Raúl Gándara-Cartagena (1895-1972) was a prominent fire chief in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and the first and longest serving Commonwealth of Puerto Rico fire chief. He served from 1942 to 1972.

Contents 1 Public service 2 Firefighter's Handbook 3 Legacy 4 References

[edit] Public service

In 1930, Raúl Gándara-Cartagena entered the Ponce Fire Department as Commander. In 1942, the Puerto Rico Legislature created the Servicio de Bomberos de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Fire Service), and the governor of the island at the time, Rexford Guy Towell, selected Raúl Gándara -- who at the moment was Captain of the Ponce Fire Corps -- to become Puerto Rico's first state fire chief.^[1] Gandara was Puerto Rico state chief for 30 years, making him the longest-serving state fire chief ever.

[edit] Firefighter's Handbook

In 1951, Gandara wrote a book on the firemen's service, which became a firemen's manual in several Latin American countries.^[2] The name of the book is "Cuerpo de bomberos: Manual del bombero" (Firefighters Corps: A Firefighter's Handbook) It is the only technical fire management manual known to exist in Spanish. The book has been adopted as the official manual in various countries of Central and South America.^[3]

[edit] Legacy

In Ponce, there is public housing complex named in his memory. In Lares, Puerto Rico, (Lares Electoral Precint 48) there is a street named after Gándara.^[4] In 1999, the Puerto Rico legislature created the Raúl Gándara Award, that is given to the best state fire fighter.

[edit] References

1. ^ Ponce Commander, Puerto Rico Fire chief
2. ^ Puerto Rico Encyclopedia: Fundacion Puertorriqueña de las HumanidadesRetrieved August 24, 2009.
3. ^ The Firefighter's Handbook
4. ^ Lares, PR