The Seattle Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Seattle, Washington, United States. The department is responsible for an area of , including of waterfront, with a population of 713,700. There is a total of 1,065 employees with 981 uniformed personnel and 84 civilian employees. History The Seattle Fire Department got its start as a volunteer fire department that was taken over by the City of Seattle on April 11, 1884. On June 6, 1889, the Great Seattle Fire broke out and destroyed over of the city. Insurance investigators charged the city with not having adequately trained firefighters to provide protection for the residents. As a result, the Seattle Fire Department was officially established on October 17, 1889, as a paid professional department. Fire stations and apparatus the department operates out of 34 fire stations spread across the city. due to mold, Station 31 is permanently closed. Apparatus types and callsigns Engine (E) Ladder (L) Aid - Basic Life Support (A) Air Unit (AIR10 / AIR26) Battalion Chief (B) Chaplain units (CHAP3, CHAP4, CHAP5, CHAP7) Command, Control & Communication Unit (COM1) Decontamination Unit (DECON1) Deputy Chiefs (DEP1) EMS/Paramedic Supervisor (M44 / M45) Fire Boat (FB1, FB2, FB3, FB4) Fire Chief (234) Assistant Chief of Operations (89) Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) / Fire Marshall (MAR5) Fire Rescue Boat (RB5) Hazardous Materials Unit (HAZ1) Hose / Foam Wagon (HOSE18 / HOSE34) Marine Unit (MRN1) Medic - Advanced life support (M) Medical Ambulance Bus (MAB1) Metropolitan Medical Strike Team (MMST) Mobile Air Compressor (AIR240 / AIR260 / AIR10) Mobile Ventilation Unit (MVU1) Mass Casualty Incident Unit (MCI1 / MCI2) Power/ Unit (P25) Public Information Officer (PIO) Reserve Aid - BLS Apparatus (All "80 Series" Designations) (A84) Reserve Battalion Chiefs (B22, B33, B44, B55, B66, B77) Reserve Engine Apparatus (All "80 Series" Designations) (E85) Reserve Ladder Apparatus (All "80 Series" Designations) (L84) Reserve Medic - ALS Apparatus (All "80 Series" Designations) (M80, M5) Reserve Heavy Rescue Apparatus (All "80 Series" Designations) (R80) Seattle Police Harbor Patrol Boat (Responds with Seattle Fire Department for most marine incidents) (PTRL4) Squad & Wildland Unit (SQ40) Staff & Incident Command System (ICS) Support Unit (STAF10) Safety Chief (SAFT2) Technical Rescue Unit (R1) Rehabilitation (REHAB1) Notable incidents Great Seattle Fire On June 6, 1889, the Great Seattle Fire broke out in a cabinet shop located at the corner of 1st Avenue and Madison