Indianapolis Fire Department

InfoboxFireDepartment
name = Indianapolis Fire Department

motto =
established = November 14, 1859
staffing = Career
strength = 949 firefighters
stations = 35
engines = 34
trucks = 18
squads = 5
rescues =
helicopters =
fireboats =
EMSunits =
FirstResponderBLSorALS = ALS
chief = Brian Sanford
commissioner =
website = [http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPS/IFD/home.htm IFD website]

The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) is the principal fire suppression, prevention, and rescue agency of Indianapolis, Indiana, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Indianapolis.

The first fire department in Indianapolis was not founded until June 20 1826. It was a volunteer department that had to use a church bell for alarms, and had only ladders and leather buckets to fight fires. This was seventeen months after the first recorded fire in Indianapolis occurred on January 17 1825, which took place across the street from the county courthouse in a tavern. [Bodenhamer, David. "The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis" (Indiana University Press, 1994) pg.774]

In 1835, a law was passed requiring the purchase of an engine, along with better equipment, to be partially funded by the state and partially by the city, in order to protect the Indiana statehouse. From this, the Marion Fire, Hose, and Protection Company was established. An additional volunteer company was founded in 1841 and there were eight total volunteer companies in Indianapolis by 1859. Collectively, 600 men were volunteers in these eight companies, and although unpaid, they did receive perks such as immunity to be called on juries or militia duty, and not having to pay poll taxes or taxes for roads. [Bodenhamer pg.774]

The volunteer companies were rather political, and tended to express their views freely. They were also known to break into brothels and freely use their hoses on the clientele and the interior walls, wrecking the places; not for moral reasons, but instead to amuse themselves. [cite web |url = http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPS/IFD/History/home.htm | title = IFD History | publisher = IFD | accessdate = 2008-07-08 | date = 2005-05-13] As a result, the Indianapolis City Council established a paid force on November 14 1859, so they could have control over Indianapolis' fire protection, which they did not have over the volunteers. The Indianapolis Fire Department began with a hook and ladder company and two hand engines, but would in 1860 gain their first steam engine. [Bodenhamer pg.774, 775]

The paid firemen had no days off, were not allowed to leave their post except for one meal, and were seldom allowed to leave the firehouse unless on fire business, or a family emergency. An ordinance in 1859 made it illegal to give firemen alcoholic beverages. Their clothes were irregular; uniforms were not worn until 1874, with a regulation uniform established in 1928. Firemen would have to buy their own uniforms until 1943, when a $60 clothing allowance was established. An attempt to remove politics from the fire department was not very successful; it was necessary to mandate that the department staff be half Republican and half Democrat, and the role of fire chief was based on political affiliation and family contacts. [Bodenhamer pg.775, 776]

The first dog to discover arson for the Indianapolis Fire Department was in July 1993. [Bodenhamer pg.776]

Notable incidents

*Ramada Inn Crash [cite web |url = http://www.coltshttp://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/history/disasters/planecrashes.html | title = Plane Crashes | publisher = Indianapolis Star | accessdate = 2008-07-08 | date = 2002-05-04]
*Thomas Building Fire [cite web |url = http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPS/IFD/History/Fires/grantfire.htm | title = Grant Fire: November 5, 1973 | publisher = IFD | accessdate = 2008-07-08 | date = 2006-04-18]
*Market Square Arena Fire [cite web |url = http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPS/IFD/History/Fires/msa.htm | title = Market Square Arena Fires | publisher = IFD | accessdate = 2008-07-08 | date = 2005-05-10]

References

External links

* [http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DPS/IFD/home.htm Indianapolis Fire Department]