Manzanar Fire Station & Engines

Manzanar Fire Department, by Toyo Miyatake

Courtesy of Toyo Miyatake Studio

Quick Facts

Location:

north of visitor center

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Fire Station

Construction crews built the fire station to support fire prevention and protection operations in Manzanar. They completed the central part of the structure in June 1942, and added the wings – serving as fireman dormitories, office space, and truck garages – in October 1942. Some Japanese Americans put personal touches to their work, inscribed dates, names, and phrases in the concrete foundation. Look for these inscriptions on the original ramp in front.

Situated at the east edge of the camp, the fire station’s location was unfavorable. Fire chiefs and inspectors worried about increased response time to fires. They also complained about the slow fire alarm system, which delayed response time up to ten minutes. In 1944, the department requested the purchase of a fire siren, but it “was denied by Washington without further justification.”

Despite these setbacks, Japanese American firemen successfully battled 91 fires, averting catastrophe for these incarcerated in Manzanar.

Fire Engines

For the first few months, Manzanar’s fire personnel relied on hand tools and a borrowed truck. On July 11, 1942, the Army Corps of Engineers delivered a new Ford engine with a pump capacity of 500 gallons per minute. The Dodge fire engine arrived on April 3, 1943, adding an additional 500 gallon pump capacity. Soon after, the Manzanar Motor Pool provided a pickup truck to carry an extra 1,000 feet of hose.

After the war, the Bishop Fire Department purchased the Ford and used it for decades. They expanded the bed and added the ladder in the 1950s. The National Park Service acquired it in the 1990s. The Dodge was used by Lone Pine Fire Department before being transferred to the Keeler Volunteer Fire Department. Keeler used the truck for years. They donated it to Manzanar in 2017.