Volunteer Department: 1849-1866
The first great fire in San Francisco originated on Christmas Eve, 1849. By the time it burned itself out; fifty buildings were gone at a loss of $1,500,000. On Christmas night several citizens who had been firemen in the East met and formed fire companies. Heading the group was Frederick D. Kohler who was chosen as the first Chief. The Town Council held a special called meeting that afternoon and passed a resolution to organize a fire department. [3] [4] The resolution states, in part, “Therefore…..to protect the town against another such calamity by organizing fire companies”, and the San Francisco Fire Department was born. Town Council met on January 28, 1850, and formally elected Kohler as the first Chief Engineer of the San Francisco Fire Department.
Paid Department: 1866–Present
The legal basis for the origin of the Paid Department stemmed from legislation titled, "An Act to Establish a Paid Fire Department for the City and County of San Francisco." (Approval by the State Legislature was granted on March 2, 1866.) The Act provided for a five-man Board of Fire Commissioners to manage the affairs of the department. The Fire Department consisted of a Chief Engineer, two Assistant Chiefs, one Corporation Yard Keeper and six steam fire engine companies. Each engine company was to have one foreman, one engineer, one driver, one fireman, and eight extra or "call" men. There were two Hook-and-Ladder Companies each consisting of one foreman, one driver, one tillerman and twelve extra men. Additionally, there were three Hose Companies, each consisting of one foreman, one driver, one steward and six extra men. During April 1866, the Board of Supervisors purchased four steam fire engines and one hose reel from the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company of Manchester, New Hampshire. This purchase was made at a cost of $17,655. In July of the same year the Supervisors also bought twenty-seven horses to provide motive power for the new and heavier equipment. One of the first acts of the new Board of Fire Commissioners was to appoint the department executive officers. On October 6, 1866, Franklin E. R. Whitney was appointed chief engineer; H.W. Burckes, First Assistant Chief; and Charles H. Ackerson, Second Assistant Chief. The department went into active operation on December 3, 1866, making it the first paid Fire Department West of the Mississippi. Daniel Hayes, was appointed Superintendent of Steamers, Tom Sawyer, Corporation Yard Keeper, and John L. Durkee, Fire Marshal
In 1906, the department was considered on a par with those of the larger cities on the East Coast, but found itself reduced to fighting the fire of 1906 in the quake aftermath with axes and shovels, as most of the city's water mains were broken and cisterns drained. Fire Chief Dennis T. Sullivan suffered mortal wounds in his home by a falling chimney early in the disaster and subsequently died in the hospital.
In 1955, Earl Gage Jr. was hired as the first Black firefighter. His work as director of community services is credited with diversifying the department. [5]
United States 
California 
San Francisco 
