100 Neighbors Welcome Back Firefighters

As the earth was still bucking the morning of Jan. 17, the firefighters of Station 70 in Northridge sped out the back door because the front was crumpled. Nine months later they returned--to a standing ovation.

More than 100 people turned out Thursday to rededicate the renovated station and welcome back the firefighters, who had no idea how badly their home-away-from-home was damaged as they rushed to pull the living and the dead from the nearby Northridge Meadows Apartments complex.

It was wonderful to be back, said Engineer Gary Kahler.

In addition to a crowd of thankful neighbors, much of the city’s firefighting brass, as well as several elected officials, were on hand for the ceremonies at the station at 9861 Reseda Blvd. The engines and ladder trucks had been pulled outside, and speaking from a podium, the voices of praise echoed in the concrete-and-brick bay.

“They are the best in the world,” declared Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson, who represents the northwest Valley. “They lay it on the line for us every day.”

Los Angeles Fire Chief Donald O. Manning said: “I think firefighters are in one of the most honorable professions. . . . I can’t tell you how proud I am of them.”

Several members of the C Platoon at Station 70 were literally thrown from their bunks when the Northridge temblor--centered virtually beneath the station--hit at 4:31 that Monday morning.

Those who were left in bed were buried in tiles and light fixtures that were shaken loose from the ceiling, Capt. Bob Fickett said.

With the power knocked out and no emergency generators, the station was as dark as the rest of the San Fernando Valley.

So, the 10 men fumbled their way to the fire pole, slid down, suited up and headed out the back door.

Driving down the lightless Reseda Boulevard, none of the men at first noticed that Northridge Meadows was now only two stories high, instead of three.

After extinguishing a nearby house fire, they drove back past the apartment complex, and now, in the earliest light of morning, could see the destruction.

Crawling into the collapsed structure as powerful aftershocks rolled through, the firefighters rescued three residents who had been trapped in the wreckage. And they helped remove the bodies of the 16 who were crushed.

It wasn’t until later they would learn their own building had incurred some $811,000 in damage and they would have to move out and spend the next nine months at a station designed for a company one-third their 30-man size.

The firefighters were thrilled be back home Thursday. Their neighbors were thrilled to have them.

Al and Ruth Schwartz live right next to Northridge Meadows and marveled that destructive morning at the speedy work of the men of Station 70.

“We came to applaud our firemen,” Ruth Schwartz said. “They’re wonderful.”

Three-year-old Gary Garland of Winnetka felt the same way. Red plastic fire hat on his head and employing his mother, Tracy, as a sort of human hook-and-ladder, he held himself at grown firefighter level and went down the line, shaking hands with the men of Station 70.

So, did the towheaded boy want to be a firefighter, perchance, when he grew up?

He grinned and nodded his head, and the helmet slid down over his eyes.