Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps
 |
|
| Voluntad y Sacrificio (Willpower and Sacrifice) | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Established | May 9, 1942 |
| Employees | 1,715 uniformed 264 civilian |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Vacant |
| EMS level | BLS |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Stations | 92 |
| Engines | 140 |
| Trucks | 5 ladders 1 tower |
| Squads | 44 |
| Rescues | 4 |
| Fireboats | 1 |
The Puerto Rico Firefighters Corps —Spanish: Cuerpo de Bomberos de Puerto Rico (CBPR)— is the statewide fire department that provides fire protection, rescue, and protection from other hazards in Puerto Rico. It was established in 1942 under the Puerto Rico Fire Services. In addition, it offers fire protection services to all the airports under the authority of the Puerto Rico Ports Authority, including the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, Rafael Hernández Airport, and Mercedita Airport and they serve as crash rescue divisions. A separate agency, the Puerto Rico Medical Emergency Corps, provides emergency medical services to all Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico firefighters have their origins in the southern town of Ponce. In 1823, Spanish Governor Miguel De La Torre, became deeply concerned by a large fire that occurred in Ponce, on February 27, 1820. This fire almost destroyed the town. As a result, it became mandatory for every male between 16 and 60 years to be a volunteer firefighter. Firefighters at this time had to provide their own fire-fighting tools such as picks, shovels, and buckets. Unfortunately, this first fire corps saw its decline once Governor De La Torre left his post.
Another major fire occurred in the Playa de Ponce sector of Ponce in 1845. This moved the Conde de Marisol, ruler of the island at that time, to create a new voluntary fire-fighting organization. In 1862, under the auspices of the mayor of Ponce, Luis Quijano Font, the fire corps was reorganized as The Fire Services and Thomas Cladellas was appointed Fire Chief.
In 1879, the Fire Services reorganized again, this time under the leadership of Ponce architect Juan Bertoly. Finally, Puerto Rico's fire fighting force reorganized in a more permanent manner in 1883 while Maximum Meana was mayor of Ponce. It consisted of 400 firefighters. Its officers were Julio Steinacher, Juan Seix (Senior Chief), Oscar Schuch Oliver (Second Chief), and Fernando M. Toro (Head Brigade and Charge of the Academy of Gymnastics).
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