High School Firefighter jumped from third story in TD; Takes a ride down memory lane
Edward Hastings served as a volunteer firefighter in The Dalles in 1942 while a sophomore at The Dalles High School, one year after it opened. Ed, who is 96, got a grand tour of the equipment and buildings of his youth on Friday as Chief Bob Palmer, retired lieutenant and historian Joel Brown, and Capt. Jay Wood gave him an epic look back at his youth some 80 years ago. Hastings jumped from the third story of the US Bank Building into the safety net that hangs on the wall behind him in this photo. Practice makes perfect, but it was not for the faint of heart.
By Tom Peterson
The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 22, 2023 - As a tone out for a firecall came through the Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue station on 8th Street in The Dalles, retired Lieutenant Joel Brown had a command for 96-year-old Ed Hastings.
“Grab your gear,” Brown said. “You gotta go on a call.”
Hastings just smiled.
Hastings shakes hands with recruit Kellan Duffy, 25 of The Dalles before Chief Bob Palmer takes him on a ride in the same engine that Hastings rode on as a sophomore in high school.
He served as a volunteer with The Dalles Fire Department as a sophomore in high school in 1942 and 1943 and Brown, Fire Chief Bob Palmer and Capt. Jay Wood put together an incredible ride down memory lane for Hastings on Friday.
In 1942, Hastings said he was called to duty at the fire department when many enlisted in the armed forces during World War II, leaving vacancies at the department. The Fire Hall was located at the current-day City Hall - the brass pole is still intact.
Hastings and Chief Bob Palmer chat next to the brass fire pole in the Fire Museum in City Hall. Ed said he remembered zipping down the pole when serving as a volunteer at the age of 16 during World War II.
“They needed to be replaced. We lived in the fire station so we could respond if sober,” he said jokingly.
Palmer and Brown also had quite a few surprises for Hastings - the department still has both of the fire engines that Hastings used while volunteering. The 1935 Chevrolets are in working condition and one was even used to give Ed a ride to City Hall to look at the city’s Fire Museum.
Back in the Day - Hastings rode on the two fire engines to the left during his service.
Ed said he grew up in Antelope where his father was a Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy for Wasco County, but when it came to High School he had to choose between moving to The Dalles or Maupin.
He ended up living in The Dalles with Herb Sexton, brother to Wasco County Sheriff Harold Sexton, so he could attend TDHS, which had just opened the previous year in 1942.
Hastings said he worked out of this Ambulance donated by The Dalles Elks. He and Fire Chief Charlie Roth worked on first aid together, he said.
“I slept at the station at night,” he said of his firefighting work. “I was issued a badge.”
Ed and Joel Brown confer about The Dalles High School F.D. badge. Hastings confirmed he wore one.
Close up of badge when TDHS cadets responded to calls in the wee hours of the night in the ‘40s.
Brown, who is the Historian for Mid-Columbia, showed Ed one of the badges that he had been working to identify and ED said that was it.
“That badge has always been a conundrum,” Brown said.
Did you have any memorable calls, Brown asked.
“I had several,” Ed said. “There was a mill on the east end of town, and it caught on fire. We were out there for the better part of two days. It turned out to be an arson fire.”
A State Trooper from Milwaukie investigated and came up with a “young chap” who eventually confessed to lighting the blaze, Ed said.
During the tour, Ed looked around the museum at City Hall - his past was hanging from the walls.
“I can’t believe this,” he said. “It’s unbelievable.”
Behind him, the old safety net was attached to the wall, dark blue with a red target at center.
Firemen would hold the to catch people who had to jump from burning buildings. It was also used in training.
“We used to have to jump off US National Bank from the third floor,” Ed said.
Image of a safety net in use from Vancouver B.C. Credit: Wikipedia
“Does that target look a little smaller from up there,” Palmer asked with a smile.
“Oh yeah, it does,” Ed said.
Palmer and Brown talked about how fire departments had a large social element leading up to the late 1940s before Firemen were paid.
“In addition to drinking, they also got and did something good,” Brown said.
“Ed, did you ever have a beer here at the fire hall,” a wise-cracking reporter asked.
“Never, never, no,” he said. “You’ll have to prove it.”
Brown also took out the logbook of personnel to find Ed’s name. The book referred to as “The Bible” contains every firefighter’s name from 1889 to 1987.
And there was Ed’s name. 12/4/42 - Edward Hastings, student.
Hastings points to his name in “The Bible” or personnel log. His Brother Bill’s name is also listed in the book. Bill passed just several days ago, family said.
Ed, who now lives in Tualatin, was accompanied by his son, Scott, and his wife, Kathy Freeman-Hastings and their son, Nick who is 30.
“This is really cool,” Nick said. “They’re pulling out all the stops. Ed’s a great guy. It’s cool to see all of this sparking his memories.”
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