Driver 12, CFD
Forward — For information comprising this history of the Caribou Fire Department, especially that period from 1891 to 1940, the writer is indebted to an old and dear friend of the past, Mr. Frank W. Lovering, a prominent newspaper man of his time, who compiled the first history of the Department during the 1940s, while serving as Executive Secretary of the Caribou Chamber of Commerce.
Contributed photo
Current members of the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department are, in front, from left: Capt. Frank Patane, Capt. Steve Sperry, Chief Roy Woods, Capt. Steve McDuffie, Capt. Greg Belanger, Capt. Darren Woods and Capt. Jim Mockler. Middle row: Lance LaMothe, Darren Pelletier, Matt Doody, Gary Marquis, Scott Michaud, Chip LaMothe, Bud Skidgel, Kevin Adams, Lucus Theriault, James Michaud, Chandler Corriveau, Troy Haney, Rick LaMothe, Mark Baker and Chad McCarthy. In back are: Mike McCarthy, Dan Raymond, Bruce Thibeault, Jared Willey, Scott Dow, Tim Guerrette, Scott Jackson, Scott Susi, Lon Cyr, Jordan Cyr, Perry Ciszewski and Gregg Rideout. Absent from photo are Firefighters Brian Lajoie, John Thornton, Lance Longley, Justin LaPlante, Richard Learnard, Ross Olmstead, Steve Corbin and Steven Guerrette.
I have borrowed freely from his account and in many instances embellished it as I thought proper.
“After perusing and borrowing from the history he had completed in 1940, I was on my own, but have tried to continue in the same vein from 1940 to the present.
I know, were he here, Frank would join me in saying, “We hope our efforts met with your approval.”
It is hoped that each succeeding year may be chronicled in order that many of the seemingly unimportant items relating to the Dept. can be saved for posterity, as now we are at a loss to obtain such information relating to everyday acitivites of the Unit.
Those older members who possessed such information have now answered their last call and the information they had passed with them.
We have given it our best effort and hope that future firefighters of the Caribou Fire Department will be able to see how we worked, what we worked with and as good fortune permits, perhaps through photographs and newspaper accounts, see us as we are: Men, Equipment, Methods, etc. “
Good reading,
Murph, 1967
(1967) The Caribou Fire Department was born of a strong desire in the citizens of the still young town of Caribou in 1890 to form a fire protection group and has grown to the present day modern equipped and trained staff of regulars and volunteers.
This Department of the shortly to be, “Newest City in Maine,” has undergone many and varied changes from that day, 77 years ago when the first strictly volunteer unit was organized.
In order to compile this history, prior to Caribou becoming a city, it has been necessary to borrow from the experiences and recollections of many of the senior members of the Department and their recalls has been fantastic.
Many of their more vivid memories will be cited throughout this history, especially so as regards the formative years.
It is felt that here at the beginning is the proper place to give credit to those who contributed from their storehouse of knowledge:
A.A. Garden, first treasurer and later chief; S.M Straight, chief; G. Havelock Knox, chief; Murray Mockler, chief; Ora Howe Sr., assistant chief; A.P. Allyn, senior member of the department at this writing; Elray DeMerchant, chief; Russell Getchell, chief; Donald Woods, chief; Arnold Gahagan, senior driver and department drillmaster; Linwood E. (Ken) Collins, Driver 2, CFD and Lendal Forbes, Driver 3, CFD.
Years ago the first settlers of Caribou and their hardy successors used water buckets as their only means of fighting fires. Neighbors responded to the dreaded cry of ‘FIRE,’ and passed the filled buckets hand to hand from water supply to the blaze.
Most often however, it was a case of too little, too late. In those days there was no organized fire department here, but the idea had taken root; danger from fire was increasing and before 1890, a volunteer group of fire fighters was organized.
In 1891, the first actual Volunteer Fire Department was formed. A.A. Garden was a charter member and first treasurer, P.K. Holmes was secretary and the first Fire Chief was Herschel D. Collins.
Fire Department records indicate the following to have been selected by their associates to hold the office of Chief, up to the time of appointment of a full-time chief in 1950. H.D. Collins, F. L. Oak, F.W. Barker, A.A. Garden, C.C. King, David Allyn, E.J. Briggs, S.M. Straight, G. Havelock Knox, Murray Brigg, Fred Hawkes, Murray Mockler, Elray DeMerchant and Russell Getchell.
In 1950 the Caribou Town council appointed a full-time chief and he still holds that position (as of this writing in Dec. 1967): Donald E. Woods.
Firemen in the early days of organization were paid $15 a year. The cash was collected from the townspeople by public subscription and firemen made the rounds annually to gather the money. If a fireman failed to attend a meeting, he paid a fine of 50 cents. If he failed to answer an alarm, he was fined $1. The fines, or surplus, so to speak, were divided up at the end of the year on a percentage basis between those who had been more loyal to the volunteer system. This, in some instances, amounted to quite a considerable sum, when viewed as to the purchasing power of a dollar in those day.
A Curious Pump was purchased in 1891-92, one of three of its kind then in Aroostook County. It consisted of a tank on a low slung wagon with four wheels, and was usually pulled to a fire by ropes which were lengthened as more men came, or if possible; a truck man was hired to haul it with his span of horses. One of these latter truck men was the late David DeMerchant, who served the fire department commendable with his team.
Arriving at the fire, the horses (if they had been available) or manpower were hitched to the opposite ends of a long pole extended across the top of the tank. A vertical shaft from the pole made the outfit look like a giant gimlet (a machine used for moving buildings). The horses or men on either side circled the apparatus in tandem on the trot; exactly the same way horses were used to move buildings.
The pumps (two of them, a suction and a force) operated in unison with each other, bring the water into the unit from the source and discharging it through the force pump in sufficient quantity to make a good hose stream. The outfit was called a ‘Sweep,’ and it gave good service if it got to the fire early enough and the hoses were long enough.
Three cisterns were built in the town. Square holes were dug in the springy loam to a depth of about eight feet and walled with old railroad ties cribbed together. One was built on the site of the W.P. Hamilton lot on North Main Street, another on South Main Street at the corner of York Street and a third on Broadway near the railroad yards where there was indeed a need due to the number of warehouses in the area. Later brick cisterns replaced those cribbed with wood.
The ‘Sweep’ worked so well that the town never purchased an old fashioned hand pump operated by men raising and lowering rails on either side of the pump tank. The fire hose was kept on reels hauled by hand.
When the early department was in good shape for hose, it owned 700 feet. Compare this if you will, with even the smallest piece of present day (1957) equipment carrying by itself over 1,000 feet of hose.
The first motor driven vehicle in the department was a combination outfit, built in Caribou on a second-hand Overland chassis with an open body. The Overland has been owned by the late John McElwain. The rear seat was removed and a body put on which could carry 1,000 feet of hose folded edge-like accordion pleating. It was build at a cost of $400.
The apparatus was kept and maintained in a town-owned building on Sweden St., where the Currier Furniture Store stands today (1967). The land cost $900; the building was of wood, two stories high with a pitched roof. On the back was a tower for handing and drying hose.
In this structure which housed the, ’Sweep,’ (which went out of commission when the town water works came in), the high-wheeled fire hose carts and the first piece of gasoline driven equipment, the aforementioned, “homebuilt’ Overland, vintage 1914.
A reserve supply of hose was kept in various strategic spots throughout the community in small sheds. One was located near the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad yard, near where the Bouchard Potato Company stood. One on South Main St., near Monument Square, another at the junction of Grove and Myrtle St., the latter in the event of a fire at Collins’ Mill, located across Caribou Stream from this point. In the winter, hose was packed on long sleds.
Before the combination fire house and town office was erected on the present Currier Furniture site, there was a hose station where the Hackett Block is today (1967) and one on the grounds now occupied by the Caribou Public Library.
The next addition to the Department’s equipment roster was a Ford truck with a chemical tank holding 50 gallons, purchased for $900. This was the second piece of gasoline-powered equipment and was obtained prior to 1920. (it is interesting to note here, that even with the advent of motorized equipment, there had been no purchases of a “Pumper”. The trucks purchased were more or less ‘utility types, carrying hoses, ladders, axes, chemicals, etc.).
Next to be added was a Reo Speed Wagon, bought in 1920 for $1,250, which was fitted with a truck body and carried ladders on the sides. The work on the truck was done in town.
Alarm System
In the early days the mere cry of, “Fire,” was enough to bring every able-bodied man ( and every curious boy) running to the scene. As the community progressed, church bells sounded fire warnings. Later a brass steam whistle was placed on Collins’ Saw Mill. The whistle was the type then used on ocean-going steamships. It had three steam chests, or cylinders, but the steam pressure at the mill was not sufficient to, “make her blow,” consequently two of the steam chests were cut off. The resulting whistle was a “blaster.” It could be heard, and this was reported from those in the know, for 12 miles when the wind was right.
When the electrically operated fire alarm system was installed in 1913, the total number of boxes put in operation was 11.
It was deemed proper to install one box in the telephone office in Caribou so the operator on duty could sound the alarm when notified by telephone. This was especially important in fighting rural fires, as the alarm system did not extend outside the corporate limits of the town.
The fire horn was first set on the roof of the grade school in back of the High Street School and remained there until the municipal building was erected in 1939.
Cold Winter in Caribou
When the brass fire horn was to pass its first Aroostook winter atop the ridgepole of the schoolhouse, its ‘lips froze,’ and its voice died completely. After disassembling the valve on the horn, chief Straight came to the conclusion that the brass and steel metals of the valve contracted unevenly in the cold, making it impossible to slide. He had a replacement valve made of aluminum and this stuck also. A local mechanic through the use of a micrometer and many painstaking rubs with an emery cloth, finally removed the minute surplus of metal and from then on it worked, “slick as a whistle.”
Water system inaugurated
After a water system for the town had been installed, the standpipe pressure was 90 pounds per square inch in the lowest areas of town. However, as Caribou continued its rapid growth, a pumping engine was deemed necessary and the first such machine was purchased while the fire headquarters was still located on the Sweden St. site.
The pump was an American LaFrance truck built for the express purpose of fighting fires. It was purchased in 1922 at a cost of $12,500 and was as modern a piece of equipment as a community could buy.
This is the same truck, which was set up to pump water from the Aroostook River when the Water Company suffered a breakdown and it supplied the entire community with water until repairs could be made to the Water Company machinery. This continued for approximately seven days of no shutdown; changing oil while in operation. This was no mean feat and certainly was a high recommendation for the piece of equipment. The truck was numbered “1” and is still affectionately referred to as “Old Number One.” She has, for a number of years been retired, but is still retained by the Department in storage and still struts her stuff at Firemen’s Musters and get-togethers.
Ladder Truck
The next truck to be purchased was a Reo Ladder Truck. This too was a custom built unit, designed for one purpose —fighting fires. It was a 1926 vehicle and cost $2,369. It became necessary to employ a permanent man as station attendant, regular driver and maintenance man for the vehicles. One of the first was the late Frank McDougal, followed him came Earl Ward, Lewis Andrews and a host of volunteer drivers including A.P. Allyn, Burleigh Kelley, Stuart Stairs, and Sullivan Russell.
In 1937 the newest addition to the Caribou Fire Department lineup was purchased under the watchful eye of Chief Murray Mockler. This was a Reo pumping engine and its cost was $4,562.80.
First Long Pants
The fire department’s (as the saying goes) first pair of long pants came to Caribou in 1945 in the form of a massive fire engine, “Number 3.” This piece of equipment was a giant compared with the first pump. The price was $13,485; it was designated a “quad,” since it had four functionary duties. It was a 750 GPM pumper, it was also a ladder truck, alighting plant and it carried its own water supply. It also carried two and one-half and one and one-half inch hoses as well as booster, ladders from 16 to 50 feet, and all the hand tools and paraphernalia that are part of a fireman’s work.
Manpower
A new era in manpower was slowly coming into being. The National Board of Fire Underwriters had set up a uniform code of practices to judge firefighting and firefighting equipment nationwide. This same board, still in existence, aids communities in determining what is needed to keep insurance rates to the lowest possible minimum. This embraces both men and machines.
The underwriters began stressing manpower and the Caribou Department was to cease to be a “one man regular,” operation and come under the heading of “regulars and volunteers.” Arnold Gahagan had been hired in 1944 as station attendant and a driver, under the underwriters’ recommendations, two more men, Linwood (Ken) Collins and Lendal Forbes were added in 1948. Later in the year a fourth man Earl Woods, joined the crew.
Tank Truck
As the department grew, so did the problems confronting it. Many of the larger fires occurred in rural areas and controlling such fires had always been a problem. In 1948, a public subscription drive was started to purchase a tank truck, a vehicle that could haul a water supply from the station to the fire. The firemen’s efforts proved fruitful and the tanker became a reality. This vehicle was designated, “Number 6.”
In 1947, it was again necessary to ask the town for funds for a new pumping engine since fire truck evaluation decreases over a 20-year period and “Old Number 1,” was getting along in years. This was to be another American LaFrance and would be more modern and better than any of it predecessors.
It was delivered the same year and is still in use (1967). It is a 750 GPM pumping engine, carrying booster lines, water supply, hose loads of both dimensions and all other necessary equipment.
In 1950, the largest piece of equipment the department had ever owned came off the drawing boards at American LaFrance. It was, “Number 2,” a 1000 GPM pumping engine. This was one of the largest machines of its type ever seen in northern Maine. This engine (1967) is still in the front line of the fire departments defenses.
Full-time Fire Chief
In 1950, the town fathers appointed their first full-time fire chief, a man who was to be available 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Appointed to the position was Donald E. Woods. The Chief and his officers immediately set about devising ways to improve the fire service. They decided it was time to acquire a compact truck unit that would not cost, “all outdoor” to operate, i.e., gas consumption, which on the larger engines ran to something like two miles to the gallon. This vehicle would be used as the, “first out,” or in firefighting parlance, “the attack truck.”
Now, it was decided, we will become radio controlled so the “attack truck,” can advise by radio just what type of fire there is and summon the larger units if necessary. This was done with the purchase of a commercial-type chassis with the firefighting body built by American LaFrance, designated “1”, this meant the retirement of “Old Number 1” to the barn. The savings realized through this decision was substantial in operating costs.
The alarm system, originally installed in 1913, was completely redesigned in 1953 and Superior-American installed a new system. This embraces four circuits instead of one, plus testing and maintenance equipment of the latest manufacture.
Regulars Growing
During the 1950s, along with the hiring of a full-time Chief, the department was endeavoring to keep up with professional recommendations in regard to forces on duty. This was particularly noticeable in 1956, when the regular force of two, two-man crews were made more efficient by the addition of another man for each crew. The new men were Gardiner Sperry and Philip Doody.
In 1956, the Department was also bolstered in its efforts by the acquisition of a new ambulance in the form of a brand new station wagon; a gift from the Lister-Knowlton Post 9389 VFW of Caribou, whose members had elected to make this their community project for 1956. The new unit replaced an earlier unit that had been donated by M.E. Mockler and Sons.
It would, a task in itself, at this date to even begin to estimate the good done, lives saved and other necessities attached to ambulance operations that have come from the good-hearted gesture of these two organizations. Needless to say the ambulance, “Number 5,” is still operating and still being used (1967), not only by this community, but my communities outside the immediate are who are also covered by this department for fire protection.
Civil Defense Unit
In 1954, the Caribou Fire Department, through the aid of the local Civil Defense Director, Jack Lancaster organized, equipped and trained a back-up force of firemen, designated the “Caribou Civil Defense Fire Unit.” This organization is still very much active and affords a well-trained back-up force for any fire operations of the regular department. They answer alarms, take all training and supply the volunteer department with a steady source of firefighters.
In June of 1958, due to the resignation of Philip Doody, a new man had been hired for the number six slot, he was Raymond Couture. It was still recommended by underwriters’ that the crews be increased to four men, since the community was in an expanding area.
In 1959, the old, “Subscription Tanker” was exchanged for a new machine, more modern and better equipped. In addition to its supply of 1,000 gallons of water, which had been the original idea, it was equipped with those materials needed by firemen plus an aerial ladder.
In 1959, another full-time man was hired, with the idea in mind to expand carefully, selecting men with prior experience in order to gain the best response for the expense. James McCarthy came into the fold as a regular, Sept. 1, 1959.
The eyes of the officials were still open, scrutinizing applications for another man to balance out the crews, when in may 1960, a regular driver Earl Woods was stricken at his home and died. Soon after Hazen L. Woods was hired as replacement and began his duties June 6, 1960. In September of that same year, another man was hired to put the regulars to a standard operating force of four-man crews, he was Carlton Harris.
Arnold Gahagan Sr.
In 1944, Arnold Gahagan St. was appointed as Caribou’s first fulltime firefighter. Arnold, his wife and children, lived upstairs over the firehouse and was on duty 24-hours a day, seven days a week. This was during the wartime age and jobs were hard to come by and life was very hard. When a call was received, Arnold had to alert the volunteers and head out to fight the fire alone until help arrived.
In early 1947, Arnold joined the newly formed Maine Fire Training, as a part-time job. In the beginning, all training was done in-house in all the departments in Maine and Arnold got actively involved in teaching in 1958.
In 1987, he was appointed as Supervisor of Training in northern Maine for Maine Fire Training and Education and continued until Nov. 1994. During his time with the Maine Fire Training and Education, he was coordinator for the State Fire Academy, the years it was held at Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute.
In 1950, Gahagan was appointed as Assistant Fire Chief for the city of Caribou until Jan. 1985 when he was appointed Fire Chief.
After 43 years of dedicated service to the city of Caribou, he retired in June, 1985.
(1967) The Caribou Fire Department was born of a strong desire in the citizens of the still young Town of Caribou in 1890 to form a fire protection group and has grown to the present day modern equipped and trained staff of regulars and volunteers.
This Department of the shortly to be, “Newest City in Maine,” has undergone many and varied changes from that day, 77 years ago when the first strictly volunteer unit was organized.
In order to compile this history, prior to Caribou becoming a city, it has been necessary to borrow from the experiences and recollections of many of the senior members of the Department and their recasll has been fantastic.
Many of their more vivid memories will be cited throughout this history, especially so as reagararfs the formative years.
During the next 10 years, 1950-1960, a whole new system of schooling had been instituted. Arnold Gahagan had gone to many and various state conducted schools and became a qualified instructor in Fire Tactics. Certified by the state of Maine, he in turn, devoted his efforts to instructing the Caribou Fire department.
Much emphasis was also being put on the use of self-contained life-saving apparatus. The old “Smoke Eater,” of the past was on his way out as new equipment was perfected permitting a firefighter to work in contained and contaminated areas safely. Also, a whole new science of extinguishing techniques was being developed and this foretold of long hours in classrooms and in the field for those who would be professional firemen.
The Aura of Mystique that had hovered over firemen since the first units were organized in these United States was taking on a new professionalism. Still jaunty, haughty, brave and in his own estimation, “ just a cut above, “This everyday person, the Firefighter was learning he could no longer operate on a “hit or miss,” premise. He now must be on a never-ending search for the answers in Fire Protection. He must expect the close scrutiny of those he is sworn to protect and subject himself to their criticism, good or bad.
To this end the Caribou Fire Department concentrated and the Volunteer Department did not escape the schooling. Matter of fact, their response was immediate and determined.
In the mid-1960s, again with the recommendations of the Underwriters’ ringing in their ears, the city fathers, the Fire Chief and his officers recommended the expansion of the “regular” crew to a “ three crew, four man” organization. Since the resignation in 1963 of regular driver, Ray Couture, a new man had been hired to fill out the crew. Willard Chapman was chosen from the ranks of the volunteers.
Now the Chief set out to make up a whole new crew, one that could be assimilated into the already operating crews, giving him three crews of four men each on a 24-48 basis. New men selected after the screening process were Gary Langley, Lewellyn Elliot, Donald DeMerchant and Ralph Murphy. Now the department had grown from a strictly volunteer organization to a 12-man force of regulars headed by a full-time chief, backed up by a complement of volunteers and Civil Defense firemen.
Caribou Fire Department
December 31, 1967
Donald Woods, Chief; Lewellyn Elliot, 1st assistant; Albert Gahagan, 2nd asst.; Emery Ireland, captain; Sandy Goldfrank, lieutenant; Regulars, Crew No.1: Arnold Gahagan, crew chief; Carlton Harris, Donald DeMerchant and Ralph Murphy. Crew No 2: Ken Collins, Crew Chief; Gardiner Sperry, Hazen Woods and Gary Langley. Crew No. 3: Lendal Forbes, Crew Chief; James McCarthy, Willard Chapman and Lewellyn Elliot.
Volunteers: A.P. Allyn, James F. Cox, Loren DeMerchant, Delmar Doody, Malen Doody, Schuyler Howe, Wilson Hitchcock, Bruce Somers and Ernest Smith.
Civil Defense Firemen: Chief, Charles Barnes Jr.; Laurien Nadeau, Ralph McElwain, Charles H. Barnes, Roy Green; Wallace Michaud, William Pelkey and Lendell Woods. Also: David DeMerchant, Gerald Jalbert, Edmund LaPointe, Steve McDuffie, Ron DeMerchant, Paul Barnes, Darrell Daigle, Bll Gahagan, Ron Sirois and Paul Theriault.
Welcome to the newest city in Maine, “ The City of Caribou.”
It should be much easier from here on in, until it is time for another to take over the duties of Historian to compile a record of the Department; since we will endeavor to do it on a yearly basis while things are still fresh on the records and incidental things are fresh in our collective minds. With this in mind, let us make a beginning and where better than right at the beginning.
1968
At the outset of 1968 appeared to be heading for a good year not only for the “baby” city of Caribou, but also its fire department. Projections had been made soon after the New Year as to schooling during the summer months, review of all equipment, re-assessment of present equipment and additions to or eliminations of obsolete; in general as the community put on its new face, so would the Caribou Fire Department.
An additional need for water supply was realized and through the efforts of the department and Bearce Carter Oil Co. a 3000-gallon tank truck was obtained, refurbished and placed in commission.
There was also another advantage, for since the community had become a city, the state Highway Commission had been building and had completed a whole new complex of maintenance buildings in a new area and had turned over to the city their former quarters for use by the Highway Department. Included in this turnover was a Quonset hut, which was given to the department and through the efforts of the regulars was wired, insulated, heated and made use of as a storage point for the newly acquired tanker. This was designated as, “Station No. 2” in the department records. Now the tanker force read, “No. 6” and “No. 8.”
Due to the construction going on in and around the city, it was necessary to move and place in new position, or underground, some of the existing alarm system. This was particularly evident in the area of the new bypass, where overhead lines are prohibited.
The Caribou Fire Department was saddened in August, 1968, by the “line of duty,” death of Lt. Alexander (Sandy) Goldfrank. Sandy had been a volunteer fireman since 1943, he was a silent sort, but devoted to his duties with the department; his easy smile and knowing ways were missed.
Late in the year, Veteran fireman Loren DeMerchant was promoted to the position of Lieutenant of volunteers, replacing the late Goldfrank.
In 1967, a regular driver, Donald DeMerchant had the misfortune to receive an injury off duty that resulted in the loss of his foot. Reluctantly the Department had to release him from his duties as a full-time regular, but were fortunate to retain his experience when he reverted to his old position with the volunteers.
To replace DeMerchant on Crew No.1, under Crew Chief Gahagan, came Steve McDuffie. Steve was given the thankless job (as were supposedly all replacements) of riding shotgun (first man out, first firefighter on scene) on Engine 1. He proved his worth and ability as a smashing, “let’s get it over with,” type of fireman, that his seniors were sometimes want to ask, “Don’t we have any Scott Air Packs?”
Also in 1968, and still following the Underwriters’ recommendations, the regular firefighting force was again increased. This addition would allow most small caliber fires to be handled by the regular force, eliminating the necessity of continually calling out the volunteer and CD group for such things as grass fires, chimneys, flooded burners, etc. New men hired for the open positions were Roy E. Woods, Nathan Randolph and Emery Ireland. Roy (Jack) Woods had recently returned from service with the military, Nate was a former volunteer and Emery was veteran of 25 years with the volunteers and rated Captain on the department records.
At the conclusion of 1968 we hadn’t done too bad.
1969
At the outset and during the planning for 1969, it was decided the department must cope with city expansion. More work must be done on the alarm system to insure that those new rising areas were covered adequately. The system, was extended to the east along U.S. Route 89, to the area of the new Stop and Shop complex. It tied into their sprinkler system and gave us an additional alarm box in this newly developed area as well as a hydrant connection. As the system was extended, it also gave us an added advantage of being able to incorporate new,,“box” stations along its entire route.
We were also blessed with hydrant connections which had wisely been installed underground prior to completion of the new Bypass.
Schooling continued with Chief Gahagan going to the state operated school on firefighting and returning with the information he had acquired to disseminate to the other members.
The department was thrown into a state of shock when they lost their senior member, “Uncle Perley,” A. P. Allyn, during the year. He had an enviable record of 58 years with the department. He had been a substitute driver, supt. of alarms with the advent of the first alarm system and Department Drill Master. Uncle Perley’s, at times, caustic comments endeared him to all of us. But by the same token, if you knew Perlely, he picked his friends, once a friend, he would break his back for you.
1970
In 1970, the department was confronted with replacing Unit No. 6, the subscription tanker replacement made in 1959. The replacement was a 1970 Chevrolet chassis embracing the custom built tank, pump and equipment sequence off the former No. 6.
During 1970, the fire at Collins Mill had damaged the original Collins Dam, resulting in a low-level of the pond, which had been a pumping water supply for decades. The City, the fire department and the local Civil Defense director concentrated on a plan, whereby the dam could be rebuilt using federal funds. This was most successful and the city was assured of this constant water supply, like a reservoir in your backyard.
There had been instituted in 1969 and pursued perhaps more fervently in 1970, a program of “Controlled Burning,” whereby the fire department would at the request of owners and under the approval of the city fathers,, burn old dilapidated buildings that had outgrown their usefulness. During 1969, this accounted for 209 hours of regular firemen’s time. In 1970, this embraced 24 units and 250 hours of firemen’s time. In the overall opinion, it was felt, better to rid the community of these eyesores, which were a continual fire hazard and a very dangerous playground for young people.
During 1970, it became necessary for all personnel operating ambulances, such as that operated by the Caribou Fire Department, be licensed; so applicable to our personnel, this being state law, it was done and 14 members of the department were licensed.
1971
Win 1971, the Federal Emergency Employment Act was introduced to the city of Caribou giving the fire department and other agencies the opportunity to hire men for temporary positions with their particular departments. Larry Pelletier, George Pelletier (no relation) and Rogis Keaton were placed on duty one with each of the regular crews. These men received the same schooling, performed the same tasks and began their trek toward a position as a professional fireman.
The State of Maine Forestry Dept. made known their desire to supply and place in strategic positions throughout the state, tank truck units, complete with equipment. Caribou was designated one of the spots and the department accepted responsibility for a 10-wheel 6 by 6 tanker to be used in fighting forest fires at the request of the forestry department or if needed, to back up the fire department as a water supply.
Veteran fireman Loren DeMerchant (lieutenant of the volunteers since 1968) asked to be retired during 1971. Loren had a long record with the department, first becoming involved as a volunteer in 1928.
It was voted by the department to make up an Honor Roll. Listed on one board would be those who had been on the department but were now inactive along with the names of the active members. A second board, “Last Roll Call,” was to list the names of
