Back to Table of Contents

A Fire Department was established by City Charter in 1883. It provided for equipment purchases, but not for hiring of firefighters. Following the Great Fire of 1889, a professional fire department was created with five district fire stations and purchase of a fire boat. The first Fire Chief of the professional department was Gardner Kellogg who served 1890-1892 and 1895-1901. A Board of Fire Commissioners was established by the 1890 City Charter to prescribe rules and regulations for the Department. The Board's responsibilities included enforcing rules violations, and appointing the Fire Chief and all subordinate officers. The Board was abolished with passage of a new City Charter in 1896. The Department's mission is to curtail loss of life and property by fire through inspection and certification of building safety systems, public education, regulation of hazardous material storage, and fire suppression.

Proceedings of Board of Fire Commissioners meetings. The Board was established by the City Charter of 1890 with responsibility of overseeing and regulating the City's first professional fire department. It was abolished by the adoption of new City Chareter in 1896.

RA

Correspondence relating to Fire Department activities. Includes information on equipment needs and purchases, department budget, code violations, assessments of station sites, equipment and apparatus evaluations, and personnel matters. Volume covering June 1918 to September 1920 is missing.

RA

Correspondence and memoranda from the Fire Chief relating to personnel actions including reprimands, promotions, hiring and firing. Also includes memoranda to other departments and Fire Marshall's notices of fire code violations.

RA

Central file maintained by Department administration. Includes correspondence, reports, and equipment files related to Department activities. Topics include arson, civil defense, pension fund, fire prevention, fireboats, and emergency services, among others. Arranged by subject.

RA
Folder List

Certificates of title, inspection reports, correspondence regarding sales, specifications, and accident reports for trucks, wagons, and other fire apparatus. Includes reports of tests conducted prior to purchase.

RA

Correspondence, memoranda, newspaper clippings, drawings, photographs, theft reports, maintenance records, and personnel complaints regarding fire stations. Arranged by station number.

RA

Monthly departmental newsletter.

RA

Summary and index to department personnel files. Includes demographic data on employees and brief notes on personnel actions.

RA

Correspondence, meeting minutes, agreements and contracts, and negotiation and arbitration files maintained by the department relating to the Firefighters Union Local 27.

RA

Correspondence and civil service forms relating to promotions, notices of appointment, separations, misconduct reports, injury reports, requests for certification, and returns to service.

RA
Folder List

Reports to the Civil Service Department concerning conduct of men in each company. Filed monthly.

RA

2804-01
Performance Record
1894-1906
4 volumes

Record of responses and actions taken at fire sites. Includes date, number of alarms, engine company, time alarm received, distance traveled to fire, amount of time at site, feet of hose laid, feet of ladder raised, gallons of chemicals used, casualties, and remarks. Arranged chronologically.

RA

Chronological list of responses to alarms. Includes date, name and address of building or structure subject to alarm, and Fire Department officer on duty. Arranged by company.

RA

Correspondence, reports, training material, and public relations material relating to emergency medical services of the Fire Department. The program was established to provide paramedic care for coronary cases.

RA
Folder List

Chronological list of fires including date, address of structure, property owner, estimated dollare amount of loss, and extent of insurance coverage. Many entries are incomplete.

RA

Correspondence, notices, and inspection reports regarding fire hazards, fire code violations, fire escapes, and other safety devices at Seattle homes and businesses. Includes orders by the Fire Marshall to correct the violations. This is almost exclusively the correspondence of Gardner Kellogg.

RA

Copies of annual Fire Department budgets and estimates of expenditures.

RA

Record of supplies received by the department and then disbursed to respective engine companies. Includes vendor, description of supplies, quantity, and cost. Arranged chronologically.

RA

Record of payments for equipment and supplies, building repair and maintenance, utilities, payroll, and other department expenses. Includes voucher number, name of payer, service or account type, and amount paid. Annual recapitulations are arranged by engine company and totaled by month.

RA

Monthly list of operating expenses including small stores, feed, harness repair, chemicals, fuel, drugs and medicine, etc. Arranged by engine company.

RA

Record of departmental expenses arranged chronologically with monthly recapitulation by fire company. Includes date, requisition number, item or supplies, cost, and company receiving it.

RA

Record of monthly expenditures for apparatus, equipment, supplies, maintenance, and services. Includes date; requisition, and voucher order numbers; and amount of order by type of expenditure.

RA

Two indexes. Fireworks and signs permit index for 1906 includes name of grantee and permit number. Index for stable, laundry and chicken permits for 1908-1911 includes grantee, date, and permit type.

RA