# Indianapolis Fire Department

The Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) provides fire and rescue protection and emergency medical services to the city of Indianapolis, Indiana. In total the department serves 278 square miles (720 km$^2$).

## History

The first fire department in Indianapolis was not founded until June 20, 1826. It was a volunteer department that had to use a church bell for alarms, and had only ladders and leather buckets to fight fires. This was seventeen months after the first recorded fire in Indianapolis occurred on January 17, 1825, which took place in a tavern across the street from the county courthouse.
In 1835, a law was passed requiring the purchase of an engine, along with better equipment, to be partially funded by the state and partially by the city, in order to protect the Indiana Statehouse. From this, the Marion Fire, Hose, and Protection Company was established. An additional volunteer company was founded in 1841 and there were eight total volunteer companies in Indianapolis by 1859. Collectively, 600 men were volunteers in these eight companies, and although unpaid, they did receive perks such as immunity from being called on juries or militia duty, and not having to pay poll taxes or taxes for roads.
The volunteer companies were rather political, and tended to express their views freely. They were also known to break into brothels and freely use their hoses on the clientele and the interior walls, wrecking the places; this was done not for moral reasons, but rather, to amuse themselves. As a result, Mayor Samuel D. Maxwell and the Indianapolis City Council established a paid force on November 14, 1859, so that the council could have control over Indianapolis' fire protection, which it did not have over the volunteers. Maxwell was considered the father of the Indianapolis Fire Force and faced only slight criticism for the idea, although it was not widely popular at this time with the former volunteers. The Indianapolis Fire Department began with a hook and ladder company and two hand engines, but would in 1860 gain their first steam engine.
The paid firemen had no days off, were not allowed to leave their post except for one meal, and were seldom allowed to leave the firehouse unless on fire business or a family emergency. An ordinance in 1859 made it illegal to give firemen alcoholic beverages. Their clothes were irregular; uniforms were not worn until 1874, with a regulation uniform established in 1928. Firemen had to buy their own uniforms until 1943, when a $60 clothing allowance was established. An attempt to remove politics from the fire department was not very successful; it was necessary to mandate that the department staff be half Republican and half Democrat, and the role of fire chief was based on political affiliation and family contacts.
The first dog to discover arson for the Indianapolis Fire Department was acquired in July 1993.

## Mergers with township fire departments

Since 2007, several fire departments of the townships in Marion County, other than Center Township, that were not previously part of the IFD coverage area have been absorbed by IFD. As of 2016, five of the eight township fire departments have merged with IFD:
* Washington Township, January 2007
* Warren Township, July 2007
* Perry Township, August 2009
* Franklin Township, July 2010
* Lawrence Township, January 2011
The three townships retaining their own fire departments as of 2023 are all on the west side of Marion County.
* Decatur Township
* Pike Township
* Wayne Township
In December 2023, Wayne Township announced that it was starting a process that could lead to its fire department merging into IFD.

## Mergers with excluded city fire departments

In July 2021, the city council of Beech Grove began consideration of an interlocal agreement under which IFD would provide fire protection services for the next 20 years. Current Beech Grove firefighters would become members of IFD.
On December 25, 2021, the Beech Grove Fire Department ceased operations and merged into the Indianapolis Fire Department. Engine 57 at Station 57 was reassigned as IFD Engine 46 at Station 46. Engine 56 was reassigned as Engine 28, replacing a 2005 KME that once belonged to Lawrence Twp. The city of Beech Grove retained Station 56 and all the departments ambulances. Beech Grove EMS was formed as an ALS transport service, operating Medics 56, 57, and 58.

## Operations

There are currently fourteen Divisions of Operations within the Indianapolis Fire Department: Communications, Emergency Operations, Emergency Medical Services, Executive Services, Finance and Pension, Fire Investigations Section, Fire and Life Safety, Homeland Security/Special Operations and Training, Quartermaster, Information Technology, Media Relations, Safety, Support Services, and USAR Indiana Task Force One. There are 7 Battalions, each commanded by a Battalion Chief. All Battalion Chiefs report to the Division Chief Shift Commander (Car 10). The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local is 416.

### USAR Task Force 1

The Indianapolis Fire Department is the founding member of one of the 28 FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force. Indiana Task Force 1 (IN-TF1) is made up of members of multiple fire departments in Marion County.

### Indianapolis EMS

911 Ambulance services in the city of Indianapolis are provided by Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (IEMS), a division of the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County. In 2010, the Indianapolis Fire Department decided to discontinue the operation of the transporting ambulance assets acquired from the consolidation of Washington, Lawrence, and Franklin Township fire departments into IFD. Wishard Ambulance Service absorbed the civilian staff released from the decommissioned IFD ambulances and in December 2010, the newly enlarged Wishard Ambulance Service was rebranded as Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services. As of 2018 IEMS operates 42 ambulances, with 32 of them deployed during peak hours. Fourteen of these ambulances are co-located at IFD fire stations. While IEMS is not a part of the Indianapolis Fire Department, the two agencies work closely together in daily operations and long term EMS system planning. IEMS also provides educational and logistical support to IFD's EMS operations. Members of IEMS may choose to join the IAFF Union 416.

## Stations and apparatus

| Fire Station Number | Neighborhood | Engine Company | Ladder Company | Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services Units | Specialized Units | Command Units | Battalion |
| 1 | Haughville | Engine 1 | Ladder 1 | | Tactical Unit 1 (Confined Space Rescue/Collapse Rescue) | | 7 |
| 2 | Far Eastside | Engine 2 | | Medic Unit 2 | | | 4 |
| 3 | Fountain Square | Engine 3 | | Ambulance Unit 3 | | Battalion 5 | 5 |
| 4 | Greenbriar | Engine 4 | Ladder 4 | Medic Unit 4 | | | 1 |
| 5 | Methodist Hospital | Engine 5 | | Ambulance Unit 5 | Tactical Unit 5 (Confined Space Rescue/Collapse Rescue) | Battalion 1 Safety Central | 1 |
| 6 | Nora | Engine 6 | Ladder 6 (Tower) | | Tanker 6 | | 2 |
| 7 | Renaissance Place | Engine 7 | Ladder 7 (Tiller) | | Squad 7 Tactical Unit 7 (Heavy Rescue/Water Rescue /Rope Rescue) Boat 7 | Car 10 (Shift Commander) | 7 |
| 8 | Millersville | Engine 8 | | | | | 3 |
| 9 | Castleton | Engine 9 | Ladder 9 | | Tactical Unit 9 (Heavy Rescue) Boat 9 | | 2 |
| 10 | Brightwood | Engine 10 | Ladder 10 (Tower) | | Squad 10 | Battalion 3 | 3 |
| 11 | Irish Hill | Engine 11 | | Ambulance Unit 11 | | EMS Duty Officer South | 5 |
| 12 | Crooked Creek | Engine 12 | | Medic Unit 12 | | | 1 |
| 13 | Canal District | Engine 13 | Ladder 13 (Tower) | | Squad 13 Tactical Unit 13 (HazMat Unit) | Battalion 7 | 7 |
| 14 | Kenwood Forrest | Engine 14 | Ladder 14 | | Squad 14 Tactical Unit 14 (Heavy Rescue/Water Rescue/Rope Rescue) Boat 14 | | 1 |
| 15 | Christian Park | Engine 15 | Ladder 15 (Tower) | | | | 5 |
| 16 | Acton | Engine 16 | | Medic Unit 16 | Tanker 16 | | 6 |
| 17 | Avelon Hills | Engine 17 | | Medic Unit 17 | | Battalion 2 | 2 |
| 18 | Hawthorne | Engine 18 | | Medic Unit 18 | Tactical Support Unit 18 (Air Support Unit) | | 7 |
| 19 | Near Southwestside "The Valley" | Engine 19 | Ladder 19 (Tower) | | Tactical Unit 19 (Decon Unit) Foam 19 | | 7 |
| 20 | Little Flower | Engine 20 | Ladder 20 | | | | 3 |
| 21 | Clearwater | Engine 21 | | Medic Unit 21 District 1 | | EMS Duty Officer North Safety North | 2 |
| 22 | Martindale | Engine 22 | Ladder 22 (Tower) | | | | 3 |
| 23 | Southdale | Engine 23 | | Medic Unit 23 District 6 | Foam 23 | Battalion 6 Safety South | 6 |
| 24 | Devington | Engine 24 | | Medic Unit 24 | | | 3 |
| 25 | Irvington | Engine 25 | | | Tactical Support Unit 25 (Air Support Unit) | | 3 |
| 26 | Perry Meridian | Engine 26 | | Medic Unit 26 | | | 6 |
| 27 | Brookside | Engine 27 | Ladder 27 | | | | 5 |
| 28 | West Geist | Engine 28 | | | | | 2 |
| 29 | Garfield Park | Engine 29 | Ladder 29 | Medic Unit 29 | Squad 29 Tactical Support Unit 29 (Air Support Unit) USAR Trailer 29 | | 5 |
| 30 | Eagledale | Engine 30 | Ladder 30 | | | | 1 |
| 31 | Fairgrounds / “So-Bro” (South of Broad Ripple) | Engine 31 | Ladder 31 | Medic Unit 31 | Tactical Unit 31 (Decon Unit) Tactical Support Unit 31 (Air Support Unit) | | 1 |
| 32 | Broad Ripple | Engine 32 | | Medic Unit 32 | | | 2 |
| 33 | West Eagledale | Engine 33 | | | | | 1 |
| 34 | West Edgewood | Engine 34 | Ladder 34 | | Tactical Unit 34 (Heavy Rescue Unit) Tanker 34 | | 6 |
| 35 | Southport | Engine 35 | Ladder 35 (Tower) | Medic Unit 97 | | | 6 |
| 36 | Geist East | Engine 36 (City of Lawrence) | Ladder 36 (Tower) | Medic Unit 36 (City of Lawrence) | | | 2 |
| 41 | Washington Square | Engine 41 | | Medic Unit 41 | | | 4 |
| 42 | Raymond Park | Engine 42 | | Medic Unit 42 | Tanker 42 | | 4 |
| 43 | Eastgate | Engine 43 | Ladder 43 (Tower) | | Tactical Unit 43 (Heavy Rescue Unit) | Battalion 4 | 4 |
| 44 | Eastside | Engine 44 | Ladder 44 | Medic Unit 44 | Tactical Unit 44 (HazMat Unit) | | 4 |
| 45 | Far Eastside | Engine 45 | | Medic Unit 98 | | | 4 |
| 46 | Beech Grove | Engine 46 | | | | | 5 |
| 53 | Bunker Hill | Engine 53 | | Medic Unit 53 | Grass Unit 53 | | 6 |
| 55 | Wanamaker | Engine 55 | Ladder 55 | | | | 4 |
| Rehab (x12) | Tuxedo Park | | | Ambulance Unit 27 | Rehab Support Unit 3 | | 5 |

## Notable incidents
### Ramada Inn air crash and fire

The Ramada Inn Air crash and fire was an aircraft accident that occurred at the Airport Ramada Inn in Indianapolis, Indiana, when a United States Air Force (USAF) pilot failed to reach the runway and the plane crashed into the nearby Ramada Inn. On the morning of October 20, 1987, a USAF A-7D-4-CV Corsair II, serial 69-6207, sustained some sort of engine failure about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of the city at around 31,000 feet. The pilot survived after ejecting but nine people were killed in the hotel when the aircraft smashed into the side of the building.