Title supplied by cataloger. In September of 1871, George M. Fall, the County Clerk for Los Angeles County organized Engine Company No. 1. This volunteer firefighting force disbanded in 1874 after the City Council refused to purchase horses to pull the fire engine and hose jumper - equipment that had previously been hand-drawn to fires. Soon after, many of the former members reorganized under the name of Thirty-Eights-No. 1. In May 1875, Engine Co. No. 2 was organized under the name Confidence Engine Company. In 1877, the first horses were bought for the fire department. In 1878, a third fire company was formed and was named Park Hose Co. No. 1. Five years later, in 1883, the East Los Angeles Hose Co. No. 2 was formed. And the final volunteer company, called Morris Vineyard Hose Co. No. 3, forming in the fall of 1883. All of these companies remained in service until February 1, 1886, when the present paid Los Angeles Fire Department came into existence. When it was officially formed, it had 4 fire stations, 2 steam fire engines, 2 hose reels, a hose wagon, a 65' aerial ladder truck, 31 paid firefighters, 24 reserve firefighters, and 11 horses to protect 30 square miles and a population of 50,000. Today, the LAFD has 106 fire stations and nearly 3,600 uniformed personnel offering fire prevention, firefighting, emergency medical care, technical rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, disaster response, public education and community service to a resident population of more than 4 million people who live in the agency's 471 square mile jurisdiction. Exterior view of the "old" Plaza Fire Station, located at 26 Plaza Street and the corner of Los Angeles Street, which houses "Fire Truck No. 1". At the time this photograph was taken, the two-story brick building that once housed the Thirty-Eights Engine Company No. 1 had been abandoned, but still retained its original facade. A small balcony, original to the fire station, extends from a door on the second floor flanked by two windows, and a belfry is located on the roof just above. The Plaza Fire House was in service from 1884 to 1889. Photograph dated: August 1968.
Type
Image
Format
1 photographic print :b&w ;21 x 26 cm. Photographic prints
Los Angeles (Calif.).--Fire Department Fire station closings--California--Los Angeles Engine companies--California--Los Angeles Fire stations--California--Los Angeles Streets--California--Los Angeles
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