Boston Fire Department
 |
|
| "First in the Nation" | |
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 Massachusetts
|
| City |
 Boston
|
| Agency overview | |
| Established | 1678 |
| Annual calls | 74,191 (2013) |
| Employees | 1,611 (2014)
|
| Annual budget | $187,849,951 (2014) |
| Staffing | Career |
| Commissioner | Joseph E. Finn |
| EMS level | EMT-Basic |
| IAFF | 718 |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Battalions | 9 |
| Stations | 35 |
| Engines | 34 |
| Trucks | 20 |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Rescues | 2 |
| HAZMAT | 1 |
| Wildland | 2 |
| Light and air | 1 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| IAFF website | |
The Boston Fire Department provides fire protection and first responder emergency medical services to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to fire protection, the department responds to a variety of emergencies such as medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous material spills, electrical hazards, floods, and construction accidents.
The Boston Fire Department is the largest municipal fire department in New England and serves approximately 636,000 people living in a 47-square-mile (120 km2) area of the city proper and provides additional mutual aid to 32 surrounding communities of the Greater Boston Metro Area, including Logan International Airport.
The Boston Fire Department traces its roots back to 1631, a year after the city was founded, when the first fire ordinance was adopted. In what then was the Massachusetts Bay Colony of the Kingdom of England, the city banned thatched roofs and wooden chimneys. However, it wasn't until 1653 that the first hand engine was appropriated to provide pressure for water lines.
In 1678, the city founded a paid fire department, and hired Thomas Atkins to be the first fire chief. On February 1, 1711, the town appointed a group of Fire Wards, each responsible for the operation and maintenance of equipment assigned to a region of the city. The grandfather and great grandfather of Herman Melville, Thomas Melvill, served as a town fire ward from 1779 to 1825, and Allen Melvill, served as an early firefighter 1733 to 1761. It was not until 1799 that the first leather fire hose was used, after being imported from England.
The department underwent its first reorganization in 1837 when the hand engine department reorganized, reducing the number of active engines to fourteen. By December 31, 1858, the department had 14 hand engines, 3 hook and ladder carriages, and 6 hydrant (hose) carriages. On November 1, 1859, Engine Co. 8 began service as the first steam engine in the department. The reorganization of 1859-60 replaced the department's 14 hand engines with 11 new steam engines, forming the departmental hierarchy still used today.
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Wikipedia