The Amarillo Fire Department is celebrating their 122nd birthday on January 27th!
Amarillo Fire Department Timeline
- Jan. 27, 1897 Amarillo Hook & Ladder Company No. 1 organized
- FF equipment consisted of Hook and Ladder cart pulled by hand with buckets, axes, picks, & kerosene lanterns.
- Alarms were sounded with a triangle and rounds of pistol shots in the air.
- Nov. 4, 1903 1st Paid Fireman
- Richard Herdest (Paid $40/month to care for wagons & horses 24/7)
- 1905 1st Ladder Truck was purchased – pulled by “Ted” and “Joe”
- Jan. 30, 1907 Central Fire Station built at 4th & Tyler. (Housed City Hall & Library upstairs)
- July 1911 1st Motorized Apparatus (American LaFrance Auto Combo hose & chemical wagon)
- 1914 All Paid Dept. with 2 Platoons
- 1923 1st Fire Alarm system installed (Gamewell)
- 1976 True 1st Responders
- Late 70’s Latex Gloves
- Early 80’s No more riding Tailboards; Jaws; Airpacks
- 2004 TIC’s; Tower
- April 2017 All trucks staffed with at least one ALS (Advanced Life Support) member
122 Year History
4 Line of Duty Deaths:
- 1936: Austin “Hotshot” Williams
- 1973: Chief David Loar
- 1982: Kenny Caldwell
- 2005: Brian “Shrek” Hunton
Fires of Note:
- Deadliest Fire – Walker’s Convalescent Home in 1950 (10 deaths)
- East Amarillo Complex Fire 2006 – Fastest recorded Wildfire in History; Most acres burned
- Town Square Village 2014 – $20 Million loss
