A reunion and barbecue for volunteer firefighters turned into a day of memories and memorabilia at the Needles Fire Station (Station 31) on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2007.

Nine of the firefighters who attended were retirees whose fire service dated back as far as the 1940s. Another visitor was a 1956 model Seagrave fire engine that once served as Needles Engine 5.

Among the retired firefighters were Larry Ford, who helped build the current Needles Fire Station in 1958 and 1959, and Check Renfro, who started his fire career at the former fire station. Starting as a firefighter in 1947, he retired as an assistant chief in 1957. Mike Browning, an employee of Mohave County, Ariz., brought the old fire engine.

Another attendee, Pat Dennen, County Fire’s current chief, said, “It was a great experience to meet, talk, and listen to the stories they had.”

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