Boston (Mass.). Fire Department
Organization
Historical note
The origins of the Boston Fire Department date back to 1678 with the establishment of the first engine company and the receipt of the first hand fire engine in North America. The Board of Fire Wards was established on February 1, 1711. Prominent men were chosen as Fire Wards and were responsible for the operation and maintenance of the equipment assigned to their ward. Chapter 52 of the Acts of 1825, "An Act Establishing a Fire Department in the City of Boston and an Ordinance for the preventing and extinguishing of fires and establishing a fire department" went into full operation in April of 1826. With this legislation, the Board of Fire Wards was dissolved. All records and property belonging to the city were transferred to the Chief Engineer in May of 1826.
Found in 34 Collections and/or Records:
Appointment/Reinstatement Forms
Series
Identifier: 0500.015
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of loose leaf binders housing Appointment/Reinstatement forms used for documenting the appointments and/or reinstatements of Boston Fire Department staff. The documents include appointments after certification to become a fire fighter, emergency appointments, provisional appointments, reinstatements of employment following leaves of absence due to injury, illness, maternity and suspensions. Some retirement benefit requests forms are also included. In addition, 2 binders...
Dates:
1979-1994
Boston Common Fire Prevention Exhibit
Digital Image
Identifier: 0299001-003-002
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
Boston Fire Department prize dogs
Digital Image
Identifier: 0299001-003-027
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
Boston Fire Department prize dogs
Digital Image
Identifier: 0299001-003-028
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
[Chief Pope and Commissioner Riley]
Digital Image
Identifier: 0299001-003-026
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
Circular letters
Series
Identifier: 0200.008
Scope and Contents note
Letters sent by the Mayor to all department heads. These volumes include the circular letters received by the Fire Commissioner.
Dates:
1930-1974 with gaps
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Circular letters
City Council Committee on the Fire Department
Collection
Identifier: 0140.014
Scope and Contents note
The City Council Committee on the Fire Department records date from 1816-1844, bulk dates from 1831-1841. The collection contains fire department records and correspondence which document the transactions, personnel, activities and growth of the department from a subscription organization to a professional fire department. The original organization has been retained as much as possible, including the title Sundry Papers & Returns, which reflect the variety of the contents. The collection...
Dates:
1816-1844 with gaps (bulk, 1831-1841)
Civilian Auxiliary Fire Exhibition, Bunker Hill
Digital Image
Identifier: 0299001-003-018
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
Department vehicle accident reports
Series
Identifier: 0500.020
Scope and Contents
Includes reports for accidents involving Fire Department vehicles from 1963-1989. Some photographs are included for major accidents.
Dates:
1963-1989
Fire alarm cable records
Series
Identifier: 0520.002
Scope and Contents
Log books of the circuits in fire alarm cables. These are the circuits (wires) that connect to all of the fire boxes in the area of Engine's firehouse. These circuits are also used for sounding alarms. Includes index at the front of the book with references to each specific cable box.
Dates:
1906-1927
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Fire alarm cable records
Fire Alarm cards
Series
Identifier: 0500.011
Scope and Contents note
Set of Fire Alarm cards in use from 1960-1981. The Fire Department began using a card system for the fire alarm boxes in 1910. New sets were issued in 1910, 1921, 1929, 1960 and 1981. Includes a card for each fire alarm box in the City with information on the order of response and coverage of fire companies to alarms on the fire box. These sets were kept in each fire house in the City.
Dates:
circa 1960-1981
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Fire Alarm cards
Fire Alarm Division photograph collection
Collection
Identifier: 0510.001
Scope and Contents
The original photographs are on display at the Fire Alarm Division at 59 The Fenway. The photographs in this collection were digitized by a member of the Fire Alarm Division and the files were made available to the City of Boston Archives.
Dates:
circa 1878
Fire Commissioner proceedings
Collection
Identifier: 0500.013
Scope and Contents note
This collection consists of chronological bound volumes of the proceedings of the mostly daily meetings of the Board of Fire Commissioners, as well as the proceedings of what later became a single Fire Commissioner. The Board of Fire Commissioners was abolished and replaced by a single Fire Commissioner on July 1, 1895. The minutes record the actions of the Board of Fire Commissioners and the single Fire Commissioner on issues involving personnel, supplies, equipment, etc.
Dates:
1873-1954 with gaps
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Fire Commissioner proceedings
Fire Commissioner records
Collection
Identifier: 0500.016
Scope and Contents
This series includes subjects files of the Fire Commissioner with the bulk of the files from the 1990s and early 2000s. Fire Commissioners during this period include, Commissioner Martin Pierce, Commissioner Paul Christian, Acting Commissioner Dennis DiMarzio, and Commissioner Roderick Fraser. This series also includes historical files, reports, photographs, etc. kept in the Commissioner's Office for reference purposes. The subject files when transferred to the Archives were arranged in...
Dates:
circa 1940-2015; Majority of material found in , 1990-2006
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Fire Commissioner records
Fire Commissioner's office correspondence
Collection
Identifier: 0500.014
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of chronological bound volumes of correspondence documenting the day to day business and activities of the office of the Board of Fire Commissioners, and later the Office of the Fire Commissioner. The letters, signed by the Fire Commissioner and other staff including the Clerk and Secretary, are addressed to various organizations and businesses, attorney’s offices, city departments, city council members, members of the state legislature, and private citizens. Topics cover a...
Dates:
1893-1911 with gaps
Fire Department annual reports and publications
Series
Identifier: 0500.005
Scope and Contents
Includes copies of annual reports for 1879, 1885-1890, 1945, 1969, 1971, 1982 and 2002; programs for Fire Department annual ball for 1973 and 2004; Constitution of the Charitable Association of the Boston Fire Department, 1835; Report of the Joint Special Committee appointed to inquire into the causes of recent fires in Boston, 1893; Boston Fire Prevention Code (Chapter 3 of the Ordinances of 1959), 1959 and 1979; and Rules and Regulations of the Fire Department, 1947, 1965 and 1997; and other...
Dates:
1835-2004
Fire Department Clean-up Campaign, 1964 May 11
Item
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
Photographs documenting the administration of Mayor John F. Collins, 1960-1967.
Dates:
1964 May 11
Fire Department photographs
Series
Identifier: 0500.004
Scope and Contents
Small collection of 10 photographs donated to City Archives. Includes image of horse-drawn fire apparatus, undated; Fire Engine on Cambridge Street, undated; Engine 47 Fire Boat, 1948; Fire Department Banner on Washington Street, 1956; Fire on Brattle Street, 1959; 4 photographs of damage to North Station MTA, 1959; and Gil Jones and Fire Prevention Detail, 1961.
Dates:
circa 1900-1961
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Fire Department photographs
Fire records
Collection
Identifier: 0500.007
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of oversized chronological log books of fire alarms received and responded to by the Boston Fire Department from 1880-1967. The location and existence of earlier volumes is unknown at this time. These log books may have been in use as early as 1852 when the fire alarm telegraph system was officially accepted by the City. It is believed that the department no longer recorded fire alarms in this format after 1967. The information recorded in the logs over time include the...
Dates:
1880 May-1967 December
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Fire records
General Orders
Series
Identifier: 0500.001
Scope and Contents
General Orders sent out to all station houses by the Fire Commissioner concerning administrative and personnel issues.
Dates:
1887-1970 with gaps
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
General Orders
House journals
Series
Identifier: 0500.003
Scope and Contents
Station House journals of Engine 28/Ladder 10, 1942-2002 with gaps; Engine 32/Ladder 9, 1913-2006 with gaps; Engine 41/Ladder 14, 1941-1968 with gaps; and Engine 50, 1961-2000 with gaps. House journals record calls received and response, members present and other functions of house.
Dates:
1913-2006 with gaps
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
House journals
Lists of Call men
Series
Identifier: 0500.008
Scope and Contents note
Registers recording names of firemen, engine company, date admitted and discharged. Beginning in 1837, compensation was given to firemen who served for six consecutive months with the same engine company.
Dates:
1837-1858
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Lists of Call men
Mayor's approvals
Collection
Identifier: 0500.012
Scope and Contents note
This series consists of chronological bound volumes of letters (letters were later replaced by standardized forms) written by the City of Boston Fire Commissioner to the Mayor requesting approval for myriad personnel and financial matters. Approval requests regarding personnel matters include those for new hires, retirements, salary/wage increases, reinstatements, pension enrollments for widows, and pension allotments for those who were injured on the job. Some requests for vacation time for...
Dates:
1901-1994 with gaps
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Mayor's approvals
Medical Examiner records
Series
Identifier: 0500.021
Scope and Contents
Includes logs of the Fire Department medical examiner documenting sickness and injuries of Fire Department personnel, 1894-1928 with gaps.
Dates:
1894-1928
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Medical Examiner records
Payroll records
Series
Identifier: 2200.018
Scope and Contents
Miscellaneous records documenting payroll for various departments. Includes Fire Department, 1829-1868 with gaps; Schools, 1833-1870 with gaps; Police, 1869-1870; Water Works, 1869-1870; Chestnut Hill Reservoir, 1868-1869; Lamps, 1869-1870; Paving, 1869-1870; Health, 1868-1869, Auditing, 1875-1885; Welfare, 1920-1923; and Institutions, 1922-1923.
Dates:
circa 1829-1923
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Payroll records
Payrolls
Series
Identifier: 0500.009
Scope and Contents
Payroll lists for the Fire Department from 1876-1884, 1886-1889, 1902-1907, 1916-1924, 1927-1930, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1956-1969 and 1972.
Dates:
1876-1972 with gaps
Found in:
City of Boston Archives
/
Payrolls
Police and Fire hiring cases (Castro, Fagan, Mackin)
Collection
Identifier: 0700.024
Dates:
circa 1971-1991
Record of horses bought and sold
Item — Volume: 1
Identifier: 0500.017
Scope and Contents
Logbook of horses bought by the Fire Department from 1883-1911 with disposition and horses sold, died, destroyed or exchanged from 1900-1910.
Dates:
1883-1918
- City of Boston Archives
- 201 Rivermoor Street
- West Roxbury, MA 02132
- archives@boston.gov
- (617) 635-1195
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