DALY CITY — Jay Hanson remembers watching the firefighters work to douse a fire that sparked in a home across the street from where he lived on Southgate Avenue.
Only 10 years old at the time, he was in awe of the men — one of whom was his father, Mel.
Fifty years later, Hanson, now a Daly City fire captain at Station 91 on Lake Merced Boulevard, said it was fascinating to watch them work.
“You see these guys in action and it’s kind of like a thrill,” the 60-year-old said. “These guys gointo smoke-filled buildings and you can see the flames. They had their tanks on and their faces were covered so you didn’t know who they were. But when they took their masks off, it’s like, ‘Geez, I know that guy.’ It was impressive.”
Hanson is part of a family legacy that has spanned a century. His grandfather, Fritz, was a volunteer firefighter for a fledgling department formed because of the 1906 earthquake and fire that destroyed much of San Francisco.
Today the department celebrates its 100th anniversary.
The devastation brought about a wave of refugees to the Peninsula. The area now known as Daly City was once called Vista Grande. It was with the influx of people that John Daly turned his 250-acre farm into subdivisions.
On Aug. 2, 1907, Fritz Hanson became one of the 45 men who signed up to be volunteers. His son Mel became a mascot for the station in the 1930s at 12 years old. Six years later, he too became a volunteer.
The old fire house on the corner of Vista Grand and San Diego avenues was where Fritz worked as assistant fire chief. It was built on his property and in the back, was where the fire engine was kept.
In 1951, the city decided to hire firefighters and that’s when Mel Hanson officially signed up after a stint as a volunteer. As battalion chief, his son joined and was assigned to the same fire house.
Jay Hanson joined the department in 1970.
Lelia Hanson, Mel’s wife, said she always worried about her husband when he went out on calls. They were married for 61 years. He died last year at 89. She now lives in Lincoln near Sacramento.
“We had a good life together,” she said. “At times, it was stressful. Every time you go out on that truck, there’s a danger. But Mel loved it.”
Now, Hanson’s son, Jon, is a firefighter in Scottsdale, Ariz. Hanson attended the 32-year-old’s graduation ceremony in June.
“He loves it,” Hanson said. “It’s kind of like in his blood. He’s going to be happy there, but he broke the cycle.”
But, Hanson is happy that his four children are happy. His oldest daughter Jeanese is a fire inspector at the Roseville Fire Department.
“I’m blessed,” he said. “I just hope they follow their dreams … like I followed my dreams.”
Sometime this year, Hanson is expecting to retire. He and his wife Catherine, who live on a five-acre farm in the little town of Wilton near Sacramento, are planning to provide riding arenas for handicapped kids.
“There hasn’t been a day that I didn’t want to go to work,” Hanson said. “I love the job and it’s been fulfilling … and when retirement comes, I know I’m going to really miss it.”
Staff writer Christine Morente covers faith, families and North County. She can be reached at (650) 348-4333 or at cmorente@sanmateocountytimes.com.
