| The Los Angeles Fire Department is also known as | | | | horses for its firefighting duties for almost fifty years, |
| the Los Angeles City Fire Department in order to | | | | phasing out the last horse powered equipment in 1921. |
| distinguish it from the County Fire Department. It is the | | | | When the Los Angeles Fire Department was |
| department that gives fire protection and emergency | | | | established in 1886, it had 4 fire stations, two steam fire |
| medical services for the city of L.A. | | | | engines, two hose reels, a hose wagon, an aerial |
| The department has it origins in the year 1871. In | | | | ladder truck, thirty-one paid firefighters, 24 reserves |
| September of that year, the Los Angeles County | | | | and 11 horses to protect 30 square miles and a |
| Engine Company No. 1 was organized by the County | | | | population of approximately 50,000. |
| Clerk. It was a volunteer firefighting force with a fire | | | | By 1900, the agency had grown to 18 stations with 123 |
| engine and a hose jumper. The equipment was | | | | full-time paid firefighters and 80 horses. The city |
| hand-drawn to fires. In the spring of 1874, the fire | | | | installed over 190 fire-alarm boxes allowing citizens to |
| company requested of the Los Angeles City Council | | | | sound the alarm if a fire was seen. More than 650 fire |
| to purchase horses to pull the engine. The council | | | | hydrants were placed throughout the city, providing |
| responded in the negative and the fire company | | | | firefighters access to a reliable water source. |
| disbursed. | | | | In 1911 the agency had 32 stations. In this year, the last |
| Soon after that L.A. acquired its first hook-and-ladder | | | | of the fire houses specifically designed for horses |
| truck, which proved to be too cumbersome and was | | | | were constructed. |
| not well adapted to the needs of the city. The truck | | | | Today, the fire agency has nearly 3,600 personnel |
| was sold to the city of Wilmington, and in 1876, another | | | | operating out of 106 stations who offer fire prevention, |
| hook-and-ladder was purchased, serving in the city until | | | | emergency medical care, hazardous materials |
| 1881. | | | | mitigation, disaster assistance, and community service |
| In 1877, the original horses were acquired for the city | | | | to a resident population of more than 4 million, living in |
| fire department. The agency would continue to use | | | | 471 square miles. |