Detroit Firefighter John Campbell made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the citizens of Detroit. John was assigned to Engine 34, The Lords of Livernois.
On September 10, 1963 Firefighter Campbell was fighting a garage fire at Ogden and Kirkwood. While pulling line he began experiencing severe chest pain. He was taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital by Squad 4.
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By now you’ve seen the Colbert Report on Detroit Fire’s pop can alert system. After it aired several tech firms have stepped up offering free alert systems to fix the problem. However, for one Detroit firehouse the problem is now getting worse rather than better.
As of this writing, the station is beginning day 3 of no phones, no computer and no printer, which means no alert system. Instead, department radios are being monitored around-the-clock for calls in their area.
Firefighters tend to be creative and industrious by nature, so it is no surprise that firefighters at this station have come up with a method to circumvent the currently broken system.
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38 Years – A Detroit Firefighter’s Story (Page Publishing, Inc., 2014)
This memoir, written by retired Detroit Fire Department Senior Chief Bob Dombrowski, recalls the highs and lows of his nearly 4 decades with Detroit Fire.
Chief Dombrowski began his career as a trialman with the Detroit Fire Department in 1972. Over the years he rose through the ranks to retire as Senior Chief in 2010. He served through some of the busiest years the Detroit Fire Department has experienced.
Detroit Firemen’s Field Day holds a special place in the hearts of those who grew up the child of a Detroit Firefighter. Every year Dad would the pack family and as many neighborhood kids as he could fit in the car to go to Field Day. One, now grown, firemen’s kid wrote “To me, Field Day was the same portent of fall that the State Fair is. It made me feel so proud!”
The first Detroit Firemen’s Field Day was held at Navin Field (at Michigan & Trumbull) in 1922. The tradition has continued every year since, with the exception of 1933. It has been held in a variety of locations including: Briggs Stadium, University of Detroit, Tiger’s Stadium, Hart Plaza, Ford Field, and is currently held at Historic Fort Wayne.
Apparatus Parade from the 1974 Field Day held at Tiger’s Stadium
Those who attended Field Day would be treated to games, clowns, the Fire Department Band, exciting acts relating to firefighter skills, fire apparatus displays, dignitaries would attend, for many years there would be a raffle of 25 new cars (now replaced with a 50/50 raffle) and in years gone by the day would end with a fireworks display.
The Detroit Fire Clown team has it’s roots in Field Day. The Clown Team was officially formed in 1947 by Firefighter Larry Scarpace with seven firefighters to perform for the annual Field Day. Prior to that, clowns had been a part of Field Day, but not as an official team. The Clown Team continue to be a highlights of today’s Field Day activities.
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Shortly after the article on the Tradition of Detroit Firemen’s Field Day our friend, retired Detroit Firefighter Wayne Isken, emailed pictures of Field Day tickets from various years. These tickets give clues to how Field Day has evolved throughout the years. You can also see how popular culture and current events influenced Field Day.
Ticket from the 1922 (First Annual) Detroit Firemen’s Field Day
A Tradition Begins With Baseball
1922 – The first Detroit Firemen’s Field Day was a one day event held at Naven Field (Michigan & Trumbull). Tickets cost $1.00 and were war tax exempt. The event began to raise funds for the Detroit Firemen’s Fund Association for the benefit of injured Detroit Firefighter, and firefighters’ widows and children.
In the 1920’s baseball entered it’s golden era of popularity, so it is no surprise that one of the main attractions of the early Firemen’s Field Day events was Baseball.
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Read more about the many factors that made baseball popular in the 20’s here. Also in 1922:
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The Depression Era
1933 – No field day was held. The reasons for this are unclear. More than likely that year’s field day was another causality of the depression. 1933 was the worst year of the depression. During this time of such widespread economic hardship, it would have been very difficult to get enough tickets sold for a successful fundraising event.
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Also in 1933 – |
1937 – By this time Detroit Firemen’s Field Day had become a two day event featuring Class “A” Baseball and other amusements. Tickets
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Today in DFD history – July 23rd – 28th, 1967
During Detroit’s worst civil disturbance the Detroit Fire Department was taxed beyond its limits.
The department fought 1,682 fires. Including 276 runs responded to by mutual aid companies from 45 fire companies from surrounding communities and across the river (Windsor).
More than 5,000 citizens’ homes were burned. Total fire loss was estimated at over $12.7 million.
Detroit Firefighters Carl Smith and John Ashby died as a result of the rioting.
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Recently one Detroit Firefighter’s story was revealed in a new book titled 38 Years a Detroit Firefighter’s Story. It is a memoir written by retired Detroit Fire Department Senior Chief Bob Dombrowski. In it he recalls the highs and lows of his nearly 4 decades with Detroit Fire.
Chief Dombrowski began his career as a trialman with the Detroit Fire Department in 1972. Over the years he rose through the ranks to retire as Senior Chief in 2010. He served through some of the busiest years the Detroit Fire Department has experienced. He recalls that “In the late sixties and early seventies,
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| Below is Chapter One from “38 Years a Detroit Firefighter’s Story” by retired Senior Chief Bob Dombrowski. The book is a memoir in which it he recalls the highs and lows of his nearly 4 decades with Detroit Fire.Chief Dombrowski began his career as a trialman with the Detroit Fire Department in 1972. Over the years he rose through the ranks to retire as Senior Chief in 2010. He served through some of the busiest years the Detroit Fire Department has experienced. The book is available in paperback and kindle edition from Amazon. |
“Pans open,” yelled the cook. I dropped the Detroit Free Press I was reading and headed
back to the kitchen. There, half a dozen guys were herded around our big old Garland
cast-iron stove with all its burners on. On top of each burner was a cast-iron frying pan with
little chunks of fat burning to grease up the pan. In the center of the small kitchen was a
square, green table piled high with food. Front and center were nine beautiful rib steaks (my
favorite) sitting on the white wrapping paper they came in.
“Looks like the cook finally spent the money,” somebody joked.
I grabbed the big fork, stabbed one of the steaks, plopped it in one of the sizzling pans,
and sprinkled on salt and pepper and garlic powder. I grabbed a platter, scooped up a pile of
mashed potatoes and some green beans, then stood around with everyone else, waiting for
my rib eye to finish frying.
I finally headed, platter in hand, to the dining room, a long, narrow room adjacent to the
kitchen. I found my seat at the heavy, oblong, fifteen-by-three-foot wooden table that was
standard in every Detroit fire station. It could probably fit both units, about eighteen men, if
you had to. I always sat
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Detroit Fire Department Sargent Charles L. Phillips made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the citizens of Detroit. At the time of his death Sgt. Phillips was assigned to Engine 31.
Sargent Phillips was killed by a collision between a fire apparatus and police car.
Charles was 48 years old. He joined the Detroit Fire Department on July 16, 1927. At the time of his death he had served for more than 21 years.
Detroit Fire Department Pipeman Robert Roy Lanham made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country (WWI). At the time of his death Robert was 24 years old. He was a member of the United States Marine Corp.
Pipeman Lanham started with the Detroit Fire Department as a substitute fireman. He was brought on in a full time capacity on Marcy 1, 1913. He was granted a leave of absence to join the war effort on July 31, 1917. Charles had been assigned to Engine 8 as badge number 302.