Houston Fire Department

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Houston Fire Department
HFDlogo.jpg
Motto: Courage, Commitment, & Compassion
Established 1838
Strength 4190

Staffing Career
Stations 92
Engines 87
Trucks 37
Squads 18
HAZMAT 2
Fire chief Terry A. Garrison
Group photo of firefighters from Station 1-1932
Continental Center II (600 Jefferson) of the Cullen Center houses the HFD administrative offices
City of Houston Fire Department Logistical Center & Maintenance Depot
HFD Firefighters' Memorial in northern Houston
Fire Station 3
Fire Station 7
Fire Station 8
Fire Station 16
Fire Station 18
Fire Station 25
Fire Station 28 at 3000 Chimney Rock
Fire Station 33
Fire Station 37 in Braeswood Place

City of Houston Fire Department (HFD) is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Houston, Texas, United States, the fourth largest city in the United States. HFD is responsible for preserving life and property for a population over 2 million in an area totaling 617 square miles (1,600 km2).[1]

The administration of HFD is located on the 7th floor of Continental Center II (600 Jefferson) in the Cullen Center in Downtown Houston.[2] They were previously located at the City of Houston Fire Department Logistical Center & Maintenance Depot.[3]

Contents

[edit] Background

[edit] City of Houston Emergency Medical Service

The Houston Fire Department handles all emergency medical services within the City of Houston and all members of the department are trained in EMS procedures. The firefighters rotate between the fire fighting apparatus and the EMS units from day to day in accordance with the cross training that they receive. There are two levels of EMS certification that the Houston Fire Department recognizes; EMT-Basic and EMT-Paramedic. There are no EMS providers for the Houston Fire Department that are not also firefighters.[4] All of HFD EMS ambulances are Type I, "Frazer Bilt", ambulances.

Due to the large coverage area, HFD EMS operates on a tiered response system, which means that certain levels of EMS are dispatched when they are determined to be needed. While there are some MICU ambulances in the HFD EMS fleet, most are BLS equipped. Typically, a BLS ambulance will be dispatched to a medical call. When the unit arrives on scene and determines that ALS is required, a paramedic squad will be dispatched to their location to assist. HFD EMS strives to have an ambulance or first responder (which usually consists of an engine company), on scene within four minutes, with ALS support within eight minutes if needed.[5]

[edit] History

Main article: History of Houston Fire Department

The fourth largest fire department in the United States,[6] the Houston Fire Department was established in 1838 with one station, Protection Company No. 1. and it grew to a volunteer fire department status with three stations by 1859.[7] After having provided volunteer firefighting services for 57 years, the City of Houston Fire Department began paying its firefighters in 1895.

In 2002, the Insurance Services Office, which rates the capability of a fire department with regards to the maintenance of its fire apparatus, availability of water, training of personnel, etc., rated HFD 1/10, which is the highest rating a fire department can achieve.[8]

Houston Fire Department also became the world's largest accredited fire department by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International in 2003.[9]

As of 2008, 60 Houston firefighters have been killed in the line of duty. The most recent being Captain James Harlow and probationary firefighter Damion Hobbs in April 2009.[10]

[edit] Notable alumni

Mario Gallegos, Jr. Former State Senator, Served 22 years and retired as a Captain.[11]

[edit] Fire Stations

All Houston Fire Department stations officially have numbers.[12] Some stations also adopt unofficial names and place the names on the front of the station's fire trucks based on what neighborhoods the majority of their "still alarm" territories cover.

  • 1: (Closed, 2001)
  • 2: Woodway
  • 3: River Oaks
  • 4: Inwood
  • 5: Old Spring Branch
  • 6: Sixth Ward
  • 7: Midtown
  • 8: Downtown
  • 9: North Side
  • 10: Bellaire
  • 11: T. C. Jester
  • 12: Moody Park
  • 13: Oak Forest
  • 14: (Closed, 1987)
  • 15: Heights
  • 16: Montrose
  • 17: Second Ward
  • 18: East End
  • 19: Fifth Ward
  • 20: Magnolia Park
  • 21: South Main
  • 22: Haz-Mat
  • 23: Lawndale
  • 24:
  • 25: Third Ward
  • 26: Dixie Drive
  • 27: Denver Harbor
  • 28: Greater Uptown
  • 29: Old Galveston Road
  • 30: Lindale Park
  • 31: North Shepherd
  • 32: Glenwood Forest
  • 33: Medical Center
  • 34: Laura Koppe
  • 35: South Park
  • 36: Hobby Airport
  • 37: Braes Heights
  • 38: West Side
  • 39: Kashmere Gardens
  • 40: Old Spanish Trail
  • 41: Pleasantville
  • 42: Ship Channel
  • 43: Unknown (East Side - 7330 N. Wayside)
  • 44: Greens Bayou
  • 45: North McCarty
  • 46: South Union
  • 47: Almeda Plaza
  • 48: Westbury
  • 49: Unknown (West Side – 1212 Gessner)
  • 50: Langwood
  • 51: Sharpstown
  • 52: Almeda Mall
  • 53: Unknown (10343 Hartsook)
  • 54: Bush Intercontinental Airport – ARFF
  • 55: Sunny Side
  • 56: East Little York
  • 57: Memorial
  • 58: Near North Side
  • 59: South Post Oak
  • 60: Piney Point
  • 61: South Hobby (Southeast Side)
  • 62: Timbergrove
  • 63: Will Clayton Parkway
  • 64: Greens Road
  • 65: Lake Houston
  • 66: Fairbanks (Unconfirmed)
  • 67: Acres Homes
  • 68: Braeburn Glen[13]
  • 69: Westchase
  • 70: Beamer Road
  • 71: Clearlake
  • 72: Clearlake
  • 73: Keegans Glen
  • 74: Greenspoint
  • 75: Dairy Ashford
  • 76: Alief Community
  • 77: Spring Shadows
  • 78: West Memorial
  • 80: Blue Ridge
  • 81: Hobby Airport - ARFF
  • 82: Fondren Southwest
  • 83: Royal Oaks
  • 84: (Proposed, at 10859 Ella Blvd.)
  • 85: (Closed)
  • 86: Unknown (Westside – 14300 Briar Forest)
  • 90: Park Ten
  • 92: Bush Intercontinental Airport - ARFF
  • 93: Ellington Field
  • 94: Clear Lake
  • 95: (Proposed,at El Dorado Blvd. and Clear Lake Blvd. Land has been purchased.)
  • 96: Willowbrook
  • 99: Bush Intercontinental Airport - ARFF
  • 101: Kingwood
  • 102: Kingwood
  • 103: Kingwood
  • 104: Kingwood
  • 105: Summerwood

Proposed stations

  • 84: 10859 Ella Boulevard @ Beltway 8) - Establishment estimated within 3–4 years from 2008.
  • 95: El Dorado Boulevard and Clear Lake Boulevard - Land has been purchased. Establishment estimated within 3–4 years from 2008.

Closed stations

  • 1: Downtown (Closed in 2001)
  • 14: The Heights (Closed in 1987)
  • 85: Lake Houston (Closed in 1987)

[edit] See also

Portal icon Houston portal
Portal icon Fire portal

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fire stations in Houston
  1. ^ HFD Coverage Area
  2. ^ "Home Page." Houston Fire Department, City of Houston. Retrieved on November 20, 2011. "HFD Administration 832.394.6700 600 Jefferson, 7th Floor Houston, Texas 77002"
  3. ^ "Home Page." Houston Fire Department. Retrieved on November 20, 2011. "HFD Administration 713.247.5000 1205 Dart Street Houston, Texas 77007"
  4. ^ HFD EMS
  5. ^ HFD tiered response and fleet
  6. ^ HFD department size
  7. ^ HFD volunteer status
  8. ^ HFD ISO rating
  9. ^ CFA accreditation
  10. ^ HFD Memorial
  11. ^ Senator Mario Gallegos, Jr.: District 6 Official State Senate Website
  12. ^ City of Houston Fire Stations
  13. ^ firehouse68.com

[edit] External links

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