The Nation's First Volunteer Fire Company

While it may be a surprise to most people today, a number of famous men from America’s history have served as volunteer firefighters. Legendary individuals like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere all played a part in the history of firefighting in addition to the trades and accomplishments for which they are typically recognized. However, the historical figure who undoubtedly played the biggest role in firefighting is none other than Benjamin Franklin - the inventor of bifocals, studier of electricity, and co-writer of the Declaration of Independence. While Franklin is best known for those aspects of his résumé, he also established the first American volunteer fire company.

Although William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia, made great strides in planning the city to avoid the possibility of fires, the city was still occasionally affected by them. In 1718, Philadelphia purchased its first fire engine and called it the Shag Rag, but it was not put into service until 1730 when Philadelphia suffered from a large fire that destroyed a number of neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the fire was too large for just the one engine to combat.

After that 1730 fire, Franklin began to persuade the city to organize fire fighting units in every district. He wrote in his newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette, about the importance of fire protection for the entire Philadelphia community and the need for organizations that would battle any and all fires. Shortly after Franklin’s call for action, the city purchased two additional engines as well as 20 ladders and 400 fire buckets, and in 1736, Franklin created The Union Fire Company with 30 volunteering members.

With the organization of this new fire brigade at the urging of Franklin, the first fully functioning volunteer fire company in America was born, and Philadelphia resident Isaac Paschall became the country’s first ever full-time volunteer firefighter. Eventually, the idea of volunteer companies gained popularity and additional fire departments began to appear all over the city. The role of volunteer firefighters became so honorable and endearing to communities throughout the nation that by 1818, women began serving as well. The first recorded female firefighter was Molly Williams, of Engine No. 11 in New York.

Though Philadelphia has often been referred to as “The City of Brotherly Love” and the "The Birthplace of America," it is important to remember that it is also the birthplace of the time-honored and heroic organizations that are volunteer fire companies in the United States.

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