Los Angeles County Fire Department

In many ways it was a journey as difficult as landing a man on the moon and as fraught with political perils as crossing the Potomac in winter in an open boat.

EAST LOS ANGELES TO LAKEWOOD

Organized and permanent fire protection to serve the unincorporated territories of Los Angeles County came about with the appointment of County Forester Stuart J. Flintham as the county fire warden on July 1, 1920. Chief Flintham had served as county forester since 1912. Not only did he now acquire an additional title but a new and challenging assignment.

Many communities had organized volunteer fire departments or were considering such action. Among these were Angeles Mesa, Baldwin Park, Bellflower, Belvedere, Belvedere Gardens, Downey, Laguna, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lomita, Miramonte-Florence -Graham, Palmdale, San Dimas and Santa Monica Canyon.

Following his appointment, Chief Flintham appointed Spence D. Turner as his chief assistant and it was Chief Turner who eventually was charged with the actual formation of the first fire protection districts.

Later Assistant Fire Warden H. C. Merrill was appointed in November of 1920 and O. M. Thurston in January of 1921. The year of 1922 saw the appointment of Joseph J. Davis and of Norman C. Johnson. On December 2, 1920, the then Board of Supervisors approved deputizing Chief Flintham as a Deputy City Fire Marshall as well.

On March 5, 1921, acting upon the petition of a group of local residents, the Board of Supervisors created the first fire protection district, that of Belvedere in East Los Angeles. On March 30 of that year, they then created the second district, Miramonte-Florence-Graham. (Editor's Note: Belvedere later became known as Eng. 1 and Miramonte-Florence-Graham became Engines 9 and 16.)

After a great deal of uncertainty and the ambiguity of the Act of 1881 under which the first districts were created, a new law was passed in 1923 which was the signal for renewed activity in the formation of fire protection districts. The next districts to be formed were Artesia, Baldwin Park, Bell, Bellflower, Belvedere Gardens, Clearwater-Hynes, Downey, Greem Meadows, La Crescenta Valley, Laguna, Lancaster, Lankershim, Lawndale, Lennox, Lomita, Maywood, Moneta, Newhall, Norwalk, Palmdale, Puente, San Dimas, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica Canyon, Signal Hill and Sunalnd-Tujunga.

A few of the volunteer fire companies had fairly good equipment and this was taken over by the new districts. The American LaFrance Company was persuaded to extend credit and several new pieces of fire equipment were delivered as early as 1924. Eventually 28 new pumpers were purchased at a fleet cost of approximately $280,000.

With the creation of additional districts, it became necessary to acquire experienced men to serve as battalion chiefs. In January 1924, John F. Baker of Monrovia was engaged as an assistant fire warden with the title of battalion chief and, later that same year, Clarence Tillotson, a retired captain of the L.A. City Fire Department, became the second battalion chief. At this time, Assistant Fire Chief Johnson was receiving a salary of $200 per month and the new battalion chiefs received $180 per month.

Chief Flintham died on June 10, 1925 following a short but very serious illness and Chief Spence D. Turner was appointed to succeed him. Joseph J. Davis then became Chief Turner's deputy chief. In 1926, Battalion Chief Baker resigned, reducing the three battalions to two. Chief Adolph Neinzeman became in charge of Battalion North and Chief Tillotson was in charge of Battalion South. With the death of Chief Norman Johnson in 1931, Chief Heinzeman became assistant chief and Captain W. B. Klinger was appointed battalion chief. In August 1932, Captain Glenn Griswold was appointed battalion chief replacing Chief Tillotson (resigned).

The so-called "Lakewood Plan" did not come into being until 1954 when the county area was incorporated as a city and the plan to contract for certain municipal services evolved. At the time of its inception, the Lakewood Plan was unique in that it enabled an incorporated city to contract for fire and police protection with an existing govermental agency. In this case, the County of Los Angeles, at a considerable savings to the taxpayers of the city.

Excerpted from the 1975 LACoFD Yearbook.