Seattle Fire Marshal Subject Files

Seattle Fire Marshal Subject Files, 1951-1993

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept.
Title: Seattle Fire Marshal Subject Files
Dates: 1951-1993 (inclusive)
19511993

1964-1979 (bulk)
19641979
Quantity: 3.4 cubic feet, (9 boxes)
Collection Number: 2810-08
Summary: Records from the Office of the Fire Marshal.
Repository: Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions: Records are open to the public.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

A Fire Department was established by City Charter in 1883. It provided for equipment purchases, but not for hiring of firefighters. Following the Great Fire of 1889, a professional fire department was created with five district fire stations and purchase of a fire boat. The first Fire Chief of the professional department was Gardner Kellogg who served 1890-1892 and 1895-1901. A Board of Fire Commissioners was established by the 1890 City Charter to prescribe rules and regulations for the Department. The Board's responsibilities included enforcing rules violations, and appointing the Fire Chief and all subordinate officers. The Board was abolished with passage of a new City Charter in 1896. The position of Fire Marshal was established in 1901 with responsibility for inspecting buildings to insure they were in compliance the ordinances related to building construction and fire protection. The Fire Marshal also inspects all fires and reports on the causes. The Department's mission is to curtail loss of life and property by fire through inspection and certification of building safety systems, public education, regulation of hazardous material storage, and fire suppression.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Records relating to the office of the Fire Marshal including information on diverse topics such as building inspections, Seattle's 1974 comprehensive policy plan, urban renewal, false fire alarms and fire incident summaries throughout the mid 1960s. Of particular interest are the files on the Central Area community during the late 1960s. These records document civil disturbances, racial tensions and groups such as the Black Panthers, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Seattle Rumor Center. Also of interest are records pertaining to the planning of the King County Domed Stadium (the Kingdome) and earthquake damage reports/assessments related to the April 29, 1965, earthquake.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Fire Marshal Subject Files, Record Series 2810-08. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

2810-08: Seattle Fire Marshal Subject Files, 1951-1993Return to Top

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box/Folder
1/1	Accident Prevention and Investigation Board	1979
1/2	Battalion Inspector - Proposals	1975-1967
1/3	Building Department - Abatement Committee	1968
1/4	Building Department - Abatement Committee	1969-1970
1/5	Building Department - Administrative Rulings	1976
1/6	Building Department - Construction Projects High Rise Buildings - General	1966-1970
1/7	Building Department - Construction Projects High Rise Buildings - General	1970-1972
1/8	Building Department - Construction Projects High Rise Buildings - General - Newspaper Clippings	1966-1970
1/9	Building Department - General Information	1962-1971
1/10	Building Department - High Rise Buildings - Federal Office Building	1971-1974
1/11	Budget	1979
1/12	Central Area Community - Fire Department Injuries, Damages	1968-1969
1/13	Central Area Community - Fire Department Injuries, Damages - Newspaper Clipping	1968
1/14	Central Area Community - Fire Department Injuries, Damages - Prints	1968-1969
1/15	Central Area Community - Fire Suspects	1968
1/16	Central Area Community - Fires	1968-1970
1/17	Central Area Community - Fires - Newspaper Clipping	1968-1970
1/18	Central Area Community - Instructions to Fire Prevention Division	1968
1/19	Central Area Community - Intelligence Seattle Fire Department Reports	1968-1970
1/20	Central Area Community - Police Department Communications	1967-1968
1/21	Comprehensive Policy Plan	1974
2/1	Corporation Counsel	1975
2/2	Disasters - Earthquake Damage	1965
2/3	Disasters - Earthquake Damage - Newspaper Clippings	1965
2/4	Disasters - Earthquake Damage - Prints	1965
2/5	Disasters - Earthquake Incidents	1971
2/6	Disasters - Earthquake Letters	1965
2/7	Disasters - Earthquake Reports	1965
2/8	Emergency Helipads	1975
2/9	Emergency Service Elevators	1970
2/10	Executive Department - Model Cities Program	1968-1969
2/11	Executive Department - Lake Union Action Program	1971
2/12	Executive Department - Lake Union Action Program - Prints	1971
2/13	Financial Center - 1201 4th Avenue	1969-1971
2/14	Financial Center - 1201 4th Avenue - Newspaper Clipping	1969-1971
2/15	Fire Alarm Systems - Hospital-City Connection	1972
2/16	Fire Alarm Systems - Hospital-City Connection - Prints	1972
2/17	Fire Code Advisory Board	1957-1972
2/18	Fire Incident Summary	1964
2/19	Fire Incident Summary	1965
2/20	Fire Incident Summary	1966
2/21	Fire Incident Summary	1967
2/22	Fire Incident Summary	1968
2/23	Fire Incident Summary	1969
3/1	Fire Incident Summary	1970
3/2	Fire Incident Summary	1971
3/3	Fire Incident Summary	1972
3/4	Fire Marshals' Association Sectional Committee	1966-1968
3/5	Fire Marshals' Association Sectional Committee	1968-1970
3/6	Fire Plan - Hospitals	1968
3/7	Fire Plan - Seattle Post Intelligencer	1970
3/8	Fire Plan - Space Needle Restaurant	1968
3/9	Fire Prevention Code Advisory Board	1974
3/10	Fire Prevention Division - Activities Report	1971
3/11	Fire Prevention Division - Activities Report	1972
3/12	Fire Prevention Division - Annual Report	1969
3/13	Fire Prevention Division - Annual Report - Prints	1969
3/14	Fire Prevention Division - Annual Report	1970
3/15	Fire Prevention Division - Annual Report	1976
3/16	Fire Prevention Division - Recruit School Training Outline	1975
3/17	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes	1965
3/18	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes	1966
3/19	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes - Newspaper Clippings	1966
3/20	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes	1966-1968
3/21	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes	1967
3/22	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes	1969-1970
3/23	Fire Protection Installations - Hospitals and Nursing Homes - Newspaper Clippings	1969-1970
3/24	Fire Protection Installations - Piers	1951-1966
3/25	Fire Protection Installations - Piers - Prints	1951-1966
3/26	Fire Protection Installations - Piers	1967
4/1	Fire Protection Installations - Piers - Prints (Todds Shipyard)	1967
4/2	Fire Protection Installations - Piers	1968
4/3	Fire Protection Installations - Piers	1969
4/4	Fire Protection Installations - Piers - Prints	1969
4/5	Fire Protection Installations - Piers	1971
4/6	Fires - Deaths by Fire	1965-1967
4/7	Fires - Railroad Fires	1966-1967
4/8	Fires - Railroad Fires - Prints	1966-1967
4/9	Fires - Schools	1968-1969
4/10	Fires - University of Washington	1969-1970
4/11	Fireworks	1969
4/12	Fireworks - Newspaper Clipping	1969
4/13	Fireworks	1970
4/14	Floating Homes	1971-1972
4/15	Floating Homes	1973-1974
4/16	Friends of Medic I	1988
4/17	Hospital Fire Alarm Systems	1975
4/18	In-Service Training	1964-1965
4/19	In-Service Training	1966
4/20	In-Service Training	1967
4/21	Inspection Programs - Spot-Check Program	1966
4/22	Inspection Programs - Sprinkler Installations	1965-1971
4/23	Inspection Programs - Supermarkets	1960
5/1	Inspection Programs - University of Washington Fraternities and Sororities	1961-1971
5/2	Inspection Programs - University of Washington Fraternities and Sororities - Newspaper Clipping	1961-1971
5/3	Inspections - State License	1969-1972
5/4	King County Domed Stadium	1969-1971
5/5	King County Domed Stadium	1971-1972
5/6	King County Domed Stadium	1972
5/7	King County Domed Stadium	1972
5/8	King County Domed Stadium - Newspaper Clipping	1972
5/9	Law Department - Civil Suits	1969
5/10	Law Department - False Alarms	1963-1971
5/11	Law Department - Fees	1971
5/12	Law Department - Fire Hose Act	1970
5/13	Law Department - Funes and Oziel Fire	1974-1976
5/14	Law Department - Investigations - Miscellaneous	1967-1970
5/15	Law Department - Legislative Change Proposals	1964-1974
5/16	Law Department - Smokeproof Enclosures	1971
5/17	Law Department - Smokeproof Enclosures - Prints	1971
5/18	Law Department - Subpoenas	1966-1967
5/19	Law Department - Warrants	1963-1968
6/1	Office of Policy Planning	1975-1976
6/2	Ordinances	1969-1978
6/3	Ordinances - State Laws	1972-1977
6/4	Plan Reviews	1971
6/5	Plan Reviews	1971
6/6	Plan Reviews	1972
6/7	Plan Reviews	1972
6/8	Port of Seattle - Boat Moorage Fire Prevention	1965
6/9	Port of Seattle - Dominion Monarch (Floating Hotel)	1962
6/10	Port of Seattle - Harbor Permits Special Wording	1970
6/11	Port of Seattle - Oil Deliveries on Piers	1962-1969
6/12	Port of Seattle - Piers-Maintenance	1966-1971
6/13	Port of Seattle - Piers-Maintenance - Newspaper Clippings	1966-1971
6/14	Port of Seattle - United States Coast Guard Communications	1963-1969
6/15	Resolution 25011 - Structure-Related Codes	1976
6/16	School and Fire-Safety Education Presentations	1965-1966
6/17	School and Fire-Safety Education Presentations	1966-1967
7/1	School and Fire-Safety Education Presentations - Newspaper Clipping	1966-1967
7/2	School and Fire-Safety Education Presentations - Prints	1966-1967
7/3	Seattle Center - Coliseum Floor Plans	1972-1973
7/4	Self- Service Gasoline	1971-1972
7/5	Self- Service Gasoline - Newspaper Clipping	1971-1972
7/6	Self- Service Gasoline	1972-1976
7/7	Snohomish-King County Arson Task Force	1993
7/8	State Building Code Proposals	1970-1971
7/9	State Transient Accomodation Law	1971-1972
7/10	Street Closures - Temporary	1979
7/11	Survey Materials from Other North American Cities	1963
7/12	Transient Accomodations	1978
7/13	University of Washington Football	1968-1969
7/14	University of Washington - University District Incidents	1968-1970
7/15	University of Washington - University District Incidents - Newspaper Clippings	1968-1970
8/1	Urban Renewal - Blighted Areas	1961-1962
8/2	Urban Renewal - Pike Place Market	1968-1971
8/3	Urban Renewal - Pike Place Plaza	1968-1971
8/4	Urban Renewal - Pioneer Square	1965-1972
8/5	Urban Renewal - Pioneer Square Historical District Task Force	1972-1974
8/6	Urban Renewal - South Seattle	1960-1967
8/7	Urban Renewal - University-Northlake	1962-1963
8/8	Urban Renewal - Yesler-Atlantic	1967-1969
8/9	Water Department - Rates	1975
8/10	Miscellaneous Prints - Fires, Equipment and Potential Hazards	1964-1969
8/11	Tacoma Hospital Fire - Negatives	1965

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Building inspection--Washington (State)--Seattle
Central District (Seattle, Wash.)
Civil rights movements--Washington (State)--Seattle
Earthquake damage --Washington (State)--Seattle
False alarms--Washington (State)--Seattle
Fire prevention--Washington (State)--Seattle
Kingdome (Seattle, Wash.)

Corporate Names

Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept.
Seattle (Wash.). Fire Marshal

Geographical Names

Seattle (Wash.).

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents