Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association
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    • Chief Robbie Cassou Instructor of the Year Award >
      • 2012 Tom Forster, Asst. Chief Plumas Eureka FD
      • 2013 John Gay, Captain Quincy FPD
      • 2014 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2015 Frank Carey, Assistant Fire Chief Quincy FPD
      • 2016 Dony Sawchuk, Captain, Quincy FPD
      • 2017 David Schmid Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen Leadership in EMS Perpetual Award >
      • 2015 Peter Beck, Plumas District Hospital, retired
      • 2016 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2017 Matt Brown & Sam Blesse, Care Flight REMSA
    • Chief Ronny J. Coleman, Honorary Member PCFCA
    • Recognition of Retiring Fire Chiefs
    • Special Recognition >
      • Mike Grant Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Inside the Fire House
    • An Introduction to Fire Departments
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    • How Good is your Fire Department? A review of Rating Systems
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    • The Little Dispatch That Could - Plumas County Sheriff's Office Dispatch
    • What's Required to Drive Fire Engines Legally and Safely
    • On Obtaining Newer Fire Engines
    • Recognizing Great Service!
    • What is a Firefighters Muster?
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    • 2015 Ponderosa Bowling Alley, Portola CA
    • 2017 Minerva 5 Incident, Quincy
  • Memorials
    • Chief Tom Forster, Plumas Eureka FD
    • Chief Andy Anderson, Quincy FD
    • Richard Bruce "Dick" "Specs" Matheny, USFS
    • Sparky Cassou, Quincy FPD
    • William "Bill" Floyd Hopman Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen, Quincy FPD, PDH, EMCC
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    • Plumas County Sheriff's Office
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    • 2016 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2017 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
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​What is a Firefighters Muster?

Plumas News
Inside The Fire House
By Tom Forster
July 28, 2016
 
Firefighter’s Muster Coming to the Fair
 
The first Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighter’s Muster will be held on Saturday, August 13 at the Fairgrounds in Quincy. Teams from both counties have been invited to compete in what is hoped will become an annual event.
 
The word “Muster” dates back into the 1400’s in the military, referring to a “gathering of the troops.” Firefighting musters in America date back to 1849, when the first one recorded was held in Bath, Maine. Five hand powered pumpers competed to see who could pump water the farthest. Hand pumpers were also known as hand tubs, and usually included both a small tank and piston pump. Large numbers of people were required to operate them, and many could pump a stream of water over 200 feet.
 
Following that event, the gatherings expanded throughout the New England area. The fire ‘companies’, as they were known, enjoyed getting together to compete to prove that their group was the best of all who had come together. Firemen, or ‘fire laddies’, as they were commonly called back then, took great pride in their equipment and team, and long-running rivalries often developed with their neighbors.
 
One of the typical events was the “bucket brigade”, where teams of firemen would pass leather buckets full of water from a tank to fill barrels or an empty tank in the fastest time. Another was hose cart racing, where teams ran with their hose cart, laying a hose line that was then hooked up to a water supply and charged with water. At the other end of the hose line, a fireman with the nozzle knocked down a target with the water stream, and the fastest time winning.
 
When motorized apparatus came on the scene in the early 1900’s, events were developed that included racing with the engines in the same manner as the hose carts – laying a hose line and knocking down a target. As time went on, musters expanded through the United States and Canada, in addition to overseas. Today there are even firefighter “combat” challenges, where physical fitness is at a premium in the events. Obstacle courses, ladder raises, water fights, hose line ‘make and break’s’, and charged hose line extensions are some of the many events where teams don’t need antique equipment to compete.
 
This years Plumas Sierra Muster will have four events, none of which require antique equipment, since most of our FD’s do not have any. While we may joke that some of our front line apparatus is “antique”, in reality there are few hose carts or restored antique apparatus over 50 years old in our area. However, some of the antique apparatus that do exist here will be on display, such as a 1928 Dodge fire engine from Quincy FD, and there will be a demonstration of a hose cart race. Co-ed teams are encouraged - there will not be separate men’s and women’s events.
 
Our four events this year are 1) the bucket brigade, 2) a charged hose line extension called “The Human Hose Clamp”, 3) a water fight or “water polo” event, and 4) a protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus donning race. Teams of five will compete for both individual and team awards, and the best overall team score will be awarded the perpetual team championship trophy.
 
Come cheer on your local team! The competition will start tentatively at 4 pm, and will end by 7 pm. Retired California State Fire Marshal Chief Ronny J. Coleman will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Ronny is a recognized expert on fire history, and serves as the volunteer President of the National Fire Heritage Center. He’ll elaborate on the history of fire musters for the crowd.
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  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Fire Departments
    • Beckwourth FPD
    • Bucks Lake FD
    • Chester FD
    • Crescent Mills Fire Protection District
    • Eastern Plumas Rural FPD (& C Road)
    • Graeagle FPD
    • Greenhorn Creek FD
    • Hamilton Branch Fire Protection District
    • Indian Valley FD
    • La Porte FPD
    • Long Valley VFD
    • Meadow Valley FPD
    • Peninsula Fire Protection District
    • Plumas County OES
    • Plumas Eureka FD
    • Portola FD
    • Quincy FPD
    • Sierra Valley FPD
    • U.S. Forest Service, Plumas NF
    • West Almanor FPD (& Prattville)
  • Members Only Section
  • Awards & Recognition
    • Chief Robbie Cassou Instructor of the Year Award >
      • 2012 Tom Forster, Asst. Chief Plumas Eureka FD
      • 2013 John Gay, Captain Quincy FPD
      • 2014 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2015 Frank Carey, Assistant Fire Chief Quincy FPD
      • 2016 Dony Sawchuk, Captain, Quincy FPD
      • 2017 David Schmid Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen Leadership in EMS Perpetual Award >
      • 2015 Peter Beck, Plumas District Hospital, retired
      • 2016 Ed Ward, Chief Graeagle FPD
      • 2017 Matt Brown & Sam Blesse, Care Flight REMSA
    • Chief Ronny J. Coleman, Honorary Member PCFCA
    • Recognition of Retiring Fire Chiefs
    • Special Recognition >
      • Mike Grant Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Inside the Fire House
    • An Introduction to Fire Departments
    • Why do Fire Departments provide Emergency Medical Services?
    • How Good is your Fire Department? A review of Rating Systems
    • What is the Plumas County Fire Chiefs Association?
    • Helping Each Other - what is Mutual or Automatic Aid between FD's?
    • The Little Dispatch That Could - Plumas County Sheriff's Office Dispatch
    • What's Required to Drive Fire Engines Legally and Safely
    • On Obtaining Newer Fire Engines
    • Recognizing Great Service!
    • What is a Firefighters Muster?
  • Biographies
  • Emergency Medical Care Committee
  • Firewise Communities
  • Former Fire Departments
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Group Calendar
  • Join Us - We are Recruiting!
  • Major Fires & Incidents
    • 2013 Pizza Factory Fire, Quincy CA
    • 2015 Ponderosa Bowling Alley, Portola CA
    • 2017 Minerva 5 Incident, Quincy
  • Memorials
    • Chief Tom Forster, Plumas Eureka FD
    • Chief Andy Anderson, Quincy FD
    • Richard Bruce "Dick" "Specs" Matheny, USFS
    • Sparky Cassou, Quincy FPD
    • William "Bill" Floyd Hopman Quincy FPD
    • Steve Tolen, Quincy FPD, PDH, EMCC
  • Partner Law and Related Agencies
    • Plumas County Sheriff's Office
  • Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2016 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
    • 2017 Plumas Sierra County Fair Firefighters Muster
  • Quincy Fire Academy
  • The Quincy FPD Support Team
  • Regional Training
    • Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator 1A CFSTES
    • Emergency Medical Technician - 1
    • FSTEP Auto Extrication
    • Live Fire Training
  • Related Links