San Jose Fire Museum RisesOut of the Ashes

The group's more than 250 members are actively working to preserve old Fire Station 1 to use it as a permanent San Jose Fire Museum. It would be home to the historic pumpers and engines as well as other fire-fighting apparatus the group has been collecting and lovingly restoring over the past four decades.

The collection includes an 1810 James Smith Pumper, a ladder truck from the 1870s, an 1890 Amosekeag Franklin Engine, an 1899 American Steam Engine and many more fire engines, tools and equipment from the 19th and 20th centuries.

In addition to the fascinating antique equipment, a museum would also tell the history of the second oldest fire department in the United States, organized in 1854 when San Jose was briefly the capitol of California.

John McMillan, who retired in 2004 as Assistant Fire Chief after 30 years with the San Jose Fire Department, is president of the museum board and spearheading efforts to turn their dream into a reality.


Posted by: CA Alberto Olmos, SJFD, PIO

Fire Strikes San José Neighborhood

On Saturday, October 11, 2008 at approximately 2:08 PM, units of the San Jose Fire Department responded to reports of a structure fire at 2069 Limewood Drive on San Jose's north side. Callers to 9-1-1 reported a loud explosion followed by a fast moving fire that fully engulfed a home under construction.

San Jose Fire Captain and Public Information Officer Barry Stallard was the first to arrive on scene after seeing smoke while driving on nearby I-680. Upon his arrival Stallard found 40-foot high flames fanned by strong winds. According to Stallard the homes on either side of the fire had already ignited requiring an additional second and third-alarm response.

Some residents could be seen hosing down shake rooftops, while firefighters worked to successfully stop the spread of the flames to additional structures. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the three properties, with one structure burnt to the ground and the other two homes suffering serious damage. There were no injuries reported and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation.


Submitted by: SJFD Photographer, Craig Allyn Rose