WaSMAR2801_01.xml Guide to the Seattle Fire Department Chief's Correspondence 1894-1951 Seattle Fire Department Chief's Correspondence Finding aid prepared by Anne Frantilla Funding for processing this record series was provided through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Seattle Municipal Archives © 2011
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
Finding aid encoded by Julie Kerssen 2011 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard). Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
2801-01 Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept. Seattle Fire Department Chief's Correspondence 1894-1951 7.2 cubic feet 19 boxes Correspondence relating to Fire Department activities. Collection materials are in English Historical Note

The creation of the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) can be traced back to July 6th, 1876, when the all-volunteer Seattle Engine Company No.1 was organized by a meeting of citizens convinced of their growing town's need for a dedicated fire-suppression capability. The various fire companies that appeared in proceeding years were similarly equipped and administered on a private basis until 1883, when the City Charter was amended to create and fund equipment, but not staff, for a centralized municipal fire department. The first fire chief of this new volunteer organization, Gardner Kellogg, would also become the first chief of the professionalized department in 1889, as well as the first Fire Marshall in 1901. The volunteer-based system persisted into the late 1880s, when the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 destroyed over 30 city blocks and resulted in approximately $12-16 million in damages. Under pressure from the insurance industry and its citizens, the city council acknowledged the inadequacy of a part-time force to meet the city's expanding need for fire protection. The council passed Ordinance No. 1212 in 1889, which reformed Seattle's seven volunteer companies into a paid, professional unit of 32 men organized into five district fire stations.

The decades following the birth of the professional SFD brought rapid increase in size and resources commensurate with Seattle's explosive growth rate; from an 1890 population of 42,000, the city's inhabitants numbered over 237,000 by 1910. Prominent developments included the creation of a maritime fire unit with the deployment of the fireboat Snoqualmie in 1891; the complete transition from horse-drawn to motorized fire engines in 1924; and the development of firefighter-staffed, emergency response "aid cars" during the 1930s. The SFD also participated in the historic founding of the International Association of Fire Fighters in 1918; the department's Local 27 constituted one of the union's 218 charter members. While the rigors of the Great Depression necessitated the temporary dissolution of 14 of the SFD's 55 operational companies, recovery was hastened by the threat of new fire hazards posed by World War II-era industrialization. Associated incidents, such as the 1943 Frye Slaughterhouse fire caused by the crash of a B-29 bomber, would severely tax the department's limited resources during this time.

The postwar SFD experienced a wave of significant material and organizational changes, one of the first being the Local 27-sponsored institution of the 8-hour day and 48-hour week for firefighters in 1947. Other important developments included the installation of two-way radio communication in first-line vehicles in 1950, the 1958 upgrading of the aid car program with stretcher-bearing station wagons, and the 1959 adoption of a new Fire Code based upon national standards. Throughout this time, the SFD's institutional mandate continued to evolve beyond basic fire suppression. In 1970, the department's new Medic One program initiated the training and deployment of firefighters as first-response paramedic units throughout Seattle. In 1980, the specially trained and equipped Hazardous Materials Response Unit was deployed to respond to incidents involving dangerous chemicals, including fires, spills, and suspected drug labs. Some of the most consequential changes to the SFD at mid-century did not concern equipment but equality, as the department admitted its first African-American firefighter (Claude Harris) in 1959 and its first female firefighter (Bonnie Beers) in 1977. The ongoing commitment to the recruitment and training of under-utilized applicant pools substantially diversified the department's make-up; of the 49 firefighters enlisted in 1993, 9 were female and 11 of minority status.

As of 2010, the SFD contains 1,020 uniformed personnel organized into 5 Operational Battalions and one Medic Battalion, which are employed running 33 engine-equipped fire stations, 11 aid and medic teams, 4 fireboats, and a host of other emergency resources. Several specialized units are used for hazardous materials response, marine response, search and rescue, and other incidents requiring extraordinary expertise. Under the control of the Fire Marshall's Office, the SFD administers an array of fire prevention efforts, including Fire Code enforcement, inspection of building fire plans and safety systems, public education programs, and the regulation of hazardous materials storage and use. In addition, the department provides leadership and personnel to several regional incident response organizations, such as FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Teams and the Puget Sound Marine Response Consortium.

Correspondence relating to Fire Department activities. Includes information on equipment needs and purchases, departm ent budget, code violations, assessments of station sites, equipment and apparatus evaluations, and personnel matters. T he first two boxes contain outgoing correspondence in bound volumes for the years 1894 to 1928. Outgoing and incoming correspondence overlaps with the volumes and dates from 1903 to 1951. Included is correspondence from Chief Stetson with his son Horat io, who served in World War I. The correspondence is arranged chronologically by Chief. The numbers associated with some of the files are from the Fire Department's filing system.

Records are open to the public.

[Item and date], Seattle Fire Department Chief's Correspondence, Record Series 2801-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Kellogg, Gardner Clark, William H. Cook, Ralph Bringhurst, Harry W. Stetson, Frank L. Mantor, George M. Laing, Robert L. Fitzgerald, William Corning, Claude W. Seattle (Wash.). Fire Dept. Seattle (Wash.) Fire fighters--Washington (State)--Seattle Fire extinction--Equipment and supplies--Washington (State)--Seattle World War, 1939-1945 Seattle Public Safety

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

2801-01 Seattle Fire Department Chief's Correspondence 1894-1951 1/1 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 1 April 1894 - March 1899 (Note: Oversize) 1894-1899 1/2 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 2 March 1899 - March 1904 1899-1904 1/3 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence.Volume 3 April 1904 - January 1906 1904-1906 1/4 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 4 February 1906 - May 1908 1906-1908 1/5 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 5 June 1908 - July 1911 1908-1911 1/6 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 6 July 1911 - July 1913 1911-1913 1/7 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 7 June 1913 - October 1915 1913-1915 2/1 Chief's Outgoing Correspondence October 1915 - May 1918 Volume 8 1915-1918 2/2 Chief's Outgoing Correspondence May 1918 - October 1920 Volume 9 1918-1920 2/3 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 10 1920-1922 2/4 Fire Chief's Outgoing Correspondence. Volume 11 1922-1925 2/5 Chief's Outgoing Correspondence March 1925 - January 1928 Volume 12 1925-1928 3/1 Chief Cook - Personnel Correspondence 1903-1905 3/2 Chief Cook - Personnel Correspondence 1904-1905 3/3 Chief Cook - Personnel Correspondence 1904-1905 3/4 Chief Cook - Correspondence 1906 3/5 Chief Bringhurst - Correspondence 1907 3/6 Chief Bringhurst - Correspondence 1908 3/7 Chief Bringhurst - Correspondence 1909-1910 3/8 Chief Mantor - Correspondence 1908-1930 3/9 Chief Clark - Correspondence 1911 3/10 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1913-1914 3/11 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1913-1914 3/12 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1914-1915 3/13 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1915 4/1 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1916-1920 4/2 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1916-1917 4/3 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1916-1919 4/4 Horatio Stetson (Son of Chief Stetson) 1917-1919 4/5 Chief Stetson Correspondence 1918-1920 4/6 Chief Stetson - Correspondence 1916-1919 4/7 Chief Stetson - Correspondence 1917 4/8 Chief Stetson - Correspondence (January - November) 1918 4/9 Chief Stetson - Correspondence (April - November) 1918 4/10 Chief Stetson - Correspondence (May-August) 1918 4/11 Chief Stetson - Correspondence 1919 4/12 Chief Stetson - Correspondence (April-December) 1919 4/13 Chief Stetson - Correspondence 1917-1919 5/1 Chief Stetson Correspondence - January - February 1920 5/2 Chief Stetson Correspondence - March -Aprl 1920 5/3 Chief Stetson Correspondence - April - May 1920 5/4 Chief Stetson Correspondence - June - July 1920 5/5 Chief Stetson Correspondence - May - December 1920 5/6 Chief Stetson Correspondence - May - December 1920 5/7 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1920-1921 5/8 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1920-1921 5/9 Chief Mantor Correspondence - Fireman's Drill School Course 1921 5/10 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1921 5/11 Chief Mantor Correspondence - May - August 1921 5/12 Chief Mantor Correspondence - September - December 1921 5/13 Chief Mantor Correspondence - September - December 1921 5/14 Chief Mantor Correspondence - Fire at 12th and Lucile 1921 5/15 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1921 6/1 Chief Mantor Correspondence - April - May 1922 6/2 Chief Mantor Correspondence - May - August 1922 6/3 Chief Mantor Correspondence - July - September 1922 6/4 Chief Mantor Correspondence - September - December 1922 6/5 Chief Mantor Correspondence - Fire Salvage and Patol Corps Proposal 1922 6/6 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1922-1923 6/7 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1922-1924 6/8 Chief Mantor Correspondence June - August 1923 6/9 Chief Mantor Correspondence - Requests for Information - August - October 1923 6/10 Chief Mantor Correspondence - Requests for Information - January - June 1923 7/1 Chief Mantor Correspondence - November - December 1923 7/2 Chief Mantor Correspondence - January - March 1924 7/3 Chief Mantor Correspondence - March - July 1924 7/4 Chief Mantor Correspondence - July - December 1924 7/5 Chief Mantor Correspondence - January - August 1925 8/1 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1925-1926 8/2 Chief Mantor Correspondence May - December 1926 8/3 Chief Mantor Correspondence - Fire Station Ravenna - Bryant 1926-1927 8/4 Chief Mantor Correspondence - January - October 1927 8/5 Chief Mantor Correspondence - November - February 1927-1928 9/1 Chief Mantor Correspondence - March - May 1928 9/2 Chief Mantor Correspondence - June - September 1928 9/3 Chief Mantor Correspondence - September - December 1928 9/4 Chief Mantor Correspondence - January - March 1929 9/5 Chief Mantor Correspondence - April - June 1929 9/6 Chief Mantor Correspondence - May - July 1929 9/7 Chief Mantor Correspondence - August - October 1929 9/8 Chief Mantor Correspondence - October - November 1929 9/9 Chief Mantor Correspondence - December 1929 10/1 Chief Mantor Correspondence January - February 1930 10/2 Chief Mantor Correspondence - March 1930 10/3 Chief Mantor Correspondence - April - May 1930 10/4 Chief Mantor Correspondence - June 1930 10/5 Chief Mantor Correspondence - July 1930 10/6 Chief Mantor Correspondence - July 1930 10/7 Chief Mantor Correspondence - August - September 1930 10/8 Chief Mantor Correspondence - September 1930 10/9 Chief Mantor Correspondence - October - November 1930 10/10 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1930-1931 10/11 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1930-1931 10/12 Chief Mantor Correspondence 1930-1931 10/13 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 10/14 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 10/15 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 11/1 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 11/2 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 11/3 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 11/4 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931 11/5 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931-1932 11/6 Chief Laing Correspondence 1932 11/7 Chief Laing Correspondence 1932 11/8 Chief Laing Correspondence 1932 11/9 Chief Laing Correspondence 1932 11/10 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931-1932 11/11 Chief Laing Correspondence 1931-1932 11/12 Chief Corning Correspondence 1931-1936 12/1 Chief Corning Correspondence 1932 12/2 Chief Corning Correspondence 1932 12/3 Chief Corning Correspondence 1932-1933 12/4 Chief Corning Correspondence 1933 12/5 Chief Corning Correspondence 1933-1934 12/6 Chief Corning Correspondence 1933 12/7 Chief Corning Correspondence 1933-1934 12/8 Chief Corning Correspondence 1933-1937 12/9 Chief Corning Correspondence 1934 12/10 Chief Corning Correspondence 1934 12/11 Chief Corning Correspondence 1934 12/12 Chief Corning Correspondence 1934-1935 12/13 Chief Corning Correspondence 1935 12/14 Chief Corning Correspondence 1935 12/15 Chief Corning Correspondence 1935 12/16 Chief Corning Correspondence 1935-1936 13/1 Chief Corning - Requests for information January - June 1936 13/2 Chief Corning Correspondence 1936 13/3 Chief Corning Correspondence 1936-1937 13/4 Chief Corning Correspondence 1937 13/5 Chief Corning Correspondence 1937 13/6 Chief Corning Correspondence January - June 1938 13/7 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence June - August 1938 13/8 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence June - October 1938 13/9 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence October - December 1938 13/10 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1938-1950 13/11 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - February 1939 13/12 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - March 1939 14/1 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence September - October 1939 14/2 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence October - December 1939 14/3 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence April - July 1939 14/4 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence July - August 1939 14/5 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence December - April 1939-1940 14/6 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence March - April 1940 14/7 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence April - June 1940 14/8 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence July - August 1940 14/9 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence August - December 1940 14/10 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence November - December 1940 14/11 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - February 1941 15/1 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence March - April 1941 15/2 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence April - May 1941 15/3 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence June - August 1941 15/4 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence August - December 1941 15/5 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence October - December 1941 15/6 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January 1942 15/7 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence March - June 1942 15/8 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1941-1942 15/9 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1942 15/10 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1942-1943 16/1 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1943 16/2 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1943-1944 16/3 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1943-1944 16/4 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1944 16/5 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1944-1945 17/1 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence May - September 1945 17/2 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence June - December 1945 17/3 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - April 1946 17/4 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence March - May 1946 17/5 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence June - September 1946 17/6 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - April 1947 17/7 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - September 1947 18/1 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence August - December 1947 18/2 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - April 1948 18/3 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence March - July 1948 18/4 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence January - March 1949 18/5 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence May - June 1949 18/6 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence June - September 1949 18/7 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence October - November 1949 19/1 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence November - January 1949-1950 19/2 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence May - August 1950 19/3 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence August - February 1950-1951 19/4 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1950-1951 19/5 Chief Fitzgerald Correspondence 1951