Association Store

California Fire Mechanics Association 50^th Anniversary Commemorative

Challenge Coin – Cost per coin $8.00 (Available at select meetings)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 13, 1966 – July 13, 2016

The Design of the Coin

The coin is two-sided and made of a brilliant chrome finish which was designed to represent the look of the chrome tools used by fire mechanics.  One side of the coin has California Fire Chiefs Association (The Fire Chiefs Association is based in Sacramento, CA) moniker in bolded, black raised letters across the outer top rim. Cal-Chiefs is the parent organization of the California Fire Mechanics Section(s).  On the same side are the initials of the California Fire Mechanics Academy, CFMA, which is based out of McClellan Park, CA.  The California Fire Mechanics Academy, Inc. is the oldest and largest Emergency Vehicle Technician Training Academy in the U.S. and was founded in 1970 by many of the same individuals of the original group of the California Fire Mechanics Association of 1966.  Also presented is the logo of the Northern California Fire Mechanics Association, N.C.F.M.A., founded in 1971 and their phrase “Without Us, They Walk”.  The logo and the phrase was designed by retired Sac Metro fire mechanic, Ed Schultz.  This side of the coin reflects the association(s) and influences from the northern part of the state. 

The other side of the coin, in bolded, black raised lettering on the outer rim is the main purpose of the coin – The 50^th Anniversary of the California Fire Mechanics Association.  On the bottom part of the coin is the phrase, “Making a Tough Job Safer” meaning, making the tough job of saving lives and fighting fires by getting our fellow firefighters safely to an incident.   This phrase was coined by Jerry Lee Sr., retired Lakeside Fire Protection District Fire Mechanic.  On the same side of coin is the logo of the Southern California Fire Mechanics Association, S.C.F.M.A., founded in 1966.  Their Phrase, “Proudly Serving the Finest Fire Departments in California”, could not fit in the design of this coin and was not included. Within the Red Maltese Cross are the initials F & N, above the fire mechanics head.  These initials stand for Francis Newcombe, founder of the California Fire Mechanic Association in 1966.  Ivan “Pep” Richardson, San Bernardino City Fire Department, Fire Mechanic, and Co-Founder of the association, was elected as its first President.  To the right of the fire mechanic is our founding year 1966 and to the left our 50^th anniversary year 2016.   This side of the coin reflects the association and influences from the southern part of the state.  The design & layout of the coin was conceptualized by George R. Solano, Fire/Fleet Supervisor, City of Vista/Vista Fire Department and SCFMA recording Secretary, 2016.