New mural paints the history of the Dayton Fire Department in comic book style – dayton.com

ExploreMeet the woman who has created 100 murals for Dayton

Members of the firefighters union brainstormed with Clark, who has created more than 100 murals in Dayton, and came up with the novel idea.

Dayton Fire Fighters Local 136 has teamed up with mural artist Tiffany Clark to create a 20-panel mural along Buckeye Street between Main and Warren streets. The mural will tell the history of the Dayton Fire Department in vintage comic book style. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Credit: Lisa Powell

Credit: Lisa Powell

I appreciate the old Marvel, Steve Ditko and Stan Lee era of comics, said Jim Burneka, a Dayton firefighter and paramedic. As many murals as Tiffany has done, she hasnt done anything quite like this. Its unique and a different way of spinning our history.

Clark studied vintage Marvel comic books for months to replicate the artistic style for painting the first responders. Their sole job is to save people, so my mind went to superheroes right away, she said.

One of the panels recreates a 1980 photograph of civilian medics and reimagines them as the Fantastic Four superhero team.

Fire Man, a muscular superhero in training armed with a hose, flies from the cover of his own Dayton-styled comic book. The cover reads And Now It Begins.!

Randolph Jones Tams, the first Black member of the department appointed in 1907, will be immortalized in a recreation of an original Black Panther comic book cover.

Tiffany Clark, a Dayton mural artist, (left) and members of Dayton Fire Fighters Local 136, Dennis Bristow, Marques Kincaid and Jim Burneka at a new mural on Buckeye Street commemorating the history of the Dayton Fire Departments. Dayton Fire Fighters Local 136 has teamed up with mural artist Tiffany Clark to create a 20-panel mural along Buckeye Street between Main and Warren streets. The mural will tell the history of the Dayton Fire Department in vintage comic book style. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Credit: Lisa Powell

Credit: Lisa Powell

The firefighters chose scenes that helped change the city and influenced firefighting techniques across the country.

In vivid colors, Clark has painted a burning warehouse with dark smoke billowing into the sky. Below the scene are three layers labeled ground water, confining layers and aquifer.

In May 1987, a Sherwin-Williams paint warehouse, located at the Concourse 70/75 Industrial Park off Wagner Ford Road, caught fire and threatened the areas drinking water.

Dayton fire officials made the decision to let it burn unchecked for almost a week because they believed pouring millions of gallons of water onto the flames would cause well field contamination, as the water carried chemicals into the aquifer.

Dayton Fire Fighters Local 136 has teamed up with mural artist Tiffany Clark to create a 20-panel mural along Buckeye Street between Main and Warren streets. The mural will tell the history of the Dayton Fire Department in vintage comic book style. LISA POWELL / STAFF

Credit: Lisa Powell

Credit: Lisa Powell

It was quite controversial at the time, Dennis Bristow, Jr., a member of the unions executive board, said. Back in 1987 dealing with hazardous materials was new to fire departments.

It was a groundbreaking decision made that day and one of things we wanted to make sure was depicted.

Near the end of the mural at Warren Street, Clark will paint the Dayton Fire Department Line of Duty Memorial, a monument dedicated to firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The mural, financed by the firefighters union, will be completed in September.

The firefighters intend it to beautify the street and hope it will also be a reminder of their dedication to the community, Bristow said. Were here to serve and proud to serve.

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New mural paints the history of the Dayton Fire Department in comic book style - dayton.com