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New '73 fire truck has firefighters glowing

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published December 3, 2006

DEC. 7, 1973

OLDSMAR - Oldsmar Volunteer Fire Department members were like kids with a new toy Monday when they finally got their new 750-gallon pumper truck.

All that evening, the members stood around the shining machine, occasionally touching it and trying out both spotlight and siren just to make sure they worked.

They were even more excited when they had a chance to try it out Wednesday. The truck company representative was at the station when the call came in and practically trained the men on the spot.

Luckily, the incident was a minor one. A gasoline tank truck had apparently overturned while trying to turn at State Road 584 and County Road 77.

Within minutes, the new truck was there. Almost half of the 8,000 gallons of gasoline had collected in the ditch where the truck lay on its side.

The driver was not injured, but it took until 11:30 p.m. to get the area safely cleared while the Fire Department stood by in case a spark ignited the fuel.

That didn't happen, but if it had, the men were sure they could have handled the situation.

DEC. 11, 1950

Drew announces platform for mayor

CLEARWATER - City Commissioner Leland Drew, candidate for mayor in the municipal election scheduled for Dec. 19, today announced his platform. He is stressing beach erosion control, light industry, a youth center and planning for public works.

"We must follow the recommendations of U.S. engineers in licking the beach erosion problem," said Drew.

He also has his sights set on completing the new Clearwater Beach municipal pier.

Relative to light industry, Drew said he favored "every reasonable encouragement of this type of business in the city."

On the youth center, Drew said, "I think this project can be carried out. We have a building now on Clearwater Beach sufficiently large to absorb many extensive youth activities."

For Clearwater public works projects, Drew declared, we need a long range plan to guide us in future expansion. "Under such a program," he said, "these projects can be taken up in order of their importance and the city can move ahead on a pay-as-you-go basis."

DEC. 8, 1971

Mrs. Campoli, Beverland win

OLDSMAR - In a turnout of about half of Oldsmar's registered voters Tuesday, Ella Campoli and Jerald Beverland each won easily over their opponents for seats on the City Council - but two other candidates will face a runoff election in January for the third seat.

Roland Duben and Harold F. Schoenborn will face each other Jan. 4 in a runoff election since neither polled a majority in the three-candidate choice for Seat 3. Duben, the incumbent, polled 148 votes to Schoenborn's 127, but failed to achieve the 175 votes needed to win the election. Nancylyn Brennan, the other candidate for Seat 3, got 73 votes.

Mrs. Campoli won easily over her opponent, Jay Hester. She polled 236 votes to Hester's 119 to win her first full term to Seat 1.

Beverland, 36, won out by 77 votes over his opponent, Myrtle Stearns, 210 to 133. A self-employed roofing contractor, he has lived in Oldsmar four years.

Pinellas History is compiled by Times staff writer Theresa Blackwell. You can reach her at 727 445-4170 or tblackwell@sptimes.com

[Last modified December 2, 2006, 21:50:18]