Del Rosa Hotshots established 1946
Del Rosa Hotshot Crew
Del Rosa Crew on a practice hike
When there is smoke in the air.....who do we call?
Del Rosa!
History
In 1945 the C.C.C. Civilian Conservation Corps were stationed at the Del Rosa work center, at this camp were many crews working at various projects
through out the greater San Bernardino area, one of the many tasks assigned to the camp was fire suppression duties, in 1946 the fire suppression crew
was renamed the Del Rosa Hotshots, becoming the first hotshot crew in the
country. The crew has been in the same location since it was formed.
The Spanish name Del Rosa translated in English means (THE ROSE).
Originally the crew was made up of two separate crews consisting of 15 people each, one Superintendent, one Assistant Superintendent and two Crew
Forman for a total of thirty-two personnel, and several support personnel, i.e. Cooks and camp help.
The crew adopted it’s name form the small community that lies below the work center and Del Rosa Boulevard that leads to the Hot Shot camp from Hwy 30 to
the west, the work center is now considered to be in the city limits of San Bernardino.
In the mid 1960’s the Del Rosa Hotshots became one of three Interregional Hotshot crews in R-5, this status allowed them to travel to other regions
with in the U.S., for fire assignments.
At one time the crew had assigned to them their own airplane that was used for transportation to out of region assignments, as well as a 250 gal.
Pumper that they staffed out of the Del Rosa work center for initial attack on forest.
In 2006, the Del Rosa Hotshots celebrated their 60 year anniversary.
Del Rosa Hotshots 60th Anniversary
In Memory of Bruce F. Visser - San Bernardino National Forest
During the devastating fires of 1987, Bruce Visser of the San Bernardino
National Forest, was killed in the line of duty while assigned to the Slater
Fire. Bruce was hit by a motorcycle on the side of old Highway 96 on
the Klamath National Forest in northern California. The Del Rosa
Hotshots on September 11, 2007 cleaned, and brushed up the site and made
repairs to plaque platforms. (the memorial plaques are being
refurbished)
Del Rosa Hotshots at Bruce Visser Memorial Site
Crew Superintendents Since 1946
Toby Ortega? 1946-1949
George McCarty 1949-1950
Gordon Bosteder 1950-1954
Mike Roberts 1954-1957
Ernie Lemelin 1957-1960
Don Mc Cormack 1960-1962
Gerry Ewart 1962-1965
Bob Robbins
Eldon Henry
Kenny Tortez 1966-1976
Gary Lange 1976-1977
Ron Regan 1978-1997 (retired in place)
Scott Wagner 1997-1998 (detailed in 97-became the Supt in 1998)
Jeff Koenig 1999-2004 (detailed in 99-became the Supt in 2000)
Jim Tomaselli (Current)
Additional information sent to us from Jerry Horine:
Toby Ortega was also supt. Between Gerry Ewart and Bob Robbins in the 60s, as I was a crew foreman under all of them. Joe Cruz was my squad boss during that time. Also the movie Crew Boss was made during that time using the Del
Rosa crew as the subject of the movie. A professional actor was used as the crew boss.
I have many old pictures of the crew during the 60s if anyone is interested.
928-718-1826
Jerry Horine, Retired
Contact InformationNeil Gamboa
Del Rosa Hotshots
4121 Quail Canyon
San Bernardino, CA 92404
(909) 382-2980
More on
California Interagency Hotshot Crews
Del Rosa Hotshots Website
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