller, called a mechanical genius by Chief Mertz, fixes a carburetor on a fire truck. (12:26) The on-duty firemen sit down for a quick meal of stew and Wonder bread. On the bottom right, and going counterclockwise around the table is Kerm Bormann, Lyle Bateman, Tom Beagle, Mark Riess Sr., Buzz Alexander (coming through the door with the sweater on). Don Johnson is on the left side, wearing glasses.
Black-and-white animated film with sound that promoted good practices to prevent fires. Chief Mertz, of the Rochester Fire Department, said he would regularly purchase these to display as a public service, usually in October during Fire Safety Week.
McKinley Elementary School, Waite Park, Minnesota, destroyed by fire. Three sets of Waite Park firefighters on ground with hoses hosing down roof with smoke billowing out the top of school.
Color film with some sound of the installation of a life ring box at Silver Lake. The life ring was a response to the drowning of several firefighters in attempting to rescue someone who had fallen in the lake after walking on thin ice. The following events take place in the film: (00:28) Irwin Palmer places the life ring in the box. (00:43) Mayor Alexander Smedtka encourages the proper use of the ring. (01:03) Irwin Palmer reminds people the ice is never safe.
Exterior view of the Gambles shopping center after a fire. The fire started on July 31, 1962. Several young men are moving large boxes of trash away from the back of the store.
Interior view of Gambles shopping center after a fire. A man (fire inspector?) uses a flashligh to inspect the damage. The fire started on July 31, 1962.
Onlookers, mostly children, standing in the rear of Gambles to to watch St. Cloud firefighters combat the fire at Gambles shopping center. The fire started on July 31, 1962.
Crowds of gawkers gathered behind barriers set up by police on the north side of First Street to observe the fire at Gambles shopping center. The fire started on July 31, 1962.
Exterior view of the Gambles shopping center after a fire. The fire started on July 31, 1962. Several young men are moving large boxes of trash away from the back of the store.
