Neptune Hose Co.

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

In the early days of our fair city, the fire department was comprised of three different companies.

When the Bakersfield Fire Department was officially established on May 3, 1877, the Neptune Hose Company, alongside a hook and ladder company called the “Alerts,” and an engine company called the “Eurekas” made up the fire-fighting team. The Neptunes, Alerts, and Eurekas came together to create a more effective and efficient service for the city.

The Neptune Hose Company, in all their glory, constantly ran drills and could lay 400 feet of hose in two minutes and thirty seconds. The hose men had to be fast on their feet in order to pull their cart and unload the hoses quickly and with enough length to reach the fire.

Despite the hose men’s display of speed, the hook and ladder men were all the rage in society during this time. It was reported that they would enter dances through the upstairs windows of the hall to make an impressive entrance, much to the chagrin of the other men. No doubt it was to the delight of the young ladies.

The Bakersfield Fire Department obviously experienced regular small fires during its early years, but in 1889, the “big fire” on Saturday, July 7 put these men to the test. Heroic efforts by firemen and volunteers were made to control the blaze, but, unfortunately, many buildings caught in the fire were leveled to ash. The bustling business corridor of Chester Avenue was just a smoky memory by the next morning. This naturally prompted heated town discussions on fire safety but residents were adamant that the fire department should be supported and that the city would shoulder the cost to supply an effective department.

In a tragic twist of irony, all records of the Bakersfield Fire Department prior to 1904 were destroyed when a fire consumed the engine house on September 7 of that year.

Still, what began with one station in 1877 is now a network of 14 stations situated throughout Bakersfield. Fire has shaped and re-shaped the city of Bakersfield over the years but we always came out on top thanks to local men like ones on the crew of the Neptune Hose Company.

Article appeared in our 28-3 Issue - August 2011