Fire service in the United States began in New York which was known as New Amsterdam at the time back in 1648. The Director-General Peter Stuyvesant appointed 4 gentlemen as fire wardens. In 1653 Boston followed similar creating fire wardens and then later that next year Boston purchased their first fire engine. Proceeding after Boston was Philadelphia in 1719 and New York in 1731 purchasing fire engines themselves. Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson were noticeable men who volunteered within the first 3 fire departments and companies. Benjamin Franklin established the Union Fire Company in Philadelphia in 1736. Fire calls did not come through fancy pagers like today, they were given verbally and by rattles, gongs, and bells. There was also a fire alarm telegraph system. They had fire boxes that started to gradually develop over the years. There were different companies for different situations or needs. There were hose companies that supplied the water to these fire engines and which then they applied it to the fire. There were hook and ladder companies who took care of ventilating, overhauling and rescue efforts. …show more content…
With that, Cincinnati established the first paid fire department in 1853. Shortly after New York in 1865 and then Philadelphia in 1871. Even with the formation of paid fire departments, often times there were fights over territory and who got to fight the fire at hand. New York City companies became notorious for sending runners with large barrels out to fires ahead of the fire trucks to cover up the closest hydrant to claim the fire. The first female fire fighter, Molly Williams, took control in 1818 when she pulled a pumper to a fire through deep snow of a