Indianapolis Fire Department

Indianapolis Fire Department
Agency Overview
Established	November 14, 1859
Employees	1216 Sworn personnel
Staffing	Career (Eng-4 Lad-4 Squad-2 BC-2 TSU-1)
Fire chief	Brian Sanford
Facilities & Equipment
Stations	45
Engines	43
Ladders	23
Squads	6
Ambulances	10
Website
IFD homepage

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. In 2010, the IFD responded to 154,727 emergency calls.^[1]

Station 32 - 6330 Guildford Ave

History

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.^[2]

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 from being called on juries or militia duty, and not having to pay poll taxes or taxes for roads.^[3]

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; this was done not for moral reasons, but rather, to amuse themselves.^[4] As a result, the Indianapolis City Council established a paid force on November 14, 1859, so that the council could have control over Indianapolis' fire protection, which it 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.^[5]

The former IFD Headquarters at 301 E. New York Street is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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 had 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.^[6]

The first dog to discover arson for the Indianapolis Fire Department was acquired in July 1993.^[7]

Operations

There are currently 14 Divisions of Operations in the Indianapolis Fire Department: Communications, Emergency Operations, Emergency Medical Services, Executive Services, Finance and Pension, Fire Investigations Section, Fire and Life Safety, Homeland Security/Special Operations and Training, Quartermaster, Information Technology, Media Relations, Safety, Support Services, and USAR Indiana Task Force One.^[8]

There are currently 45 Fire Stations located throughout the city of Indianapolis, organized into 7 Battalions. The IFD operates and maintains a fire apparatus fleet of 43 Engines, 23 Ladders, 6 Squads(Medic), 13 Tactical Rescue Units (including one Trailer), 4 Tactical Support Units (TSU's), 32 Medic Units (IEMS Medic Ambulances), 2 Tankers, a Foam Unit, 2 Decontamination Units, 1 Mass Casualty Unit(MERV), 1 Grass Rig, 4 Rescue Boats, 3 Rehabilitation Units(RHU), 3 Safety Officers Units, 2 EMS Duty Officer's Units, and a Shift Commander's Unit.^[1]

The following is a listing of all fire station locations and apparatus in the IFD, organized by battalion.^[9]

Fire Station Locations and Apparatus

Battalion 1

Battalion 2

Battalion 3

Battalion 4

Battalion 5

Battalion 6

Battalion 7

Notable incidents

• Bowen-Merrill Fire^[10]
• 1987 Ramada Inn Corsair crash^[11]
• Thomas Building Fire^[12]
• Market Square Arena Fire^[13]

References

External links

• Indianapolis Fire Department