The Old Method

Before there were Fire Departments, people would have to depend on their family and neighbors to help put out the fire that was consuming their house and belongings since most houses were nothing more then straw, mud, and rocks. If there was a fire someone would go ring a bell that would signal to the town that there is a fire somewhere. People would grab their leather buckets and run to the town well. They would form a line from the well to the fire passing the buckets along to be thrown onto the fire. It wouldn't be uncommon to get empty buckets at the end from all the passing. This was very uneffective and many towns would burn to the ground because they didn't have a fire department.

The First Fire Department

Jamestown was founded in 1607 only to be completely destroyed by a fire in 1608. Jamestown was destroyed again in 1631, 1654, and 1676 do to fire. Boston then made new codes calling for water supply, firefighting groups, open spaces, and fire resistive building materials. In 1648 the Governor of New Amsterdam (New York City) made more building codes and appointed Fire Wardens, They were the first Firefighter organization in America.In 1679 Boston extablished the first Fire Department, Fire Engine, Fire House, and introduced the first paid firefighters. It wasn't until 1737 that the first Volunteer Fire Department was formed, it was located in New York City. These fightfighters did it all with buckets and small hand carried pumps since it was not till 1819 when England built the first steam powered fire engine. In 1853 Cincinnati, OH becomes the first fully paid fire department.