Christmas Ornament Commemorates 1929 White House Fire
There is still time to purchase the 2016 Official White House Christmas Ornament, which is an antique fire truck, designed to commemorate the fire that destroyed the West Wing on Christmas Eve 1929. The fire truck is the 36th official ornament to remember past presidents and historical White House anniversaries.
President Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was hosting a Christmas party for his staff and their children in the Entrance Hall of the East Wing when the fire was reported. More than 120 firefighters from 19 engine companies and four truck companies responded to the four-alarm fire. The four-alarm fire destroyed the West Wing and brought 150 firefighters to the scene. No injuries were reported. The following Christmas, White House staff and their children gathered again to celebrate the holidays and the Hoovers presented the children with toy fire trucks as gifts.
“The 2016 ornament honors a significant moment in White House history that is an often forgotten moment of Hoover’s presidency,” said White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin. “We wanted to create an ornament that continues the beautiful aesthetic tradition of the past 36 years and also honors the hundreds of firefighters who heroically fought the Christmas Eve blaze.”
The ornament design, a replica of the vintage 1928 fire engines that responded that day, was created by Montserrat College of Art student Kayla Whelan, who won a national design competition the Association offered to art and design schools across the country. She received a $5,000 cash prize for her winning entry and her college received a $50,000 scholarship from the White House Historical Association.
The ornament and a descriptive booklet, both of which come in a decorative box, can be purchased at the association's stores in D.C., or online at Shop.WhiteHouseHistory.org.
TN Fire Marshal Writes Children’s Fire Safety Book
Deputy Tennessee State Fire Marshal Gerald Trimmer has written a children’s book titled “The Day the Fire Marshal Came to School.” The book teaches the kids the importance of smoke alarms in their homes and shows the importance of having an escape plan and practicing fire drills. It also shows a firefighter in full turnout gear, so the kids won’t be afraid if they have to enter their home.
“I was born into fire prevention, fire prevention week 1964 [to be exact],” Trimmer said. “My father served the fire service for 33 years as a firefighter and inspector.”
Trimmer himself served as a firefighter for four years and later as a fire inspector for 11 years. For the past three years, he has been a deputy state fire marshal for the State of Tennessee.
“My hope and prayer is that through this book people will become more aware of how a simple smoke detector and an escape plan can save lives,” Trimmer said.
The book is also helping firefighters. Matt Cornell—fire marshal for the city of Alvin, TX, Fire Department—sent Trimmer a letter expressing his thanks. “After doing fire prevention for 30 years, I was getting burned out and was dreading going to the schools this year. This book arrived just in time to remind me what it is all about … just that one life that we can save. Thank you for the book and the reminder we do make a difference.”
The book is available at geraldtrimmerbooks.com.
OnStar Rewards First Responders
OnStar is celebrating its 20th anniversary by giving $20,000 each to 20 public safety personnel who experienced serious physical injury or hardship that impacted their ability to perform their jobs.
OnStar identified the 20 recipients by working with the International Association of Chiefs of Police Foundation (IACPF), the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) – Sunshine Fund, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT).
When General Motors debuted OnStar in 1996, it was the first in-vehicle technology in the industry to automatically connect to a live person when the vehicle’s airbags deployed. That advisor would work with first responders to provide assistance.
“Each day OnStar receives more than 245,000 calls from drivers in need of some support, so we understand the importance of a human connection, especially in an emergency situation,” said Christine Sitek, OnStar chief operating officer for General Motors’ Global Connected Customer Experience team. “The first responder community plays a vital role in working with OnStar advisors to quickly deliver emergency services to our drivers and passengers in need. We couldn’t have become a leader in safety and security without their support.”
One of the selected first responders, Andy Allison, was a firefighter at the Lewisville, TX, Fire Department, when he sustained career-altering injuries while responding to a structure fire. Since his injury, Allison has dedicated his life to helping others manage occupational medicine and advocating for others suffering debilitating injuries in the line of duty. He has been speaking around the country on how to prepare for worst-case scenarios and manage life after a debilitating injury.
“My goal is to help other firefighters prepare for if, or when, they get hurt,” Allison said. “In this career, you need to know what can be done proactively to protect yourself and your family, both physically and financially, and I want to help others be equipped to manage whatever comes their way.”
A full list of donation recipients (with details of their stories) can be found at http://tinyurl.com/gm3b5t5.
This Month in Fire History
November 1, 1970, Grenoble, France—Dance hall fire kills 145
November 6, 1896, Boston, MA—National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is founded
November 9, 1872, Boston, MA—Great Boston Fire causes $73.5 million in damages
November 15, 1973, Los Angeles, CA—Stratford Apartments home hotel fire kills 25
November 21, 1980, Las Vegas, NV—MGM Grand Hotel fire kills 85
November 23, 1963, Fitchville, OH—Golden Age nursing home fire kills 63
November 28, 1942—Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire kills 492
Courtesy of NFPA
Firehouse Staff
Content written and created by Firehouse Magazine editors.
