Thomas Gieffels became volunteer firefighter in 1945; was interim chief by 1951

Thomas C. Gieffels, who became the youngest fire chief in the nation at 28 when the Benicia City Council appointed him to that position in 1951, died Wednesday at an area hospital after a brief illness.
Gieffels, a Benicia native, grew up with a fascination with firefighting, said Mervin Silva, a resident who fought fires along with the former chief.

At 16, Gieffels became a Benicia volunteer firefighter in 1945. Three years later, he became a regular member of Benicia Fire Department.

He was promoted to lieutenant in 1950 and was named acting fire chief from July 14, 1951, to March 18, 1952. He was promoted to captain April 1, 1952, and by 1955 he was chosen as Benicia’s fire chief.

He spent a total of 33 years in service to the department, all but 10 as chief, before he retired July 31, 1978, at the age of 50.

As fire chief, Gieffels was recognized in November 1974, commended for his bravery when he saved the life of a 4-year-old boy who was trapped in a burning house. The boy, Danny Cushing, was in his grandparents’ home, 1145 West K St., when the building caught fire.

Gieffels ran into the house even before he could put on a safety mask. He had barely cleared the door when the home became engulfed in flames. Observers said had Gieffels waited, both he and the boy would have died in the inferno.

Danny was burned on more than 50 percent of his body but survived the injuries. Gieffels received recognition from local civic organizations and the city of Benicia.

Gieffels specialized in fighting grass fires, and was among those to combat a 500-acre grass fire in 1976 that required help from six neighboring agencies before it could be defeated.

“In my younger years, I was a volunteer with the county fire department,” Silva said. “We did a lot of grass fires, and Tommy was always there. When I was a kid, he’d chase fire trucks — he’d jump in his car and go.”

Gieffels studied Solano County’s rural areas so he would be familiar with them during emergencies. His knowledge became invaluable to other firefighting agencies, and at Gieffels’s retirement, Solano County Fire Coordinator Gil Richardson gave him special recognition for his contributions. Gieffels also was involved in fighting what has been described as the “spectacular” Tannery fires in Benicia during the 1940s.

He also served as assistant fire marshal for Solano County and helped found the Benicia Junior Volunteer Fire Department in 1969.

Besides firefighting and being the fire department’s chief administrator, Gieffels spent much of his own time participating in the restoration of Solano Engine No. 1, the award-winning 1855 antique hand pumper that underwent significant rehabilitation in 1968.

“Thousands of man hours went into the work, and Gieffels was found at nearly every work party,” Benicia reporter Sherry Jones wrote about the chief at the time of his retirement.

He also was a volunteer for the March of Dimes, offering fire truck rides and playing basketball to help in the charity’s fundraisers.

And he was active in the California Rural Fireman’s Association, Western Fire Chiefs Association, Solano County Fireman’s Association and the Solano County Fire Chiefs Association.

After retiring from firefighting, Gieffels started a new career in construction, working at Mallard Construction and Tickner Construction.

He had been married to his wife, Civillia, for 28 years when he retired. She died in 1985. The couple has two surviving sons, Tom and Sam, and one daughter, Susan. Gieffels also had a daughter, Sandra, who died in 1952, and a son, Patrick, who died in 1964.

Other survivors include daughters-in-law Carol and Tracey Gieffels; a sister, Joan Corriera; grandchildren Carey Ann Reed, Robert Joseph Carr, Claire Gieffels and Thomas J. Gieffels; great-grandchildren Anthony Mallon, Isla Brynn Carr and Aubry Civillia Carr; great-great-grandchildren Emmitt Samuel Mallon and Finnegan Thomas Mallon; and a close friend, Ida Mae Cunningham.

A vigil service was held at 7 p.m. Monday at Passalacqua Funeral Chapel, 901 West Second St., and a Mass of Christian Burial will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Dominic’s Church, 475 East I St.