Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service

The Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service was founded in 1872 as the Birmingham Fire Department under chief Ferdinand Neville.

The current service is headed by Acting Chief Carl A. Harper (replacing retired Chief Murray) and consists of 648 firefighters in four battalions responding from 31 stations. First-line equipment includes 27 pumpers, 2 quints, 2 brontos, and 16 rescue units. There are also 2 air units, 2 decontamination units, 2 brush trucks, a heavy rescue unit and a hazardous material unit in the fleet.

The Department's motto is "Excellence through Service".

History

The Birmingham Fire Department originally only served the downtown area. A system of alarm bells told firemen which ward the alarm originated from. The department's "new steamer" was paraded for Mardi Gras 1886.

On March 10, 1934 the department, headed by chief B. O. Hargrove fought a massive fire at the Loveman, Joseph & Loeb warehouse. Following the fire, a souvenir book describing the battle was published with proceeds going to the Birmingham Firemen's Relief Association. The book listed the department's equipment at the time as follows:

1 65-foot Seagrave Water Tower

2 85-foot Seagrave Aerial Ladder Trucks

1 55-foot Seagrave Service Truck

1 55-fot American LaFrance Service Truck

2 1200-gallon Seagrave Pumpers

1 1000-gallon American LaFrance Pumper

2 750-gallon Seagrave Pumpers

1 600-gallon Seagrave Pumper

14 750-gallon American LaFrance Pumpers

3 600-gallon American LaFrance Pumpers

1 Seagrave Combination Chemical and Hose Wagon

Various small trucks and sedans for personnel

Approx. 70,000 feet of hose line

The department currently operates with 648 firefighters staffing 31 stations in four battalions. The department has 27 pumpers, 2 quint trucks, 2 bronto units, and 16 rescue units. They also have 1 hazardous materials unit, one heavy rescue unit, two air units, two decontamination units and two brush-fire trucks. The department also keeps a small fleet of electric golf carts which can be used for operations during public events like City Stages.

Stations

• Birmingham Fire Station No. 1
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 2
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 3 (Highland Avenue), Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 4
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 5
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 6, Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 7
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 8
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 9
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 10, Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 11, Roosevelt City, listed on the National Register.
  • Birmingham Fire Station No. 11 (2005)
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 12 (Woodlawn), Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 13
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 14
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 15, Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 16 (Ensley), Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 17
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 18
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 19, built 1928, Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 20
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 21
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 22 (Forest Park), Listed on the National Register
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 23
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 24
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 25
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 26
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 27
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 28
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 29
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 30
• Birmingham Fire Station No. 31

References

• Birmingham Fire & Rescue Service: Millennium Edition. (2002) Nashville, TN: Turner Publishing Co. ISBN 1563117002
• Kuhl, Earl D., editor (1934) "Illustrated Souvenir: Birmingham's $3,000,000 Fire, March 10, 1934." Birmingham: Birmingham Firemen's Relief Association. - accessed at Birmingham Public Library Archives Digital Collections, February 22, 2007

External links

• Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service website
• Fire station map at Dave's Place (dave911.com)