San Antonio Fire Department
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 SAFD CLASS 1 LOGO | |
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| City |  San Antonio |
| Agency overview[1] | |
| Established | June 6, 1854 |
| Annual calls | 203,309 (2019) |
| Employees | ~1,800 (2019) |
| Annual budget | $318,600,000 (2019) |
| Staffing | Career |
| Fire chief | Valerie Frausto |
| EMS level | ALS |
| IAFF | 624 |
| Facilities and equipment[1] | |
| Battalions | 8 |
| Stations | 54 |
| Engines | 54 |
| Trucks | 21 |
| Platforms | 10 |
| Squads | 22 |
| Rescues | 2 |
| Ambulances | 35 |
| Tenders | 4 |
| HAZMAT | 2 |
| Airport crash | 7 |
| Wildland | 11 |
| Rescue boats | 2 |
| Light and air | 4 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| IAFF website | |
The San Antonio Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of San Antonio, Texas. The department is the third largest fire department (by number of personnel) in the state of Texas.[2] With over 1,800 members, the SAFD is responsible for a population of over 1.4 million people spread across 408 square miles (1,060 km2).[3]
The San Antonio Fire Department is an internationally accredited agency with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) and holds an Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification Class 1 rating. The department operates teams specializing in technical rescue, urban search and rescue, hazardous materials, aircraft rescue and firefighting, bike medics, incident management team, SWAT medic, and wildland firefighting among others.
The San Antonio Fire Department is also involved heavily with the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Texas Task Force 1, abbreviated TX-TF1, to function as one of two state urban search and rescue (USAR) teams in the State of Texas. It is managed by the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service in College Station, Texas.
The department got its start on June 6, 1854, when a group of 20 San Antonians met to organize an all volunteer fire department.[4] The company, initially called the Ben Milam Fire Company No. 1, consisted only of a bucket brigade.[4] In 1856 the first hand pumped fire engine and hose real was purchased. On February 8, 1858, Fire Company No. 1 received its official charter from state naming it “The Fire Company of the City of San Antonio."
On December 22, 1859, the Alamo Fire Association No. 2 was placed in service after the Ben Milam Fire Company was deemed too small to handle major fires in city of greater than 8,000 residents. Fire Company No. 2 operated on the Eastside of the river. Alamo No. 2 was chartered by the state on February 11, 1860 and was the first fire company in the city to receive a horse dawn steamer.
During the American Civil War, fire protection was provided by slaves and the Confederate Army leading to the founding of the Colored Fire Companies in 1865 and 1866. Fire Company No. 3 and Fire Company No. 4 received zero funding from the city while providing fire protection to the city with nothing but hand pumps and buckets. Both fire companies were disbanded by 1881.[5]
After the Civil War, a need for additional fire companies and capabilities was recognized. The San Antonio Turn Verein Athletic Club organized the 5th Fire Company which was charted the following year as the Turner Hook & Ladder Company.
Over the course of several years, fire companies continued to grow and new equipment began to be purchased. By 1873, the city funded horses and paid drivers to haul the steam pumper to the scene of fires. In the spring of 1878, the city officially founded the San Antonio Volunteer Fire Department.[6]
As the city of San Antonio continued to expand and grow, so did the volunteer fire companies. During the early 1880s, three new fire companies were established. The first was the Second Ward Hose Company which was founded on April 14, 1883. The Sunset Hose Company No. 1 was established in early 1885 then on October 16, 1885, the Mission Hose Company No. 4 was formed.[7]
In March 1891, the department transitioned to a paid department to keep up with the growing city. "San Antonio Fire Department History". MT Publishing. January 1, 2011. p. 128. ISBN 978-1-934-72960-1.
Stations and apparatus
The San Antonio Fire Department operates out of 54 stations strategically placed across the city.
