Dayton Fire Department (Ohio)

==History==
Dayton was first settled in 1796. On June 30, 1820, a prominent and essential business, Cooper’s Mill, was destroyed by fire, resulting in the loss of over four thousand bushels of wheat and one ton of wool. While there was sufficient water in and around the mill, there was no way to apply the water to the fire. This fire spurred the town council to direct the purchase of leather buckets. Each household was to provide two leather buckets and respond to every alarm to fight the fire. The council also approved the purchase of several ladders, which were hung on the outside wall of the Market House on East Second Street. In 1825, following another major fire in the Downtown district, City Council approved the purchase of the first “Coffee Mill” fire engine from William Jeffers of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. In early 1827, the first attempt to organize fire protection came with “an ordinance for preventing and extinguishing fires, and to regulate the keeping of gunpowder.” This ordinance was followed by the establishment of the first volunteer fire company. The first fire engine was labor-intensive and required men to fill the tank with water from buckets while turning a hand crank to force water through the hose and onto the fire. The ringing of church bells signified a fire where all that heard it were expected to grab their fire buckets and get to the fire with the pumper. Two more engines were purchased by the mid-1830s increasing fire protection with multiple fire companies located in the City of Dayton. From 1827 to 1852 the number of volunteer fire companies grew to five engine companies and one hook and ladder company. As Dayton continued growing the need for more reliable fire suppression became evident. The availability of volunteers significantly decreased during this time amid the Civil War. Discussions about the creation of a full-time fire department began to take hold. A large fire at the Dayton Daily Journal in May of 1863 proved to be the catalyst for the creation of a full-time fire department, just ten years after Cincinnati created the first full-time Fire Department in the country’s history. In October 1863, three steam engines were purchased by the City of Dayton and upon the first engine’s arrival, the City Council passed a resolution establishing the First Steam Fire Department. Four months later on March 8, 1864, the Council passed another resolution ending the era of the volunteer fire department for the City of Dayton. The original ordinance in 1863 gave the fire chief complete control of the department. An ordinance shortly after created a Committee of Fire that would oversee operations. The early years were full of various changes and turn-over as the young department worked to establish best practices and worked diligently to meet the needs of the community. When the settlers of the City of Dayton arrived in April of 1796 there were no plans for fire protection put in place. On June 30, 1820, the citizens of Dayton became truly aware of the fire dangers in town when a prominent and essential business, Cooper’s Mill, was destroyed by fire. The fire consumed over four thousand bushels of wheat and one ton of wool. While there was enough water in and around the mill for extinguishment, there was no way for them to apply the water to the fire. This fire spurred the town council to direct the purchase of leather buckets. Each household was to provide two leather buckets and respond to every alarm to fight the fire. The council also approved the purchase of several ladders, which were hung on the outside wall of the Market House on East Second Street. In 1825, following another major fire in the Downtown district, City Council approved the purchase of the first “Coffee Mill” fire engine from William Jeffers of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Chief William Patton First Fire Chief of the Paid Fire Department October 28, 1863 - October 28, 1865. As Dayton grew, large cisterns full of water were placed throughout the city’s business districts. In 1869, the Turner Opera House, known as the “Pride and Joy of Dayton” burned down when firefighters were unable to supply adequate water to the first steam fire engine. One month after “Dayton’s Greatest Fire,” the City advertised for the much-needed upgrades to the water system. In 1870, the Holly Water System was built with pumps to supply over 4 million gallons of water per day directly into the mains throughout the City. As the City grew out of the valley and up the hills, the need for water increased for domestic use and the need for fire protection. The water supply system continued to grow to match the needs of the City’s population to increase the movement way from the center of the City. In 1880, the Ohio Legislature brought reform by placing a bipartisan board in charge of the new metropolitan department. The new board established the role of officers and members, created new rules and regulations, and determined a budget that included recommended salaries for department members. The board was also responsible for producing an annual report and for appointing a chief to serve a one-year term. Accordingly, Daniel Larkin was appointed as the first fire chief of the Dayton Fire Department. In 1890, the officer ranks of Captain and Lieutenant were created. The board oversaw the construction of 11 new brick fire stations one mile apart built on “the horse standard”. In 1892 Dayton’s first high rise was built making the department’s 65-foot aerial extension ladder inadequate to reach the upper floors. The new steam engines were able to carry more fire hose but the firemen were unable to pull the engines to the scene and began to rely on horses to do so. In 1902, the State Legislature enacted the Municipal Code, the main implication was the fire department was now governed by the Board of Public Safety rather than the Board of Fire Commissioners. Turner Opera House Fire May 16, 1869 Station 4 Approximately 1900. On March 11th of 1907, the first black fireman Randolph Jones Tams was appointed and Firehouse 15 opened. As technology advanced, telephone calls began to outnumber the firebox alarms as the primary means of reporting fires. Motorization of the Fire department began with a fire chief’s car. The first motorized apparatus was purchased in 1912 and was a combination of a hose truck that contained a few short ladders. The Great Flood of 1913 devastated the City and all police officers and firefighters were engaged in rescue efforts. Eighty-seven people died in the flood including Fireman Edward Doudna who drowned while trying to rescue a family from a flooding structure. As the city began to rebuild, a million-dollar bond issue in 1916 funded the motorization and relocation, and construction of Engine Houses 8 and 9. 1917 was the last year a fire horse pulled an apparatus in Dayton. Another war effort created a challenge to retain members to staff the department in 1918. Many factories in town were trying to keep up with the manufacturing demands for military products and offered better wages and fewer work hours. At the end of WWI, IAFF Local 136 was chartered and the 24-hours on with 24-hours off platoon system was implemented. In the 1930s, a federal stimulus program called the Works Projects Administration funded the building of five new firehouses 2, 6, 17, 19, 20. Fifty-five members enlisted during WWII and lead to the need for additional firemen and the hiring of one hundred temporary firemen to fill the ranks. Following WWII, the City was committed to providing the best service to its citizens which lead to the purchase of new engines, reduction of work hours, and implementation of the third platoon. The fire department grew to 380 members. In July of 1954, an auto accident involving a District Chief and Truck 2 at the intersection of Third and Main resulted in the death of the District Chief and two citizens. These deaths and the increased occurrences of citizens being injured and killed highlighted the need for improved ambulance service in the city. On July 1, 1956, four Pontiac station wagons were placed in service to begin a fire-based ambulance service. The department continued to evolve throughout the 1960s but economic hardships in the 1970’s lead to layoffs and demotions. In 1979, a federal economic stimulus and a local income tax provided the needed funds to open new engine houses, including stations 13, 14, 15. Manpower also increased to 485 (the largest in the department’s history) to meet the increasing demands for emergency services. In June of 1979, four new paramedic ambulances were placed in service staffed with two paramedics, and an EMT funded through federal funds. This new program greatly enhanced the department’s ability to provide advanced life support and ushered in the first female paramedics to work in the firehouses. During this time the total DFD apparatus included fifteen engines, seven trucks, four medics working out of fifteen firehouses. The 1980s brought new technology, advances in protective gear, and numerous budget challenges. From 1982-84, the department was reorganized into East and West Districts. Engine crews began to respond as first responders with medic crews, and automatic mutual aid was implemented with neighboring communities to enhance service delivery on the borders of the city. In 1985, Company 11 was built (currently the newest firehouse) to provide facilities for the new Regional Hazardous Materials teams (staffed by DFD) and engine company 3. Today, this facility is utilized for Ladder 11, HazMat One and Two, Incident Safety Officer (ISU), and Medic 11. From 1987-1989 a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system was implemented to improve dispatch capabilities and the 911 system was adopted. The Sherman Williams fire in 1987 was the largest recorded fire in Dayton with a fire loss of $60 million. This fire and the decision by Chief Glenn Alexander to not extinguish the blaze garnered national attention as it highlighted the need to protect the city aquifer over the need to extinguish the fire which would have had disastrous impacts on the environment. The 1990s were a decade of transitions and cutbacks as the department worked to meet the increasing need for emergency services and the reduction in budgets and personnel. In 1991, a two-tier ALS/BLS response was utilized to increase to eleven EMS units, with fire BLS units cross-staffed with fire apparatus, and 6 dedicated ALS units. In 1999, the department began to staff ALS engines to provide enhanced medical care by the first arriving crews. This allowed the department to utilize the skills and talents of Firefighter/Paramedics to maximize the service delivery to our citizens. Sherwin-Williams Fire May 27, 1987 to June 2, 1987. The City of Dayton along with the rest of the country faced economic challenges following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Over the next decade, budget cuts loomed throughout the city and lead to cuts in the number of apparatus and the closing of firehouses. In 2010, the department closed its Fire Dispatch Center and joined the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center as a cost-savings measure. For decades, the department had worked diligently to enhance diversity and provide outstanding services. In 2008, the Department of Justice sued the City of Dayton stating the hiring practices for police and fire had a disparate impact on minorities. The fire department was unable to hire a firefighter recruit class from 2008 until April of 2013. To meet the staffing needs during the firefighter hiring moratorium, the department re-instituted civilian EMS to return to the rank and file of the department to provide the necessary staffing for EMS units. Over the past decade, the men and women of the Dayton Fire Department have worked to meet the increasing demands of the community while working within the fiscal constraints of available resources. In 2017, the department responded to more than 3,000 overdose calls which strained the organization’s emergency medical resources and pushed the department to its highest number of emergency responses in its 150-year history. While the Opioid Crisis continues today, programs such as Getting Recovery Options Working (GROW) that partners the DFD with Dayton Police and community partners have been instrumental in reducing overdose fatalities and getting hundreds of patients into rehab and recovery. The Department was challenged with numerous disasters, crises, and tragedies throughout 2019. The year put our knowledge, experience, and resiliency to the test beginning with a water crisis in February which left the city without water for drinking or suppression for several days. Memorial Day weekend brought the HSK hate group to Court House Square and prompted the largest Police, Fire, EMS, and EOC planning/coordination of any event in the city’s modern history. Over 600 law enforcement and 100 Fire/EMS personnel were staffed to ensure the safety of our community. As the weekend came to a close, 15 tornadoes converged on the region including an F4 tornado that tore through the community and devastated homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The department rapidly responded with emergency crews and implement a massive search and rescue campaign of over 4600 structures in the first 16 hours of the emergency. In the days and weeks that followed, members of the department went door to door, assessing damage, conducting welfare checks, and providing water and other supplies to residents. The tornado damage caused the second water crisis in 30 years with another significant outage. On August 4, 2019, a lone gunman opened fire in the crowded streets of the Oregon District killing 9 and injuring over 40 people. The heroic efforts of Dayton Police officers neutralized the threat in just 32 seconds, saving hundreds of lives. Dayton Fire as well as fire departments throughout the region responded to this tragedy to render aid. Over the following weeks, the department coordinated a Family Assistance Center, assisted with a large community vigil, presidential visit, and national media event, and a large concert that brought over 25,000 citizens to the Oregon District. Throughout 2020, the Dayton Fire Department worked collaboratively to launch the COD COVID Pandemic Response Plan, developed a COVID Health Screening Process and Flowchart, implemented a 24-hour Health and Safety Line to ensure effective and timely information. Additionally, provided technical expertise in PPE and Disinfection Procedures, and facilitated city and regional response policies, guidelines, mask distributions, and various educational components working with partner agencies such as PHDMC, GDAHA, GMVEMSC, MCFCA, and MCOEM. The DFD provided safe and effective Emergency Medical Response to over 25,000 patients during this pandemic, ensuring the health and safety of both the community and the EMS providers who provided high-quality medical care. Crews worked tirelessly while wearing additional PPE, implementing best practice disinfection procedures, and caring for some of the community’s most vulnerable while taking proactive steps to reduce transmission of COVID-19. After a robust recruiting effort in 2019, the first class of Homegrown Heroes entered the DFD Fire Academy in January 2020. On June 19, 2020, twenty new DFD firefighters, nineteen of which were previous City of Dayton Employees, graduated from the Recruit Academy. This was one of the most diverse classes in the history of the DFD. Today the DFD is an all-hazards professional department that responds to a wide range of over 38,000 emergency alarms and it has achieved an ISO rating of a Class 2 Fire Department.
===Pre-1864 Volunteer Fire Companies===
Station 	Address 	In Service 	Notes
Independence Fire Company	 	184? - 1864	
Vigilance Fire Company 	 	184? - 1856	Disbanded due to fighting with the Deluge Fire Company members.
Safety Fire Company 	 	184? - 1864	
Oregon Fire Company 	Fifth Street and Brown Street	185? - 1864	Demolished.
Pacific Fire Company 	 	185? - 1864	
Miami Fire Company 	 	185? - 1864	
Neptune Fire Company 	 	185? - 1864	
Deluge Fire Company 	 	185? - 1864	
=== Fire Stations ===
Station	Address 	In Service 	Notes
1 	Downtown 	 	Demolished.
2 	East 	 	Demolished.
3 	West 	 	Demolished.
4 	Main Street 	 	Demolished.
5 	Baxter Street 	 	Demolished.
6 	June Street 	 	Demolished.
7 	401 Xenia Avenue 	1884 - Ca. 1995	Still standing.
8 	Valley Street 	 	Demolished.
9 	Dayton View 	 	Demolished.
10 	Edgemont 	 	Demolished.
11 	South Park 	 	Demolished.
12 	Linden Avenue 	 	Demolished.
14 	1422 North Main Street	 	Still standing. Now residential.
16 	31 South Jersey Street	 	Demolished.
==Apparatus Roster==
All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
=== East Battalion ===
==== Fire Station 2 - 1009 East 3rd Street ====
:Engine 2 - 2015 E-One Cyclone II (1500/750)
:Engine 102 (Spare) - 1990 E-One Cyclone (1500/500)
:Rehab 2 -
:Boat 2 -
:East Chief - 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe 4x4
==== Fire Station 8 - 2636 Stanley Avenue ====
:Engine 8 - 2005 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
:Medic 8 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
:Air Unit - 1996 Freightliner / Olson walk-in
==== Fire Station 12 - 4236 Brandt Pike ====
* Engine 12 - 2013 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
* Decon 12 - 2006 Ford F-750 / Hackney tractor-trailer
==== Fire Station 15 - 2801 Wayne Avenue ====
:Engine 15 - 2013 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
:Engine 115 (Spare) - 1993 Sutphen (1500/500)
:Medic 15 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
==== Fire Station 18 - 207 South Smithville Road ====
:Ladder 18 - 2010 Pierce Velocity (1500/300/100' rear-mount)
:Medic 18 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
==== Training Center - 200 McFadden Avenue ====
=== Central Battalion ===
==== Fire Station 4 - 300 North Main Street ====
:Engine 4 - 2013 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
:Rescue 1 - 2002 International 4400 / EVI walk-in 
:Central Chief - 2017 Ford Police Interceptor Utility AWD 
==== Fire Station 11 - 145 Warren Street ====
:Engine 11 - 2013 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
:Ladder 11 - 2009 Pierce Arrow XT 6710 (2000/300/100' rear-mount platform) (SN#21735) (Ex-stock unit)
:Medic 11 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
:Foam Unit -
:Hazmat -
:ISU - Chevrolet Suburban 4x4 (SN#202713)
=== West Battalion ===
==== Fire Station 10 - 1234 South Broadway Street ====
:Engine 10 - 2005 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
==== Fire Station 13 - 1723 West 3rd Street ====
:Ladder 13 - 2019 E-One Cyclone X (1500/300/137' rear mount) (SO#142231)
:Medic 13 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
:West Chief - 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe
==== Fire Station 14 - 2213 North Main Street ====
:Engine 114 (Spare) - 1990 E-One Cyclone (1500/500)
:Ladder 14 - 2015 E-One Cyclone II (1500/300/137' rear-mount)
:Ladder 114 (Spare) - 1997 Spartan / LTI (1500/300/100' rear-mount)
:Medic 14 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
:Boat 14 -
:Rescue 14 - 1991 Ford F-700 / E-One walk-around
==== Fire Station 16 - 4111 Kings Highway ====
:Engine 16 - 2013 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
:Medic 16 - 2016 Freightliner / Horton
==== Fire Station 17 - 4118 West 3rd Street ====
:Engine 17 - 2013 HME Silver Fox (1500/750)
=== Assignment Unknown ===
:2014 International 4300 / Horton ambulance (Ex-?) 
:2005 E-One Cyclone quint (2000/300/100' rear-mount) (Ex-?)
==Retired Apparatus==
:1994 Simon-Duplex / LTI quint (1250/200/100' rear-mount) (Sold to Héloc, then to Service de Sécurité Incendie de Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac)
:1991 Sutphen pumper
:1988 E-One Hurricane Aerial (?/?/100' rear-mount)
:1983 American LaFrance Century pumper (1500/750) (Sold to Wolfe County Fire Department)
:1982 Pierce Arrow pumper (1500/750) (Sold to LeContes Mills Fire Company)
:1971 Thibault ALPC855T aerial (250/300/75' mid-mount)
:1966 GMC 7000 Tilt Cab / Thibault aerial (250/250/85' mid-mount)
==External Links==
*Dayton Fire Department (Ohio)
==Station Map==
Category:Montgomery County, Ohio
Category:Ohio departments operating E-One apparatus
Category:Ohio departments operating HME Ahrens-Fox apparatus
Category:Former operators of Sutphen apparatus
Category:Former operators of LTI / LTC apparatus
Category:Former operators of American LaFrance apparatus
Category:Former operators of Pierre Thibault apparatus