Otto V. Kaiser
OTTO V. KAISER was born in Camden, New Jersey on February 2, 1913 to Marie and Charles G. Kaiser. His parents both came to America as children, Marie from Norway, Charles from Switzerland, and wed around 1903. By 1910 and well into the 1920s they were living at 904 North 26th Street in Camden’s Cramer Hill section. Charles Kaiser worked in Camden’s shipyards to support his family. Otto Kaiser was one of at least seven children, born after older siblings Charles S., Roy, Elsie, and John, while coming before little sisters Margaret and Elizabeth. Otto Kaiser was still living at 904 North 26th Street as late as 1947. By that time he was married to his wife, Alberta. Otto Kaiser later made his home at 917 North 26th Street in Cramer Hill.
Otto V. Kaiser was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on September 20, 1940. He reported for duty the same day at Ladder Company 1, then based at the old Fire headquarters at North 5th and Arch Streets, where he served until December 31, 1949.
On January 1, 1950 Otto Kaiser was transferred to Engine Company 11 on North 27th Street in Cramer Hill, where he worked until May 18, 1951 when he was sent to Ladder Company 2, 619 Kaighn Avenue in South Camden. Three years later, on May 26, 1954 Otto Kaiser was promoted to Captain. He remained at Ladder Company 2 until January 7, 1955 when he was returned to Ladder Company 1.
On August 1, 1961 Captain Kaiser was sent to Engine Company 3 at 1815 Broadway where he served as Acting District Chief (duties akin to that of present-day Battalion Chief). 13 months later, on August 31, 1962 Otto V. Kaiser was promoted again, to the post of drillmaster at the Fire Training School, where he worked until his retirement, August 12, 1967.
Otto Kaiser passed away in August of 1976. He was then a resident of Wittman, in Talbot County, Maryland. He was survived by his wife, who passed in September of the following year.
Mrs. Kobus to Ask More Cops, Firemen for City Next Year
Camden Courier-Post —
New Appointment Return Forces to 1938 Status; Defense Increases Need
Appointment of 22 patrolmen and 10 firemen by City Commissioner Mary W. Kobus during the past three months has brought the personnel of the public safety department to figures comparable to 1938.
That announcement was made yesterday by Commissioner Kobus, who expressed the hope the city could afford additional members of both departments in the near future “as a safety measure and because of the great national, State and local defense programs, in which we must participate.”
“Camden is rapidly taking its rightful place as one of the greatest industrial centers of the entire nation. Thousands have been added to the payrolls of our various great industrial plants. Houses are at a premium within the city, and it is natural for the public safety department to keep in step with the times,” the commissioner stated.
“We have hundreds of new traffic problems confronting us today, that never existed back in 1931, when the police department was manned by 247 regular members and 83 special policemen and investigators.
Comparable to 1938 Figures
“Today the personnel of the police department totals 194 men, with no special investigators. This is comparable to 1938, when we had a total of 192 members of the department. Since 1938, 12 policemen have died and eight others requested to be placed on pension, after long and honorable service to their city.
“No replacements were made until a civil service examination was held and a list of eligible men provided. I have appointed 22 policemen from that list and 10 men as members of the city fire department, which had nine vacancies due to deaths and retirement.
“I will ask that sufficient money be placed in my budget for next year to appoint a few additional policemen, due to the defense measures which have been set up, and in which the public safety department is expected to participate.”
All of the new police and fire appointees must serve for one year at a salary of $1500. The second year they receive $1560, with their salaries going to $1680 for the third year and $1800 for the fourth year.
Normally they would have received $2040 for the fifth year, when they become full-fledged members of the department, but a referendum approved by the voters at the last general election sets the salary of police and firemen at $2400 annually after 1943.
As it will be after that year the present appointees will reach the end of the five-year period during which they receive annual increments in their pay, it was indicated they would jump to $2400 after their fourth year in the two departments.
Appointments Listed
The new policemen appointed by Commissioner Kobus were:
Joseph Caputi, 332 Mt. Vernon street; Joseph M. Carroll, 427 Lansdowne avenue; Roland Comerford, 2931 Cramer street; Vincent Conley, 423 Beideman avenue; James Eskridge, 716 North Seventh street; Joseph Hooven, 501 Beideman avenue; Julius Kaunacki, 1183 Sheridan street; William E. Kelly, 55 State street; William F. Large, 729 Mickle street; William H. Neale, 773 Line street; Francis J. Nelson, 720 Penn street; John E. Opfer, 323 North Second street; Cecil H. Picou, 1127 Cooper street; Earl Quinton, 687 Jefferson avenue; Edw. W. Tatem, 565 Mt. Vernon street; Harry Tracy, 2003 Federal street; Harold I. Vecander, 1039 North Twenty-sixth street; John H. Watkins, 2902 Constitution road; Edward Watson, 1048 Haddon avenue; Donald R. Watson, 841 Lois avenue; George T. Weber, 1231 North Thirtieth street; Stanley Zuckowicz, 1157 Thurman street.
The new appointees to the fire department are:
Philip H. Farrow, 529 Newton avenue; Anthony W. Bretschneider, 1621 Louis street; John Gryckiewicz, 810 North Front street; Thomas Winstanley, 329 Bailey street; William Palese, 900 South Fourth street; Anthony Dzinski, 1230 Atlantic avenue; Joseph R. Guarino, 25 Morse street; Martin B. Nelson, 561 Spruce street; William Cleary, 614 Federal street; Otto Kaiser, 904 North Twenty-sixth street.
Find Boy, 7, Drowned in Camden Pool
Camden Courier-Post —
Find Boy, 7, Drowned in Camden Pool
Vandals Ripped Fence, Enabling Victim to Enter
The body of a 7-year-old boy, missing since Saturday morning, was found late Monday night on the bottom of the Camden County swimming pool at 9th st. and Ferry ave. after firemen had syphoned off more than 3 feet of rain water.
Police and county officials said acts of vandalism had made it possible for the child to gain access to the spot where he subsequently met his death in the debris-littered pool.
The body of Irvin Gibbs, of 731 Ferry ave., was discovered by Morris Boone, 41, driver for District Fire Chief Winfield Leviseur, lying in 18 inches of water.
The father of the boy, Edward, 38, a Campbell Soup Co. employe, identified the body in the presence of Coroner Thomas J. Danks.
Sent on Errand
The father told investigators his son had been sent on an errand to a friend’s home at 1507 S. 8th st. at 10.30 Saturday morning by the mother, Willa Mae, but after checking they found the boy had never arrived there. A state police message was sent out in an effort to locate the boy.
According to Chief Leviseur, the father went to No. 8 firehouse at 619 Kaighns ave. early Monday night and told Capt. Otto Kaiser that a neighbor, Mrs. Mary Valentine, of 1847 S. 8th st., had suggested to him that he should look for his boy in the morgue, “or in four feet of water in the County Parks pool.”
Kaiser relayed the information to Leviseur who despatched truck 2 and Engine Co. 3 to the pool. Meanwhile, parks officials were notified.
Water Syphon Used
The firemen, combined as a rescue squad under Leviseur’s supervision, first began dragging the pool, but when these efforts were hampered by debris, such as Christmas trees, old tires and boards, Leviseur sent to fire headquarters for flood lights and a syphon rigging.
The syphoning began at 9.10 p. m. as a crowd of more than 500 persons watched from outside a wire fence enclosing the pool property. At 11.18, Boone, poking a stick into the muddy water, came upon the body and Kaiser helped him pull it out.
Ironically, the pool had been drained and closed for the season, and all the pumping equipment had been winterized, explained William W. Messenger, superintendent of Camden County Parks, making it impossible for the regular pumping equipment to be used.
Another Child Rescued
Investigators said the Gibbs boy had evidently gained entrance to the pool through one of the many holes ripped through the cyclone fence by vandals.
Commenting on the vandalism, Messenger said:
“We are continually patrolling the various county pools and chasing boys from the property. Many reports have been received from our police on vandalism, such as torn fences and removal of articles. We simply cannot keep up to making repairs because the damage occurs so frequently.
“In the South Camden pool where this child was drowned the water, when the pool is in operation, is 10 feet deep. After the pool is drained for the season the depth of the opening at this point below the normal pool is about 5 feet. This depth is below the sewer level and when we have heavy rains the water builds up to more than 4 feet deep.
Would Buy Pumps
“At the end of the season the pool is closed and drained and the equipment is winterized. There is no heat in the building where the pumps are housed. The only answer, as I see it, is to purchase pumps which are small enough to transport, yet strong enough to syphon off the water after each rainfall.”
A boy at the scene, Elmer Hammond Jr., 12, of 254 Branch Village, said he was playing near the pool with six other children on Saturday morning and that he had gone into the pool up to his waist and pulled out a five-year-old girl resident of the Franklin D. Roosevelt housing development.
City Detectives William Neale and Nathaniel Jones are investigating the Hammond boy’s story.
In addition to Messenger, parks officials at the scene included Howard MacDougal, foreman, and Patrolmen Edward Eckman and Charles Van Fossen.
The dead boy was wearing cowboy boots and a new leather jacket he had received as Christmas presents. He had on blue dungarees and a red shirt.
The Gibbs have two other children, Dorothy Ann, 8, and Vanessa, 15 months.
Firemen Here Get Advanced First Aid Course
Camden Courier-Post —
More than 40 members of the Camden Fire Department have completed the Red Cross course in advanced first aid according to announcement today by Howard F. Keller, Collingswood, chairman of the Camden County Chapter’s first aid committee.
Instruction sessions were under the direction of Fire Chief William V. Pfefferle, Drillmaster Anthony Dzinski, a member of the local chapter first aid group, assisted by Nicholas E. George, were instructors. Dzinski is a member of the Red Cross faculty at the National Aquatic School held in this area each year for instruction in advance safety techniques. Dick Harris, director of Red Cross safety services, supervised.
All members of the graduating class are personnel of several units housed at fire department headquarters here. These include the Headquarters Company, Engine Company 2, Rescue Squad 1 and Truck Company 1. These groups include:
Rescue Squad: Captains Arthur Batten, Philip A. Stinger and Albert Weller; Edward Brendlinger, Harrison MacNeir, Robert Olesiewicz and James W. Smith.
Headquarters Company: Raymond Banford, John K. Voll and John W. Yates.
Truck Company 1: Captains Daniel Jiannetto, Robert E. Dukes and Otto V. Kaiser; William Watkin, Chester Gedrich, George Baxter, John Mogck, George C. Hennessy, Charles Devlin, Ambrose W. Faust, Joseph McTaggart, Howard R. Taggart, William G. Winstanley and Elmer Johnson Jr.
Engine Company 2: Captains James R. Asher, Thomas Winstanley; Carl Wirtz, James McGrory, Edwin V. Decker, James Stewart, Francis X. McTaggart, Anthony T. Orme, Mario D. Fattore, James O. Jones, Francis P. Stibi, William Hopkins, Robert E. Briggs, John Giuliano, Casper Martelli, Harold H. Pike, John J. Vane, William Stibi, John DiMaggio and Harry Kleinfelder.
Flames Rake Warehouse in East Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
—Courier-Post Photo
SMOKE BILLOWS through the roof of Cartun Hardware Store’s warehouse as two groups of firemen bring hoses to bear on the blaze which was fed by an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of paint.
A two-alarm fire raged out of control in an East Camden warehouse for an hour Thursday night.
The warehouse, at 14 S. 35th st., an L-shaped annex to the Cartun Hardware Store, 36th and Federal sts., was formerly a feed store and is now used to store paints, plumbing supplies and other merchandise.
Irving Cartun of 2601 Parkway, Philadelphia, proprietor, reported that the warehouse inventory was valued at an estimated $15,000. Cartun said he had not yet determined the extent of his loss.
According to Cartun, there were 10,000 to 12,000 gallons of paint stored in one-gallon cans in the warehouse.
Fireman Injured
Joseph H. Arensberg, 25, of 1041 N. 32nd st., a hoseman with Engine Company 11, was injured slightly when a door in the flaming warehouse fell on his leg. He was treated at Cooper Hospital.
Robert D. Halsey, 23, of 41 N. 36th st., a clerk in the store, and Capt. Otto Kaiser of Engine Company 11 assisted Arensberg from the scene.
The fire was discovered because of an experiment linking traditional Christmas caroling with electronic gadgetry.
James E. Wright of 17 S. 35th st., his son James Jr., 14, Mrs. Coleman Rosenberg of 16 S. 35th st., and her daughter, Merle, 12, were standing outside their homes listening to recorded Christmas carols through an outdoor amplifier system that the elder Wright had rigged.
They saw smoke billowing from the one and a half story frame and shingle warehouse and the younger Wright sounded a box alarm at about 8 p.m.
Second Alarm Sounded
Engine Companies 9 and 11 and Truck Company 3 answered the call. At 8:28 p.m., a second alarm was sounded bringing Deputy Fire Chief Harry Wagner, Engine Companies 2 and 7, Truck Company 1, and Rescue Squad 1 to the scene.
The fire was declared under control at 9 p.m. and extinguished at 9:15 p.m.
Firemen were hampered in reaching the blaze by a corrugated tin ceiling which separated the main floor of the warehouse from the half floor or attic section, where the fire raged at its worst.
Flames burst through the outside wall and roof of the warehouse, when firemen chopped holes there in order to get a hose into the blazing attic.
Sparks Shower Roofs
Sparks showered the rooftops of the homes of Mrs. Rosenberg and her sister Mrs. Calvin Miller of 18 S. 35th st.
Police had already evacuated Mrs. Miller and her three children Robin, 9, Wendy, 7, and Elyse, 5.
According to police Robin refused to leave her house until her pet cat “Snoozy” was found. “Snoozy” was located hiding under a sofa.
The fire was confined, however, to the warehouse.
Wall Blocks Flames
A fire door between the warehouse and the store prevented the fire from spreading into the store. However the intense smoke drove several customers into the street.
Pennsauken residents reported that smoke from the blaze penetrated their homes, almost a mile away.
A major traffic tie-up was averted when cars were detoured off Federal st. at 34th and 37th sts.
Major William Gwynne of the Volunteers of America was at the scene serving coffee and doughnuts to the firefighters.
Rehearsal for Disaster
Camden Courier-Post — 1965
Fire Rescue Drill Held at W. Jersey Hospital
By Mary Archibald
Courier-Post Staff
A demonstration of rescue procedures was given yesterday at West Jersey Hospital by the Camden City Fire Department and the hospital for representatives of 14 hospitals in the Greater Philadelphia-Camden area.
All known rescue methods were used to remove theoretically trapped student nurses and hospital personnel from fifth floor windows and rooftops. The drill was climaxed by a two story leap into a net by two firemen.
Several student nurses, assisted by firemen, descended extension ladders first from upper-story windows. This procedure was followed by the lowering of bandaged nurses, masquerading as patients, from the fifth floor in stokes baskets. The stokes basket is a specially shaped wire basket which conforms to the shape of the human body and in which a patient may be strapped safely.
Calm Performance
Although most of the mock patients were unruffled and a few volunteered for a repeat performance, oxygen, though unnecessary, was administered. The girls were lifted then onto stretchers and transported to the street curb by able and willing firemen. As evacuees reached the ground, a group of nurses, headed by Mrs. Jane Born, director of nursing services and education, swung into action.
Exceptional bravery was displayed by several girls in shorts and shirts who slid down stout ropes from fifth floor windows.
Among the hospital personnel who were rescued were two head nurses, Doris Stephens, and Jacqueline Stauffer. Student nurses participating were Irma Corsey, Jean Knopple, June Peters, Sue Ofgant, Judy Bowers, Millie James, Kathi Mullen, Lois Weintraub, Arleen McCormack, Sally Bashaw, Barbara Eddis and Faith Isbell.
Acrobatic Fireman
Showing acrobatic skill was a fireman, William Hopkins, who swung from a rope attached to a fire truck extension ladder. Jumping two stories into a net were firemen Jay Anderson and Jay Getty, who landed in the proper rump-down position according to the fire department’s drill master, Otto Keiser [sic].
Chief Edward Mickalek [sic] said he thought the drill was successful.
Emergency Drill
“The drills are a part of our pre-planning program for emergencies and we will be having another demonstration drill Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Walt Whitman Hotel. We are doing pre-planning all the time at hospitals, hotels and factories as part of a year-round program,” the chief added.
The drill was coordinated by W. J. Gribble, hospital engineer. District Fire Chief Theodore Primas was in charge of firemen and apparatus. Observers were representatives from All Saints, Burlington, Cooper, Delaware Valley, Jeanes, Lower Bucks, Nazareth, Northeastern, Sacred Heart, St. Christopher, St. Mary’s, Stetson, Underwood and Friends Hospital.
DISPLAYING the use of the stokes basket in a demonstration fire drill at West Jersey Hospital yesterday, June Peters, a student nurse, is lowered from the fifth floor.
Otto V. Kaiser — Fire Department Personnel Card
Camden Fire Department personnel card for Otto V. Kaiser. Appointed September 20, 1940; retired August 12, 1967 as Drillmaster, Camden Fire Training School.