FULLERTON : Fire Chief Given Wave of Welcome

It was a baptism by water for new Fullerton Fire Chief Marc Martin.

About 10 Fullerton firefighters gathered Monday morning to turn a fire truck hose, a garden hose and two buckets of water on their new chief at the city’s Fire Department headquarters in celebration of his appointment last Tuesday to the head post.

“I’m a little wetter than I expected,” said a thoroughly soaked Martin. “It’s cold, I didn’t realize it would be this cold.”

The cascade of water is a traditional salute in Fullerton’s Fire Department for everyone from probationers to the chief, said Larry Greene, the city fire marshal.

“Everyone who gets promoted gets this,” Greene said. “The higher up you go, the more wet you get.”

Martin had been acting fire chief for the city since March, when Gov. Pete Wilson appointed Martin’s predecessor, Ron Coleman, to the post of state fire marshal.

The traditional dousing followed an official ceremony in which Martin was proclaimed the new fire chief by City Manager William C. Winter.

Martin’s wife, two daughters, parents and two brothers came to watch the festivities.

“I’ve never had my family come to a promotion ceremony before. I always figured next time. Well, this is going to be it,” Martin said.

During a short speech, Martin predicted tough times ahead for the Fire Department, noting that budget cuts are likely since the city faces a $1-million shortfall for the next fiscal year.

“You will have less money and older equipment next year and have to do more, and I expect you to do better,” Martin told the firefighters gathered for the ceremony.

Certainly, Martin said, he hopes the firefighters will do better in action than they did in soaking him with water--it took about a minute for the firefighters operating the truck’s water hose to get it going.

“It’s a good thing I wasn’t on fire,” Martin said. “If there is a fire, they need water right away.”

Martin, 40, joined the Fullerton Fire Department in 1974 and was division chief in charge of operations before his promotion.