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.
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.
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.
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.
A day-by-day listing of the time, location, parties involved, cause, equipment used and damages for fires that were responded to by the Rochester Fire Department.
Color silent film of a grass fire along Highway 63 ditches, just to the south of Rochester, and how firemen are attempting to put out the fire. The following events take place in the film: (00:41) A People's Electric Company truck and employee are watering down an electrical pole that was scorched. (00:52) Fireman John Loftus in one the right in the grey uniform. 1:28 Fireman Sizer is carrying a shovel across the burned area.
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.
Retired fire chief Bob Laack shares the early beginnings of the volunteer Rochester Fire Department in 1866 and describes changes in equipment, stations and daily activities of the firemen.
KROC Radio host Butch Morganson broadcasts this episode of the series, "The Hum of Industry" live from the Rochester Fire Station at the corner of Sixth Street and Broadway Avenue. Fire Chief Cecil E. Ginther is interviewed about the daily life of a fireman as they walk through the building describing the various rooms. Also heard are Assistant Chief Frank Adair and Fireman Dan McLaughlin.
Color film with no sound. Tables are set up in a city garage for the potential candidates to take the written civil service test for part of the exam to be a Rochester firefighter. The physical portion of the test is done at Soldier's Field track and includes running, long jump, high jump, and pull ups.
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.
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.
Black-and-white silent film demonstrating how a Maxim ladder fire truck was set up and evaluated. It was filmed at the Silver Lake fire station. There is a tower at that station that was built specifically for training about 1952. There are also some shots of the canoes and bridge across Seventh Street northeast. The following events take place during the film: (00:47) Elgin Norman finishes the final nozzle set up. (01:38) Mike Braun is at the foot of the ladder. (01:50) Jerry Jerbek is on the right rolling wire.
Black-and-white silent film showing various rural and city fires that occured in the late 1950s to early 1960s. Firefighters and the various equipment they used to fight the fires is shown. The following events take place during the film: ( 00:00) Remains of a farmhouse burned to the ground. (01:45) Firefighters work at a house fire in Rochester, Minnesota about 1958. Gold Cross ambulances are waiting and a Diamond TT fire truck is visible. (02:34) Firefighters put out a fire at the Rochester Civic Theatre. (03:25) Remains of a barn and miscellaneous farm equipment after being destroyed by fire. Smoldering hay piles are seen. (04:35) A rural barn fire in progress, with firefighters attempting to put the fire out. A farmer is seen rescuing pigs. (05:26) A barn fully engulfed in flames with several firetrucks visible. Firefighters are battling a smoldering haystack and people are pulling equipment and livestock from the barn. (06:17) Grass fire in rural Olmsted County. (07:03) Firefighters battle a rural house and garage fire at the Donald Ramthun homestead, 1518 22nd Street SE, Rochester, Minnesota. (07:41) Tommy Thompson is on the left. (08:07) A fire truck and crew from from Elgin Township respond to a rural house fire. (08:43) Firefighters hose down a hay and barn fire. (09:04) Fireman Jack Toogood chops into the side of the building. (09:58) A fully engulfed house fire with bystanders watching. Firefighters hose down nearby buildings to keep them from burning. (10:09) An example of a ""bean gun"" nozzle, technology of the 1950s that was supposed to be low volume, high pressure, but firemen say it didn't work very well. (10:49) Smoldering remains of a barn fire. (11:29) A short training clip with sound, possibly from the U.S. Forest Service, showing a fire watch tower and sand caster and explaining how forest fires are fought. (12:38) The R. W. Gregerson rural house is shown fully engulfed in fire with saved belongings outside. Firefighters hose down other nearby buildings to keep the fire from spreading. (13:52) An injured bystander is treated and taken away in a Gold Cross ambulance. (14:44) Remains of a barn fire and burning hay mound are watched by farmers. An Elgin Township fire truck is at the scene. (15:50) Firefighters fight a hay stack and barn fire. [Firefighters watching commented, ""Many barns and hay stacks burned because they put up green hay, which would spontaneously combust after a while.""] (16:30) The exterior of Horton's Recreation and a bakery at the bottom of the Opera House building are seen. Fire damage in an apartment inside the building is shown. (17:09) Firefighters battle a house fire at night. A fireman hits out a window with a hatchet [Firemen commented, ""They all carried hatchets back then.""] (17:58) Fire at a large industrial building. The Salvation Army Emergency Canteen truck serves coffe to the firefighters. (18:50) Bystanders and firefigthers are at a house fire. The 1960 Bean Firetruck is seen. (19:38) Evening shot of a fully engulfed barn fire. (20:22) Firefighters start a house on fire for training purposes. (21:01) Evening shots of the Princess Cafe, Baby Roy's Restaurant, and Stevenson's department store fire. A firefighter puts on an oxygen mask before entering the building. (21:49) Rural location of Fire No. 429 is the remains of a house gutted by fire. (22:38) Firefighters put out a garage fire whild children and other bystanders are nearby. It appears some children are accusing one child of playing with matches and starting the fire. (23:17) A nighttime fire.
Color film with sound created in conjunction with the Red Cross and United Fund to show how vital the fire department rescue squad is becaue they are trained in first aid and water rescue by the Red Cross. A dispatch station, firefighters using a pole to get to the fire trucks and a fire truck heading north on Broadway street are featured. The film was designed to encourage fundraising for the Red Cross through the United Fund.
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, Lionel 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.
