LOOKING BACK

Young Chang

Until Ralph Lee came along, the city’s makeshift fire department was a

group of about 25 volunteers who had different jobs but leapt from their

desks to fight fires when called upon.

This was before the city was officially incorporated. In 1954, after

the incorporation happened and a city council-city manager government was

adopted, Lee was hired as a fire prevention officer. He was made the

first fire chief a year later, according to the bicentennial edition of

the “Slice of Orange,” released in 1976.

Six full-time firemen were brought on staff soon after, and in 1958

the department got a new substation near Fairview Road and Adams Avenue.

The substation no longer exists, as the facility was replaced by the

Baker Street fire station in 1967, but the growth is an example of how

the department took off as its own while Lee was chief.

By the time he resigned in 1964 with plans to work in public

relations, the city had three fire stations and 40 firemen, including

eight fire captains.

What had begun as a department with three pieces of fire equipment

also grew -- into one with 15 pieces by the time Lee left.

“He was a nice fellow, outgoing and a good personality,” said Dave

Gardner, president of the Costa Mesa Historical Society and one who knew

Lee around town.

“We went to a couple parties together,” he added with a laugh.

Before arriving in Costa Mesa, Lee worked as a fire inspector in

Redondo Beach. Before that, he had been a temporary fireman in El Segundo

and was also part of the U.S. Naval Ordinance fire department at China

Lake.

His very first stint, though, as a member of the fire department was

as a driver/engineer for a fire department at Colorado Springs.

After he resigned from his post as chief, Lee left Costa Mesa. Gardner

said he does not know what happened to Lee after that.

* * Do you know of a person, place or event that deserves a

historical Look Back? Let us know. Contact Young Chang by fax at (949)

646-4170; e-mail at young.chang@latimes.com; or mail her at c/o Daily

Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.