HISTORIC PHOTOS ST. LOUIS FIRE DEPARTMENT

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I have been talking with a few guys from St. Louis on Facebook and a few of them are guys I knew while with Gardenville Volunteer Fire Protection District and a few that are my age and who were firefighters. One of them Steve Arnold who retired as the Chief of Pattonville has a very large collection of St. Louis City and County Historical Pictures. I am in the process of downloading them and saving them and I am going to share them here. I hope you all like them. Any Comments or questions please ask.

First up is

12-12-1930 St. Louis Fire Department Fire engine and crew, Engine Company 24

CREDIT STEVE ARNOLD

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St Louis Fire Department Engine Companies in operations in 1916 during a fire on Washington Ave. I do not have any information about what companies are in the pictures.

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1904 WORLDS FAIR FIRE BRIGADE

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1904 WORLDS FAIR FIRE BRIGADE PART 2

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1904 WORLDS FAIR FIRE BRIGADE PART 3

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STLFD Engine #40  I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHAT YEAR THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN

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St Louis City Fire Department Engine 41 January 1931

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This is Either Engine 41 or Engine 43

The comment below is from one of the guys who is very familiar with the St Louis City Fire Department on Facebook.

"Dennis Maag
Station 43 and now the 28's. That's likely Engine 43's 1959 Mack C95 1000 GPM Pumper with 300 gallon water tank, SN 75. Thanks!"

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STLFD 1887 horse-drawn steamer and modern St. Louis Fire Department engine #2

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This was posted on Steve's Facebook Page. Instead of trying to paraphrase what he wrote I copied and pasted the information.  All information is from Steve Arnold retired Fire Chief Pattonville Fire


Before St. Louis organized and paid its firefighters, men from all walks of life served as volunteers in neighborhood fire-fighting companies. These men donated countless hours to vigorous training and meetings. They also abandoned their own work and leisure activities when the fire bells sounded. The job required strength, bravery, and teamwork.


In operation from the early 1820s until their disbandment in 1859, new volunteer companies formed as St. Louis’s population increased. The volunteer companies were competitive in many ways, sometimes to the detriment of successfully fighting a fire. There was often competition to be the first to secure the closest—and limited—water source.

But they did come together to improve the city. Understanding the danger of the city’s poor water supply and dark, narrow streets, they pushed for change. Their advocacy led to the development of a municipal water system and improvements for city streets, including the installation of gas street lamps.

This hand pumper engine, built-in 1836 by Philadelphian John Agnew, belonged to Central Fire Company No. 1. Several veterans found it in 1889 in Mount Olive, Illinois, the last place it was used. The Veteran Volunteer Firemen’s Historical Society brought it back to St. Louis and restored it.




















There are more pictures on my Smugmug site. Including some very old fire helmets

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Waiting for the next alarm, don't know the year.