Foothills Sentry - November 2022

Foothills Sentry Page 2 November 2022 Protecting your family, home and business from burglary, fire and medical emergencies. 714 282 0828 jadtec.com jadtec.com $ 15 95 /mo SECURITY JADTEC HAPPY THANKSGIVING aco# 4202 with the rich history of the Orange City Fire Department. It features solar panels to power the main building and property, energy-efficient lighting controls, a biotank filtration system that filers water before it goes into storm drains, an irrigation drip system and high-tech alerting system that displays emergency call information. The architecture reflects the Spanish Revival style of Old Towne Orange, with brick veneer, roofing tiles, wrought iron details and period-style lighting to ac- centuate the historic ambiance. Red lights from the previous fire headquarters are mounted on the station’s exterior. The past is present A mini-museum near the building’s main entrance features photos and artifacts, an old fire pole and the department’s restored 1921 American La France pumper. A 1910 bell graces the sidewalk along Chapman Ave., in front of the station. The bell was used at the city’s first fire station until 1935, when the department moved into its new headquarters on Olive St. Rather than move the bell, the department gave it to a local nonprofit. Two decades later, the then-fire chief asked for it back, and had it installed in front of the Olive St. headquarters. When the headquarters on Grand St. were finished in 1969, the bell was moved there. A brass fire hydrant at the cor- ner of Water St. and Chapman is also steeped in tradition. In the past, fire hose couplings and other pieces of equipment were made of brass. Brass appliances, according to Public Information Officer Ryan O’Connor, “are just as traditional as red fire engines and Dalmatians. The shiny brass fire hydrant is a nod to the past.” The station’s four-bay appa- ratus room boasts drive-through capabilities, bi-fold doors on the front, historical murals, an au- tomatic exhaust system, traffic signal preemption, a technician room and workshop. The building also hosts a gym, kitchen, dorm rooms, a ready room, offices, conference centers and laundry facilities. The Fire Department moved into its new headquarters Sept. 10. The fate of its previous home on Grand is uncertain. That build- ing was never earthquake-retro- fitted, has a rickety interior and, according to the last fire fighters to exit the building, “doors were coming off the hinges, appliances quit working and everything was falling apart.” Christy Orcholski of the Orange County Law Enforcement Emer- ald Society played bagpipes for the occasion. Robert Verburg and Daralee Verburg Ghinder are the children of past fire chief Darell Verburg. Two of his helmets (white and red) are on display in the mini museum. A brass fire hydrant pays tribute to a firehouse tradition. The 1910 fire bell settles into its new home on Chapman Avenue. St. John’s named Apple Distinguished School St. John’s Lutheran School, lo- cated in Old Towne Orange, has been recognized as an Apple Dis- tinguished School for 2022–25. Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of innovation, leader- ship and educational excellence. They use Apple technology to inspire creativity, collaboration and critical thinking in learning, teaching, and the school envi- ronment, and have documented results of academic accomplish- ment. St. John’s was noted for its use of technology to empower stu- dents to express their ideas and understanding in original ways by connecting them with interactive and media-rich resources. Those resources include 3D printing, tools to make movies, animated presentations and podcasts, and coding exercises. St. John’s has plans to continue integrating technology into class- rooms. Currently, St. John’s is imple- menting a new math curriculum, using technology to make math instruction more individualized and hands-on, with the goal of helping students break the plateau in skills and scores. St. John’s Lutheran School is a private, Christian school that has been continuously operating since 1883. "Fire Dept." continued from page 1 Photos by Tony Richards