Alexandria Fire Department
Operational area
Country United States
State Virginia
CityAlexandria
Agency overview[1]
Established1866 (1866)
Annual calls18,351 (2012)
Employees290 (2013)
StaffingCareer
Fire chiefCorey Smedley
EMS levelAdvanced Life Support (ALS) Transport/Basic Life Support (BLS) First Response with personnel a minimum of an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (EMT-B)
IAFF2141
Facilities and equipment[2]
Battalions2
Stations10
Engines9
Trucks1 in reserve
Tillers2
Platforms1
Rescues1
Ambulances6
HAZMAT1
Fireboats1
Rescue boats2
Light and air1
Website
Official website
IAFF website

The Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Alexandria, Virginia. Established in 1866, the department is responsible for 15 square miles (39 km2) with a population of over 159,000.[3]

History

Friendship Fire House in the 1910s

The first fire company in Alexandria was the Friendship Fire Company, founded in 1774. George Washington is reported to have been a part of it, but no records remain to prove that, however he did purchase a fire engine for the company in 1775.[4][5]

The first paid firefighters were hired in 1855 and the Alexandria Fire Department was established in 1866. Before that the City of Alexandria was served by multiple volunteer departments. By the end of the Civil War, many of the volunteer companies were under staffed so, in 1866, the City Council passed an act to combine the remaining fire companies into the Alexandria Fire Department.[6]

In 1977, the department announced they were no longer hiring firefighters who smoked and anyone hired "signed a contract that included a provision against smoking", as part of a larger push for stricter health requirements.[7] Alexandria was among the first departments in the country to have similar requirements.[8]

Volunteer fire fighters, as opposed to volunteers who work in stations and other roles, effectively ended in 1981 when the City passed new regulations requiring all fire fighters to meet the stricter standards applied to career fire fighters.[9] Former volunteers continued to protest that decision through the mid-1980s, often invoking George Washington's name who they regard as taking part in the first volunteer fire company in Alexandria.[10]

Along with other departments, units from AFD responded to the September 11 attacks at The Pentagon and the Congressional baseball shooting in 2017, which took place in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria.[11][12][13]

In early 2021, Alexandria became the first locality in Virginia to authorize public unions to collectively bargain, after Virginia allowed localities to do so for the first time on May 1, 2021 after the Supreme Court of Virginia banned the practice in 1977.[14][15] The union representing Alexandria firefighters, IAFF Local 2141, became the first that voted to collectively bargain.[16]

Operations

Fire Station 203 Ribbon Cutting in 2021

Marine Operations

The Marine Operations Division was started in 1997 to provide protection in the various waterways in and adjacent to the city.[17] The team is trained in both open water and swiftwater rescue as well as marine firefighting.[17] Two Zodiac inflatables (Boat 204 and Boat 214) are available to be rapidly deployed in all weather conditions. The inflatables are designed to be towed by either Engine 204 or Support Unit 204 (a Chevy Suburban), which is equipped with a variety of water rescue equipment.[17] Additionally the division has a 50-foot (15 m) MetaCraft Firestorm 50 fireboat, the Vigilant, equipped with two 3,400-US-gallon-per-minute (13,000 L/min) pumps attached to four fire monitors.[18]

Fire Prevention and Life Safety

The Fire Prevention and Life Safety (FPLS) Section is composed of several units – Fire Prevention Inspections, Fire Protection Systems Retesting, Environmental Investigations & Fire Investigations. The Fire Prevention and Life Safety Section is responsible for enforcement of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, applicable sections of the Virginia Construction Code and related sections of the Code of the City of Alexandria.[19]

Stations and apparatus

On June 12, 2021, the City of Alexandria Fire Department implemented an organizational restructure. It included Specialty Team relocations,Apparatus Relocations,Upgrading Suppression Units to Advanced Life Support (ALS) Units. Four of the Engine Companies and One Truck Company are Advanced Life Support (ALS) Units. There are two Battalion Management Teams. There is One Fire Battalion Management Team and One EMS Battalion Management Team. There will also be the addition of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) lieutenants and other quality improvements.[20]

Advanced Life Support (ALS) Suppression Units will be minimally staffed with one Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider on several suppression units. There are Four Engine Companies and One Truck Company marked with Advanced Life Support (ALS) in the chart below. Upgrading these units to Advanced Life Support (ALS) units improves Advanced Life Support (ALS) coverage in Old Town and Landmark areas, higher medical call volume.

A new station is planned as part of the Landmark Mall redevelopment.[21]

Fire Station Number Neighborhood Engine Company Special Service Company Medic and Ambulance Units Fire or EMS Officer Units Support Units
201 Old TownEngine 201

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

ATV 201
202 Del RayCommunity Paramedic 235
203 Beverly HillsEngine 203Truck 203Medic 203 Safety 201
204 Powhatan ParkEngine 204Ambulance 204 Battalion 211

(EMS BMT)

 Fire Boat 204
205 RosemontEngine 205

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

 Truck 205Medic 205
206 Seminary ValleyEngine 206

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Medic 206Battalion 212

(Fire BMT)

EMS 231
207 Cameron ValleyEngine 207Ambulance 207
208 West EndEngine 208

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

 Truck 208

Advanced Life Support (ALS)

 Medic 208
209 Potomac YardsEngine 209Rescue 209Medic 209Technical Rescue Support 209

Water Rescue 209

210 Eisenhower Valley Engine 210 Hazmat 210

Foam 210

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Statistics". Alexandria Fire Department. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "Stations". Alexandria Fire Department. Archived from the original on 30 June 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "About us". Alexandria Fire Department. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "George Washington: Past President and Firefighter".
  5. ↑ "History".
  6. ↑ "ALEXANDRIA FIRE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY 1866-2016". States News Service. April 6, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Virginia Town Bars Smokers as Firemen (Published 1977)". The New York Times. 18 December 1977. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  8. ↑ Kent Jenkins Jr. (13 December 1987). "ALEXANDRIA FIRE CHIEF KEEPS MORALE IN FORCE". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  9. ↑ Elsa L. Walsh (12 March 1981). "Firefighting Rules Ignite Tempers". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  10. ↑ Michael Specter (10 February 1985). "Volunteer Firefighters In Alexandria Do a Burn". Washington Post. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  11. ↑ Fortney, Sarah (22 June 2008). "Pride in ink". The Frederick News-Post. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  12. ↑ David B. Caruso (9 September 2013). "9/11 responders far from NYC seek compensation". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  13. ↑ Noah Weiland (13 January 2018). "Resisting the Label of Victim, but Forever Scarred by a Mass Shooting". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  14. ↑ AFSCME Staff (20 April 2021). "Alexandria city workers win collective bargaining rights, set precedent in Virginia". AFSCME. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  15. ↑ Emily Leayman (23 February 2022). "Alexandria Firefighters Union To Represent Workers In Collective Bargaining". Del Ray, VA Patch. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  16. ↑ Christy Matino (24 February 2022). "Alexandria firefighters union wins vote to represent first responders in collective bargaining". WDVM25 & DCW50 | Washington, DC. Retrieved 18 May 2022. first
  17. 1 2 3 "Marine Operations". Alexandria Fire Department. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "Alexandria, Va., FD Gets New Fire Boat". MetalCraft Marine. Firehouse. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "Fire Prevention and Life Safety".
  20. ↑ "[Archived] AFD 2021 Organizational Restructure". City of Alexandria, VA. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  21. ↑ Patricia Sullivan (22 December 2020). "Inova plans major new hospital, offices at Alexandria's Landmark Mall site". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
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