TRAINING INITIAL ENTRY -  The writers re-entry into the RCAF occurred in 1947. Fire fighter would have been my choice but it was listed as a closed trade at that time. It was suggested that I select another trade and apply later for remuster. During the period of boot camp the suggestion was adopted and I applied. As it was still a closed trade, they were only accepting re-musters from qualified personnel. Having done stints on two volunteer Fire Departments I felt I had a chance. Following a verbal interview by a CE officer who knew even less about it than I did, re-muster was approved. I was re-mustered to FF group 3 (provisional). The provisional was because Fire Fighter was only a group 2 trade at that time. This let me keep my group 3 from the previous trade (and $8 a month) until I graduated from a Fire Fighter course. I was transferred from the manning depot to the RCAF Station Trenton fire hall. 

RCAF STATION TRENTON FIRE HALL - The Fire Chief was Cpl Wally Sinclair and I recall that our crew chief was a Cpl Jack Wilson. Jack was later to re-muster to the Army and we heard that he was the first Canadian soldier killed in Korea. Our patron saint was the Station Warrant Officer (SWO), WO1 John Silver. His father had been a member of the British Fire Service and every time we went on inspections of Married Quarters, we were shown the old brass helmet over a cup of coffee. A Fire Chief in those days was called the NCO I/C Fire Hall and didn't carry much weight on a station. WO1 Silvers interest helped Wally on many occasions. Our mobile equipment consisted of a G-10 pumper and if memory serves me right, a Crash Tender that was kept on the hangar line. One fire fighter manned it and it was staffed by flight line personnel. The standard shift was 24 on and 24 off.

By Phil Brown, Major, Retired - (Excerpts From Phil's History Of The Fire Service 1939-1975)