HISTORY

The first American (volunteer) fire department company is often credited to Ben Franklin, around 1736, in Philadelphia. This started as a club or co-op to protect each other's homes in the event of a fire. There were organizations resembling firefighting "clubs" in Boston prior to this. Boston also had "Fire wards" as early as 1711. As early as 1678 Boston had some fire fighting equipment and a paid crew to maintain it and respond to fires. In 1648, New York, and a few other cities, had a volunteer "rattle watch" who patrolled the streets. If a fire was discovered these people would sound an alarm and help organize bucket brigades. Cincinnati was the first American city to replace volunteers with the horse-drawn steam fire engine and to form a paid fire department.

The first Professional Fire Department

The first full time department, in western culture, might have been in Rome in 200 AD. They had people who were selected to roam the city and not only put out fires but enforce fire codes. These were called the "Corps of Vigiles". Unfortunately they were not exactly a "paid" department. Augustus Caesar formed this highly regarded corps from slaves.

Boston, as mentioned above, had a crew who were paid to maintain their one pump and respond to fires as early as 1678.

Credit for the first "professional fire brigade" is often given to Napoleon Bonaparte. While French emperor, he ordered that a division of the French army known as Sapeurs-Pompiers be used to protect Paris with 30 powerful manual fire pumps by 1800.

Tradition

The Fire Service is steeped in tradition and history. Since the Corp of Vigiles during the Roman Empire to the Great London Fire of 1666; to Benjamin Franklin and George Washington’s services as Volunteer Firefighters to the present, the Fire Service continues to evolve into a highly technical profession serving communities for their public safety needs.