The creation of the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) can be traced back to July 6th, 1876, when the all-volunteer Seattle Engine Company No.1 was organized. In 1883, the City Charter was amended to create and fund equipment, but not staff, for a centralized municipal fire department. The volunteer-based system persisted until pressure from the insurance industry and citizens after the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 forced the city council to pass Ordinance No. 1212 in 1889, which reformed Seattle's seven volunteer companies into a paid, professional unit of 32 men organized into five district fire stations.

In this image, members of Seattle's Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 pose in front of their new brick fire house, built in 1883 on Columbia Street west of Second Avenue to house the fire department's engine Washington No. 1, seen here with its crew. The man in the white hat (standing fourth from left) appears to be Gardner Kellogg (1839-1918), a volunteer firefighter since 1870, and the Department's first chief, from 1884-1901. Another photo from this period identifies several of the fire company, who may be in this image as well: Joe Keppler, William A. Perry, Oscar King, John Storm, and R. Cutler.

Photographer's number: 23272

Caption information source: "Seattle Fire Department is created on October 17, 1889," by Alan J. Stein, HistoryLink.org Essay 3938
Caption information source: https://pauldorpat.com/2014/01/19/seattle-now-then-the-first-fire-department-hq