F I R S TP R E V241NEXTLAST

Waterfront Firehouse, Fort Mason
The San Francisco Fire Department dates back to Christmas Eve, 1849, when a series of fires destroyed part of the city. A volunteer force existed until 1866 when the city put up funds for a municipal force. In 1878, the first fireboat, the "Governor Irwin" was put into service. On the morning of the 1906 earthquake, the city's Fire Chief, Dennis T. Sullivan was killed when his firehouse collapsed on him, contributing the great conflagration that followed. The SFFD fought that fire for four straight days without rest. In the end the fire cost San Francisco 28,000 buildings and 3,000 lives. Today the city's 49 square miles is protected by 1,700 firefighters manning 42 engine and 18 truck companies.
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