John Burton

John Burton

My work experience with fire trucks began in the summer of 1976 in Oakdale, at Van Pelt Fire Trucks, which was later bought by FMC. My career started by working in the Body Shop, fabricating bodies. After six months, I was transferred to the Electrical Department for six months. I worked the following six months in the Plumbing Department, learning to plumb the fire trucks. I then had the opportunity to transfer back to the Body Shop where, my brother, Ken, was working at the time. We were now both fabricating fire truck bodies. Those were some great times. My next promotion was to Shop Supervisor, in charge of all the personnel in the shop, which at the time was about forty employees. My final promotion at FMC was to the Engineering and Purchasing Department. My duties included purchasing for the entire company, as well as the management of the Engineering department. It was during this time that I learned to design and draft fire trucks.

After FMC closed Van Pelt in Oakdale, I moved into another field of work for a short time, until my brother, Ken, asked me to join him, working for another fire truck shop. After a couple of years, Ken and I decided that we should start a business of our own. We opened Burton’s Fire Apparatus on January 11, 1991. The business was incorporated in 2005 and became Burton’s Fire, Inc. We have now grown to over 20 employees.

I am married, with two daughters. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, whether it’s traveling, camping, fishing, jeeping, spending time in the mountains, or just hanging out. One hobby I really enjoy is taking pictures of all those good times!

John and Tammy
Hawaii Fire Chiefs 2009

Samson and I enjoying the evening at the cabin

Burton's Fire Inc. Boogie Board Team USA
John , Brittany, Sherry, Doug, Bill, Kellie

Big 50th Birthday

Enjoying time spent with my two daughters, Sherry & Brittany,
at my big 50th Birthday

San Francisco Giants Opening Day Tailgate Party

Helping my buddy Mike who was stuck in the snow again

Oldest Daughter Sherry's Graduation from Chico State

Brittany enjoying quite a game of water polo

Jeeping Days with friends and my brother Ken Burton

Brittany swimming the butterfly

Family Picture in Germany
Tammy, Brittany, Sherry, & John

Yankee Stadium ,Yankee / Red Socks game 2008 with friend John Maddox

John's stress relief get-away

Enjoying a beer at McDonald in Alacante, Spain

The Oakdale Swim Team BBQ Crew:

Bill Flanagan , Phil Fischer (my father-in-law) and John Burton
The BBQ crew served over 200 breakfast burritos during
the morning, then BBQ and served 400 New York steak
and chicken sandwiches for lunch and dinner.
This all took place during the Oakdale Rotary
Invitational Swim Meet in Oakdale.
There were over 650 swimmers at this
swim meet from five different cities.

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