Waco Fire Department
| "We Exist to Serve." | |
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| City | Waco, Texas |
| Agency overview | |
| Annual calls | 19,661 (2019) |
| Employees | 209 (204 Civil Service, 5 Civilian) (2020) |
| Annual budget | $26,664,064 (2020) |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Gregory Summers |
| EMS level | BLS |
| IAFF | 478 |
| Facilities and equipment[1] | |
| Battalions | 2 |
| Stations | 13 (11 structural, 1 ARFF, 1 combination) |
| Engines | 11 |
| Trucks | 3 |
| Quints | 1 |
| Rescues | 3 (specialty operations) |
| HAZMAT | 1 |
| Airport crash | 4 |
| Wildland | 3 |
| Rescue boats | 4 (including 1 jet ski) |
| Light and air | 1 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| IAFF website | |
The Waco Fire Department provides fire protection, first responder emergency medical services, technical rescue, and Hazardous Material incident response to the city of Waco, Texas. Waco Fire Department stations and apparatus are staffed with career personnel, responding to all emergency incidents within the city limits of Waco, as well as providing mutual aid services to surrounding communities upon their request. Waco Fire Department's specialty teams also respond to regional requests, within the Heart of Texas Council of Governments, for assistance during emergencies involving Hazardous Materials, swift water rescues, and technical rescues. In 2019, Waco Fire Department achieved a classification of ISO Class 1, becoming one of less than 200 departments nationwide to earn this ranking.[2]
History
Early years (1873–1910s)
The Waco Fire Department was founded on April 3, 1873 in response to a devastating fire that destroyed many businesses and offices on March 23, 1873. Following this fire, a meeting was held by business owners and citizens which ended with the formation of Waco's first fire brigade, Waco Hook and Ladder No. 1, under the leadership of Ed Ludecus and J.W. Golledge. Soon thereafter, the Waco Engine Company was formed to supplement Hook and Ladder No. 1, followed by the two companies joining together to begin the Waco Volunteer Fire Department.
In 1894, the first city-owned fire station was built in the 300 block of Washington Avenue, becoming known as Central Station due to its location near downtown, with a second station being added within the next few years. A bond passing in 1901 resulted in the addition of two more fire stations; Station 3 on Tyler Street near Dallas Street in East Waco, and Station 4 at the intersection of 5th Street and James Avenue. The year of 1910 saw the department again expand by two new stations; Station 5 opened in the 1600 block of Clay Avenue, and Station 6 at 18th Street and Bosque Boulevard. Station 7 was later added and built in 1912, at the intersection of 15th Street and Herring Avenue.
Motorized apparatus and paid personnel (1911–1936)
The first motorized fire apparatus in Waco was placed into service in 1911, with more being purchased throughout the next decade. This caused the department to respond with a mixture of motorized and horse-drawn vehicles throughout the 1910s. Despite the resistance of veteran firefighters, who preferred the dependability and ruggedness of horse-drawn engines, the switch to motorized apparatus was complete by 1921.
By 1915, Waco employed a small number of part-time paid personnel known as the "Night Men." For wages of $15 per month, these men stayed at the fire stations at night in order to quickly respond to alarms. The city hired 60 full-time paid firefighters in 1917, with a two-shift system started in 1919, involving men working 12-hour shifts per day. At this time, the department was still a combination of full-time, part-time, and volunteer personnel, with the transition to a fully paid staff happening in 1921. The 12-hour shift was abandoned in 1936, for a two-shift 24-hours on/24-hours off system. With this new system, the firefighters were also paid $110/month, with 15 vacation days and no holidays. Crew sizes at this time were 4–5 men per apparatus.
Expansion of services and Firefighting equipment (1948–1980s)
After a record number of fire losses, the department's Fire Prevention and Inspection program became much more formal. Three Fire Inspectors were assigned by the Fire Marshal to devote their time to locating fire hazards in public buildings. A new system of Fire Prevention and Education was taught to all students at public elementary schools for a minimum of two hours every week. Also, mandatory fire drills were performed in the entire school system every six weeks.
By the 1950s, Waco Fire Department was responding to many types of emergencies other than fires. The Cooper Foundation provided funds, through a grant awarded to the department, to purchase two boats and several other pieces of equipment for use in water rescues and recoveries. A survey performed in 1958 by the Public Service Administration and the National Board of Fire Underwriters culminated in a number of recommendations: 1. The construction of two new stations to replace older buildings; 2. The purchase of three new engines and one aerial apparatus; 3. Addition of two more Assistant Chief positions; 4. The setting aside of land for an additional station at the intersection of Lake Air Drive and Cobbs Avenue, which would become the new location of Station 8 in 1958.
In a span of 7 years, from 1964 to 1971, the departmental operating budget more than doubled, to a total over $1.6 million. These additional funds were used to procure many advancements for the Waco Fire Department in 1968, including; five pumpers, one Snorkel, a city-wide reporting system, and for the construction of a new Station 9 and training center.
Through the next two decades, the Waco Fire Department continued to update apparatus, stations, and expand services and personnel. Multiple stations were replaced with newer buildings, with others being added to the department due to the increase in land area and population of the city of Waco.
Modern Services (1990s–Present)
With Fire Chief changes in the mid-1990s, the new millennium saw the replacement of several fire stations, and the purchase of multiple 75-foot quints and three new rescue vehicles. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, federal and local funding was obtained for new equipment, including a new vehicle, for a regional HAZ-MAT team capable of responding to CBRNE emergencies within a six-county area.
Today, the Waco Fire Department offers a range of services to a population of nearly 140,000 people (2019 est.), with around 200 fire suppression personnel working in a three-shift rotation (24-hours on, 48-hours off), with a wide array of rescue capabilities. As of 2020, the department consists of 13 fire stations covering approximately 100 square miles, 2 airports, Lake Waco, multiple marinas, 3 major colleges/universities, Interstate 35, Brazos and Bosque rivers, and major industrial areas. The department provides ARFF services to Waco Regional Airport and TSTC Waco Airport (formerly James Connally Air Force Base).
Leadership
The Waco Fire Department has had several Fire Chiefs over its nearly 150 years of operation.
- Chief J.G. Harrison: 1873–unknown
- Chief (Col.) Wiley Jones: unknown–1886
- Chief A. Prescott: 1886–unknown
- Chief J. Meers: 1917–1945
- Chief L. Harrington: 1945–1957
- Chief L. Summy: 1957–1984
- Chief R. Mercer: 1984–1996
- Chief J. Fasana: 1996–2003
- Chief J. Johnston: 2003–2016
- Chief B. Tatum: 2016–2019
- Chief G. Summers: 2020–present
Line of duty deaths
To date, there have been three LODD's within the Waco Fire Department.[3]
Stations and apparatus
Waco Fire Department operates 13 frontline stations, with a Central Station housing the Administration and Fire Marshal offices. Groundbreaking has taken place on a new Station 6, to be opened by 2022.[4]
Stations by Battalion
| Fire Station (Battalion 1) | Address | Year Built | Engine/Quint Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | Command Unit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 Peach Street | 2011 | Engine 1 Engine 1 (reserve) |
Truck 1 | Dive Team, Swift Water Technical Rescue SCBA Air Unit |
Battalion 1 | 2011 |
| 3 | 111 9th Street (TSTC Campus) | 2010 | Quint 3 | ARFF L3-908 ARFF L3-909 |
|||
| 4 | 1002 Speight Avenue | 1960 | Engine 4 | Brush 4 | |||
| 7 | 1325 N. 5th Street | 2014 | Engine 7 Quint 7 Reserve |
||||
| 10 | 7915 Karl May Drive | 2007 | ARFF 10 ARFF 210 |
||||
| 12 | 3300 Flat Rock Road | 2006 | Engine 12 | Boat 12 |
| Fire Station (Battalion 2) | Address | Year Built | Engine/Quint Company | Truck Company | Special Unit | Command Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2625 Park Lake Drive | 2000 | Engine 2 | Truck 2 | Boat 2 | |
| 5 | 4515 Bagby Avenue | 2019 | Engine 5 | Battalion 2 | ||
| 6 | 2800 Bosque Boulevard | 1940 | Engine 6 | |||
| 8 | 4720 Cobbs Drive | 1958 | Engine 8 | Rescue 8 (reserve) | ||
| 9 | 315 New Road | 1974 | Engine 9 | |||
| 11 | 7600 Imperial Drive | 2000 | Engine 11 | Truck 11 | HAZ-MAT 11 | |
| 14 | 5401 Speegleville Road | 2006 | Engine 14 | Brush 14 HAZ-MAT Kubota |
References
- ↑ https://www.waco-texas.com/fire/#gsc.tab=0
- ↑ https://www.waco-texas.com/fire/#gsc.tab=0
- ↑ http://www.iafflocal478.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_page.cfm&page=Memorial20LODD
- ↑ https://www.waco-texas.com/fire/fire-stations.asp#gsc.tab=0
- ↑ Pruitt, Jeff (2012). Waco Fire Department 1873-2012. M.T. Publishing Company, Inc. ISBN 978-1-934729-82-3. Search this book on
- https://wacotrib.com/calendar/museums/facing-the-flames-the-history-of-wacos-fire-department-exhibit/event_9d44dad4-024f-11e4-afd4-001a4bcf887a.html
- https://wccc.tv/video/the-history-of-the-waco-fire-department/
- https://www.kxxv.com/your-hometown/mclennan-county/new-fire-chief-sworn-in-to-waco-fire-department
- https://wacohistory.org/items/browse?search=waco+fire&sort_field=relevance&submit_header-search=Submit
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