July 2014

SILVER STATE
MONITOR
July 2014
PO Box 3946
Sparks, NV 89432
WWW.FIREMATICCOLLECTORS.ORG
From the
President
Hi Everyone,
Last month several of our members participated in the Hot
August Nights Spring Fever Revival. (See photos on page 6.) It
was a very good event and once again our location was terrific.
Hot August Nights has been great about letting us set up under
the cross-over at Virginia and 5th Streets. We get lots of foot
traffic and in the hot afternoons we have shade! Hopefully we
will have the same location during Hot August Nights starting
this year, July 29 – August 3. I encourage everyone to come
down and join us – it is a good way to experience Hot August
Nights. You may even decide to be a participant next year. I
think we will probably be set up there on Wednesday July 30th
through Saturday Aug. 2nd. Then the big event for us – the
Parade will be on Sunday morning, Aug. 3rd. Try to make that if
you can. Thanks again to Sue Lund for being our connection to
the HAN staff and for being so gracious in making the
arrangement for us. It is pretty amazing to be able to participate
is such a premier nationally recognized car event.
Last weekend Cindi and I participated in what I consider my
local car show – The Bonanza Casino Show–n-Shine with my
1969 Buick Wildcat Custom Convertible. Mark and Teresa
Poirier came down and took part. Mike Medvin was also there
but we missed seeing him. My favorite car there was a 1927
Willys-Knight barn (storage unit) find. Once again the Sheltras
and Bonanza Casino put on a great event and also raised some
money for the Wounded Warrior Project. As I am writing this we
are getting ready for the Reno Rodeo Parade which will be
Saturday June 21st. Thanks to Mark Poirier for getting it
organized.
The July 14th meeting will be hosted
by Mark and Teresa Poirier, The
meeting will start at 7:00 PM.
Dinner will be at Los Trojes, Mexican
Restaurant, 5272 Sparks Blvd,
Sparks, (just north of Los Altos) at
5:30 PM.
Firematic Collectors of
Northern Nevada
2014 OFFICERS
President – Jon Wagner
Vice President – Jon Greene
Secretary – Sue Lund
Treasurer – Cindi Wagner
Director at Large – Mike Medvin
Past President – Paul Gulas
Newsletter Editor – Jon Greene
ARTICLE DEADLINE 25TH of
the month.
Hope to see you at the next meeting.
Jon Wagner, President
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Aug 3
Hot August Nights Parade
Aug 20 – 24
EVOOA Western Conference www.evooa.org/events.htm
Sept 21
Citrus Heights Swap Meet
Oct 4
Ripon Emergency Vehicle Show
www.riponmenloparkpolicecarshow.com
Oct 11
Heritage Day Fun Muster, Town and Country Park, Madera CA.
Oct 20 – 23
Fire Shows Reno, RSCVA Convention Center
No For Sale listings this month
LAFD CROWN SNORKEL
The photos [below] are shared with us from the Vernon Fire Department archives by Bill Hoeft, son of Chief Hoeft of
the Vernon Fire Department. The fateful day in question was July 5, 1970. A report of smoke from an 8th floor window
of the Lankershim Hotel located at 710 South Broadway [Los Angeles] was phoned into Westlake Dispatch. Among
other apparatus from Station 3 that responded to the call was Snorkel 3.
While the boom was being raised to the 8th floor window in question, the rig toppled over. Firefighter Thomas C.
Collier was fatally injured. Captain Hillis Baker and Firefighter James Denning were also severely injured. This call
was later determined to have been a false alarm.
The other big Snorkel that the LAFD had just received from Crown was immediately pulled from service pending
an investigation as to the cause of the failure of Snorkel 3. An investigation was conducted as to the specific cause of
the collapse by the City of Los Angeles, the Snorkel Company, and Crown Coach. F1500 was eventually taken back
to the Crown factory on 12th Street and completely dismantled for evaluation of proper operation. Fenders,
running boards, cab parts, etc. were eventually salvaged by the LAFD Shop for use on their fleet. The specific cause
for this accident was the outriggers on the right side of the apparatus were not deployed. Ultimately, the Los Angeles
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Fire Department was found to be at fault for this accident, a fact that is continually denied. Snorkel went on to make
minor changes to its design which consisted of a boom lock which will not release until all outriggers are in firm contact
with the ground. The Los Angeles City Fire Department disposed of their other big Snorkel the following year and did
not purchase any more big Snorkels. However, the City did purchase two additional 50 foot Snorkels from Crown in
1971.
[The above article and photos are from: www.crownisking.org]
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NORTH LYON COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Thank you North Lyon County Fire Protection District for hosting our June meeting in Fernley. Chief Scott
Huntley gave a tour of the station, and talked about the district’s structure, equipment, response area and
future plans. The majority of the calls for service are vehicle accidents on Interstate 80. The department
covers I80 from Wadsworth to US 95, about 30 miles east of Fernley, and occasionally responds mutual aid
to Lovelock. For additional information www.northlyonfire.com.
B-61 is a former Reno brush rig
First out structure engine
First out for desk trash can fires
1949 Ford
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Hot August Nights Spring Fever Revival
A few Firematic Collectors members
Rich’s 1925 Star
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RENO RODEO PARADE
Waiting for the parade to start. We were entry 248, the
last entry.
One of the many beautiful mounted entries
The Comstock Fire Museum (Virginia City, NV) paraded its 1879 Clapp & Jones steam powered fire engine
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