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