Harry B. Stires was born February 10, 1884 at Guthrie Center, Iowa.  He joined the Department on February 21, 1916.  He rapidly promoted from Fireman to Engineer and then Lieutenant to Captain.  In on January 3, 1934, while assigned to Truck Company 11, Captain Stires was overcome by smoke at a fire.  Later the same day he responded to an electrical fire where a carbon-tetra-chloride extinguisher was used in a confined space.  Captain Stires was went down again from the toxic fumes of the extinguisher.  With lungs damaged for the second time in a shift  he was transported to the Receiving hospital.  Captain Stires never returned to duty and died of pneumonia a few days later in January 9.  He was survived by his wife, Nelle Stires; a daughter, Hally Stires; a son, Harry Park Stires; his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Justus Manly Stires and a brother, Vern Stires all of whom resided in Los Angeles.