Volunteer Firemen Corps
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Fire Station “Panchito
Sánchez Curbelo”
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Although since remote times there were voluntary firemen in Güines, at the beginning the materials to extinguish fires were sparse and rudimentary, basically several empty oil cans that local merchants hung in their respective stores, complying with a local ordnance. When there was a serious fire and the cans were not enough to extinguish it, our worthy firemen would get on loan from the Railroad Company, a small hand pump, which was considered then, a powerful extinguisher and which was known as The Cayman.
At the end of the XIX Century, Dr. Francisco Sánchez Curbelo (aka. Panchito) as he was affectionately called, one of the prominent civic figures of Güines, together with a small group of friends and sympathizers of the idea, took upon themselves the immense task of creating a Firemen Corps to protect and assist the Villa and its farms and near towns and to fight the havoc created by voracious fires or any other public calamity.
It was a difficult and tenacious task, but with the help of neighbors, of the members themselves and authorities, the Volunteer Firemen Corps of Güines was finally created in 1887 and the Fire Station Headquarters started to be built in its own building on Havana Street #16, later on re-numbered #386. It was named Panchito Sánchez Curbelo in honor of its creator and founder.
Several years later when The Cayman turned itself into a ridiculous piece of junk and its suction mechanism fell into a lot of lamentable malfunctions, the Firemen Corps started to think in the acquisition without delay, of appropriate equipment to cover the needs imposed by progress.
The reorganization of the Corps started and in September of 1894, there was a party organized where Captain Marín was present, with a banquet at Trabal Restaurant (corner of Máximo Gómez and Trujillo Streets) and a midday parade also attended by distinguished personalities of the Villa. When Raimundo Cabrera Bosch, the prominent Güinero saw the enthusiasm of his fellow residents for such worthy institution he offered to donate from his own pocket a new fire pump. It arrived at Villanueva Railroad Station on November 1894, and the whole town went to the Station to wait for the magnificent machine, where it was immediately assembled and taken out by the same firemen who pulled The Cayman with more than 500 neighbors and the Music Band. A horse named Cuba pulled the new pump and its drivers were Antonio González and Daniel Ayala. It was provisionally stored at Doctor Castellanos’ home, a distinguished fireman and indispensable factor in all acts that took place in Güines, no matter what the reason was.
While the Fire Station was being built, many Güineros made important donations, among them, a luxurious first aid kit, given by Don Juan Ramos, a pharmacist and enthusiastic fireman. Finally, when the building was finished and all material and equipment installed, everything was blessed by Parish Priest Clemente Pereira y Casines. Raimundo Cabrera and his wife were the godparents of the Fire Station and their daughter Graciela was the godmother of the new fire pump.
The institution was supported with donations from residents, businesses, sugar mills and the Town Council. All members of the Firemen Corps were volunteers, without receiving any compensation, with the exception of those who worked in the Fire Station itself.
The Volunteer Firemen Corps of Güines was formed by persons of all social classes and races, without any distinction, uniting them in this endeavor, their love to the institution and their civic and patriotic duty, ready to make the biggest sacrifices, thinking only in the general welfare of the community, without compensation, unless it was the satisfaction of having fulfilled their duties.
The cooperation shown by residents, institutions and authorities when there was a fire, was noteworthy. A first warning was given by the Parish Church with the ringing of the big bell of its belfry, with a strong and hoarse sound, which was heard in the entire Villa and placed the town on alert. When in 1906 the street lighting system was established, as an additional warning system, a potent siren was installed on the roof of the Fire Station, which alerted residents and voluntary firemen who were busy in their different employments and professions.
It is curious to note the system devised by the Firemen Corps to alert its members and the town, of the approximate location of the fire, taking as initial reference point, Arango y Parreño Park. If the siren sounded twice, one long blast and one short, the conflagration was located west of town, from the Park towards the neighborhood of La Quinta; if it sounded two long blasts, the fire was located east to southeast, from the Park to Residencial Mayabeque or the Ice Factory; if it was only one short blast, it was north of the Park, towards the exit to Havana and El Vedado neighborhood; if they were two short blasts, the fire was somewhere south, from the Park towards the exit to the highway to Playa del Rosario; finally, if the siren sounded only one long blast it meant the fire was outside the urban area. Güines Firemen Corps was responsible for a vast area within the southern part of Havana Province, such as the towns of Melena del Sur, San Nicolás de Bari, Catalina de Güines, Nueva Paz, Vegas, Los Palos and others. Later on, a telephonic system was also installed, with several free telephones throughout the Villa so the Fire Station could be notified. The Electrical and Telephone Companies did not charge for these services.
Mayor Eduardo Grau Gómez (1916-1920) with the approval of the Town Council donated the first fire engine, carrying it his name. Dr. Carlos Prío Socarrás, President of the Republic (1948-1952), donated a modern fire engine in the year 1950 or 1951, which was named after him and which was one of the best existing in Cuba. A third piece of equipment acquired by this worthy institution was an Auxiliary Water Tank Vehicle, which would operate in those places where it was not possible to take water directly in order to pump it and which was locally built in Zabalo’s carpentry shop.
It is impossible to mention all Güineros that supported and cooperated with the Volunteer Firemen Corps of Güines, because this institution was like a great family, which gathered in its ranks, throughout its history, the best of Güines' society. Being aware that we will incur in important omissions, we offer hereby an alphabetical list of Güines firemen throughout the years: Leopoldo Acevedo, Francisco Alayón, Gerardo Alayón, Jorge Alayón, José Cornelio Alfonso, Rigoberto Alfonso, Antonio Álvarez, Lino Álvarez, Daniel Ayala, Gerardo Báez, José María Báez, Eugenio Bárcenas, Julián Bofill, René Cárdenas, Virgilio Carvajal, José Casañas, Rafael Castañer, Dr. Castellanos (first name unknown), Leopoldo Castillo (aka. Guara), Gerardo Ceberio, José Ceberio, Rafael Contino, Juan Delgado, Orlando Delgado, Alberto Díaz, Manuel Díaz, Jr., Isaac Díaz, Juan Domínguez, Antonio Echevarría, Armando Fernández, Cepero Fernández, José María Fernández, Manuel Fernández (aka. Paíto), Pedro Fernández, Ricardo Fernández, Eddy Fragata, Dr. Luis Galainena, Ángel Gallusi, Dr. Abelardo Garcés, Israel García, Manuel García, Sr., Manuel García, Jr., Ramón García, Dr. Alberto García Mendoza, Miguel Gómez, Antonio González, Felipe González (aka. Chiquitico), Florentino González, Ignacio González Penichet, Juan González, Leovigildo González, Manuel González, Orlando González, Roberto González, Joaquín Hernández, Raimundo Hernández, Rolando Hernández, Manuel Izquierdo, Luis López, Fernando López Socarrás, Nicolás Lozano, Dr. Alberto Martell, Dr. Francisco Martell, Mario Martínez, Serafín Martino Pendás, Saturnino Maza, Venancio Nogués, Ing. Helio Núñez, Jacobo Núñez, Gabriel O'Hallorans, Orfilio Ortega, Julio Otero, Ángel Oya, Roberto Palenzuela, Mario Parets, Julián Peñas, Haroldo Pérez, Ismael Pérez, Domingo Ramos, Juan Ramos, Domingo Rico, Carmelo Riverón, Manuel Rodríguez, Octavio Rodríguez, Pedro Rodríguez, Ángel Ruiz, Gerardo Sarmiento, Dr. Francisco Sánchez Curbelo (aka. Panchito), Dr. Alberto Sánchez Ocejo, Dr, Virgilio Sánchez Ocejo, Dr. Benito Torres, José Reinaldo Torres (aka. Nao), Pedro Torres, René Torres, Alberto Valdés, Facundo Valdés, Félix Valdés, Juvenal Valdés, Rafael Valdés, Rogelio Valdés, Ambrosio Vázquez, Rafael Vázquez, Dr. Manuel Vega, Dr. Manuel de Villiers and so many other self-denying firemen that escape our memory.
With the arrival of the Communist system in 1959, the Volunteer Firemen Corps was seized, its building and equipment confiscated and the latter transferred outside Güines and the majority of the firemen resigned, going into exile. One of the blackest days in our local history, when such a prestigious institution, which rendered such an important and necessary service free of charge, without any political affiliation, was destroyed without justification.
Members of Güines Volunteer Firemen Corps, September 1959
