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Seattle Fire Department Goodwill Games Records, 1987-1990

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept.
Title
Seattle Fire Department Goodwill Games Records
Dates
1987-1990 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.2 cubic feet, (3 boxes)
Collection Number
2810-04
Summary
Records documenting security preparations for the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle.
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.
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Historical Note

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 Marshall 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 Marshall 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.

The Goodwill Games were established as an apolitical alternative to the Olympic Games after those events were boycotted during the Cold War. The first Goodwill Games were held in 1986 in Moscow, and the second took place in Seattle from July 20 to August 5, 1990. Nearly 2300 athletes from 54 countries competed in 21 sports. Many more people participated in companion events including conferences, a Goodwill Arts Festival, and a number of friendship activities.

The City of Seattle was partially responsible for fire protection and emergency medical services for the Games. The Seattle Fire Department took the lead for the City, and closely cooperated with other public safety and law enforcement agencies to plan for and respond to emergencies associated with the event. City agencies also participated in the Joint Operations Center (JOC), a multi-agency endeavor that coordinated security planning and monitored emergency activities.

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Content Description

These records include meeting minutes and correspondence relating to security and fire prevention planning, budget planning, and staffing. Notable are minutes and correspondence of the Joint Forces Coordinating Committee (JFCC), the Integrated Police Planning Group (IPPG), Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Coordinated Threat Assessment Group (CTAG). CTAG was the formal operations group to address intelligence problems, and was responsible for the security measures for former President Reagan, First Lady Barbara Bush, and other important guests. Records also include detailed Games schedules, as well as disaster planning documents for fire, earthquake, bombings, and other scenarios.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], Goodwill Games Records, Record Series 2810-04. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

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Administrative Information

Separated Materials

Publications were pulled from the collection and are cataloged separately in the Published Documents Index.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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

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Subject Terms

  • Emergency drills--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Emergency management--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Goodwill Games
  • Incident command systems--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Law enforcement--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept.

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Finding aid prepared by Jitka Mlsova Chmelikova and Julie Kerssen
2010

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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