Bay City fire trucks encircle the Scottish Rite Masonic Center as a training tour is going on last Friday. Firefighters Take Trucks Downtown For Tour of Scottish Rite Masonic Center
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With soldiers, the watchword is "my rifle is my friend." They go nowhere without their rifle.
Firefighters have a bigger problem. Their watchword is: "my fire truck is my friend." They go nowhere without their fire truck.
That's why last Friday the Scottish Rite Masonic Center, commonly called the Consistory, was surrounded by fire trucks.
Training was underway and the 15 firefighters involved had to bring their trucks. Just in case of emergency. It's mandatory.
Training Officer Mark Newvine and the fire administration office reported that the huge Scottish Rite Center was the subject of a fireawareness tour. Exits, escape routes and potential hazards in the building need to be checked periodically.
The fire department is preparing to practice rescues on the ice as soon as it forms on the river.
The Masonic Center is one of the most commodious places of public assembly in Bay County, along with the Central High Auditorium, other high school auditoriums and gyms, the DoubleTree conference center and other gathering places.
Last week the Scottish Rite Center was host to two successive nightly concerts by the Bijou Orchestra, drawing hundreds each night to the auditorium/theater portion of the massive building. "We love this setting, it is just terrific," enthused Leo Najar, artistic director of the orchestra, a sentiment echoed by David Skinner, chairman of the Bay City Musical Arts/Bijou board of directors.
The building, erected in 1927, has been host to hundreds of events like formal dances with big name bands, political fund-raisers, Central High booster club dinners, even badminton tournaments over the years.
The largest crowd in memory was the 1,100 who jammed the dining room to greet vice presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey in 1964. George Romney's visit in 1968 drew a crowd of nearly 900 and Central High football banquets have reached 850 guests. The larger crowds are accommodated only with diners seated at tables in the balcony.
The Bay City Fire Department employs 57 personnel operating on three shifts, A, B and C, according to department sources. The city employs 17 drivers, 19 firefighter EMTs, nine lieutenants, six captains, three battalion chiefs (one for each shift), a fire awareness officer, Training Officer Mark Newvine, Fire Marshal Tom Herek and Chief Doug Doefer.###
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