People and Events of the 1970's
September 1, 1970
Thomas Owen Appointed Fire Chief
El Cajon's population was only 5,000 when Tom Owen began his career with the city's fire department.
Owen started July 1, 1948 and was one of the first three "paid" firefighters. He was 21 years old, when the position opened, and the job paid $175. 00 a month. Although he was allowed to live at the fire station, he was required to respond to all the fires. "Whenever we had a fire, I'd sound the alarm, then leave a note at the station telling the location of the fire. Then I'd rush off to fight the fire." This arrangement lasted until May 7, 1949 when Tom married Sybil Coburn.
Owen rose through the ranks, being promoted to engineer in 1955. Two years later he moved to the position of captain and then to assistant chief in 1965. On September 1, 1970, he was appointed to the top position in the fire department.
A native of Goree, Texas, he was driving a dump truck in Roswell, New Mexico when and at the age of 19 was drafted into the Navy. Chief Owen was educated at Grossmont Junior College, San Diego State and Southern Methodist University in Texas. He was instrumental in improving the city's insurance rating from a class 3 to a class 2 just prior to his retirement in 1980.
After retirement, Owen worked for a short time managing a store selling western clothes, which were the type of "duds" he always wore. In 1984 he accepted the position of managing the joint powers Heartland Fire Training Facility.
On November 19, 1991 Chief Owen received the honor of having the training facility renamed as the "Thomas H. Owen Sr. Heartland Training Facility."
Owen's two sons, Tom Jr. and Steve, followed in his footsteps joining the Lakeside and El Cajon Fire Departments respectively.
Fire Chief Tom Owen was one of the most respected persons ever to serve the City of El Cajon. On August 28, 1992 Thomas Owen died from cancer.
September 26, 1970
Disastrous Laguna Fire
Large scale brush fires have long been one of the most destructive and hard to control forces of nature. Once started, dry and windy conditions can rapidly allow the smallest of fires to grow to conflagration proportions. One such fire began in the Laguna mountains on September 26, 1970, just four days after Tom Owen became fire chief. The fire required in incredible amount of resources to fight and El Cajon was very much a part of the fight.
November 16, 1972
First Emergency Medical Technicians
Fire departments have long been charged with the responsibility of providing emergency medical aid to those suffering illness and injury. Though these types of incidents were in the minority (compared to responses for fire) in the early years of El Cajon's history, they are now approximately 80 to 90% of the total call volume each year.
Basic and advanced first aid was the respected level of care provided to the citizens of El Cajon until November of 1972. Then, with the inception of the Emergency Medical Technician program, 29 persons in San Diego County were certified in this higher level of first responder medical treatment. Seven of those 29 were firefighters employed by the City of El Cajon.
February 1976
Three New Engines Placed In Service
In the early part of 1976, the City of El Cajon purchased three new American-LaFrance engines. The engines were equipped with a two-stage, 1500 gpm centrifugal pump and a Hale two-stage high pressure pump operated from power off the transmission.
March 16, 1977
Chemical Fire Blaze Sends 30 Firefighters to Hospital
On March 16, 1977, fire swept through a nursery chemical factory at 808 Gable Way. The fire, which occurred at 4:41 A.M., destroyed the roof and gutted the interior of the Ara Chem Inc. building.
Flames were coming through the roof as the first units arrived. Fighting the fire was made difficult because of the intense heat created by the burning plastics and chemicals in the building. The company had manufactured and sold liquid fertilizers and pesticides including Methyl Bromide, a poisonous fumigant which can be lethal when inhaled.
As a result of exposure to the contents of the building, all 30 firefighters involved at the scene were evaluated at El Cajon Valley Hospital, and received lab tests and X-ray examinations. Two El Cajon firefighters, Glenn Janes ( the author of this website) and John Landers were admitted to the hospital as a result of their exposure. The two affected firefighters made full recoveries and returned to duty a few days later.