HISTORY OF THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT
BY 1900, THE DEPARTMENT HAD PASSED THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES OF BUCKET BRIGADE, HAND ENGINE COMPANY AND STEAM ENGINE COMPANY, AND WAS IN THE ERA OF THE HORSE DRAWN HOSE CART. IN 1909, MEMBERS OF WASHINGTON NUMBER 3 REQUESTED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY OF PURCHASING A MOTOR DRIVEN HOSE CART, BUT NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON THEIR REQUEST. A COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE FIRE BOARD TO STUDY THE PROBLEM OF MOTOR DRIVEN FIRE VEHICLES RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY TO PURCHASE A COMBINATION HOSE AND CHEMICAL TRUCK. PROVISION FOR SUCH AN APPARATUS WAS PROVIDED IN THE CITY BUDGET OF 1914. IN THE SUMMER OF THAT YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE PURCHASE OF A TYPE TEN COMBINATION CHEMICAL AND HOSE CAR FROM THE AMERICAN-LAFRANCE FIRE ENGINE COMPANY FOR THE SUM OF $5,800.00. THIS EVENT MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE MECHANIZED DEPARTMENT IN THE CAPITAL CITY.
THE EXPANSION OF THE CITY LIMITS IN 1916 PROMPTED THE FIRE BOARD TO APPOINT ANOTHER COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE NEEDS OF THE BATON ROUGE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE COMMITTEE, COMPOSED OF J.B. MAGUIRE, J.W. BATES, T.A HARTLEY, SIDNEY ACOSTA AND ROBERT BOGAN, PRESENTED SEVERAL PROPOSALS TO THE CITY COUNCIL WHICH INCLUDED:
That the city consider the proposition of the American-LaFrance Company and purchase another motor fire apparatus for the department. That the city pass an ordinance relative to enforcing payment of the one percent of the fire insurance premiums being collected in the town, the above to be used for the betterment of the department.
That the city take up with the Baton Rouge Water Company the importance of placing additional water mains on their property. That the city advertise for the purchase of $1,000.00 worth of hose.
SIX MONTHS LATER THE COUNCIL MET TO CONSIDER BIDS FROM FOUR NATIONAL MANUFACTURERS, AND AGREED TO ACCEPT THE BID FROM THE AMERICAN-LAFRANCE COMPANY FOR THREE ADDITIONAL ENGINES.
THE ADVENT OF CITY OWNED EQUIPMENT WAS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT THE OLD VOLUNTEER SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE DISCONTINUED. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THE CITY HAD ALLOCATED OVER $10,000.00 OF THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET TO THE DEPARTMENT, AND FUTURE EXPENSES WOULD BE DOUBLED. AFTER SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE FIRE BOARD IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE CITY WOULD TAKE OVER COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT ON JANUARY 1, 1918.
IN OCTOBER 1917, OFFICERS OF THE FIRE BOARD WERE CHOSEN FOR THE LAST TIME. KING STRENZKE WAS RE-ELECTED CHIEF OFFICER, AL BABIN WAS ELECTED FIRST ASSISTANT, ED SANCHEZ WAS ELECTED SECOND ASSISTANT, ED SCHLOSS WAS NAME SECRETARY AND JOE BATES WAS CHOSEN TREASURER. THE FOLLOWING MONTH THE COUNCIL ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE WHICH CREATED A PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY, AND PLACED IT UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE MAYOR. MAYOR GROUCHY WAS AUTHORIZED TO EMPLOY A CHIEF AND TO “FORMULATE RULES, CONDITIONS AND REGULATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.”
BECAUSE OF THE PENDING ELECTION OF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL IN APRIL 1918, IT WAS DECIDED TO APPOINT THE NEW FIRE CHIEF ON MAY 1. MAYOR GROUCHY WAS RE-ELECTED, AND ON APRIL 30 SUBMITTED NOMINATIONS TO FILL VARIOUS CITY POSITIONS. HIS NOMINATIONS WERE:
CHIEF OF POLICE KING STRENZKE $1800.00 YR
CITY ATTORNEY LEWIS GOTTLIEB $1000.00 YR
CITY JUDGE W. BENTON $1500.00 YR
CITY PHYSICIAN DR. C.F. DUCHEIN $ 300.00 YR
CHIEF OF FIRE DEPT. R.A. BOGAN $1500.00 YR
CITY CONSTABLE J.Y. SKOLFIELD $1080.00 YR
THE ABOVE MEN WERE UNANIMOUSLY ELECTED, AND ROBERT A. BOGAN EMBARKED ON AN OUTSTANDING CAREER AS FIRE CHIEF WHICH LASTED FORTY ONE YEARS.