DOWNTOWN - The Plaza Firehouse, Los Angeles Fire Department's first Fire Station, is celebrating 130 years on Saturday, August 16, at the El Pueblo Historic Monument located near Olvera Street in the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District. The event is free to the public, and all are welcome.

 

This historic milestone is being celebrated by showcasing:
 

• Historic rigs and fire apparatus
• Rarely seen photos & artifacts on display
• Arts & crafts tables
• Living history performances at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Pico House

Spend the day celebrating this anniversary of the oldest firehouse in Los Angeles, which operated from 1884 to 1897. Since then the building has been used as a saloon, cigar store, poolroom, "seedy hotel", Chinese market, "flop house", and drugstore. The building was restored in the 1950s and opened as a firefighting museum in 1960.

 

Saturday, August 16, 2014

10 AM to 3 PM

501 North Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

 

The Plaza Firehouse is California Registered Historical Landmark No. 730. The plaque reads "Dedicated to the firemen of the Los Angeles Fire Department--past, present and future--who since 1871, by their courage and faithful devotion to duty, have protected the lives and property of the citizens of Los Angeles from the ravages of fire."

 

PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS: Los Angeles Fire Department | LAFD Historical Society | Fuego Tech Fire Rangers | African American Firefighter Museum | Burbank Fire Department | Vernon Fire Department | FDNY Rescue 5 | Crown Fire Coach Club | Presented by: El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, El Pueblo Park Association, & the Box 15 Club.

 

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman

Los Angeles Fire Department

Kindly join members of the Los Angeles Fire Department today in remembering fallen Firefighter Jaime L. Foster, who became the first probationary member and first woman to die in the line-of-duty at the Los Angeles Fire Department, following a tragic accident on August 14, 2004.

Fallen Los Angeles Firefighter Jaime L. Foster
1979-2004

Learn more about Jaime and other LAFD members who have paid the ultimate price in their service to the City by visiting:

http://bit.ly/LAFD-LastAlarm

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

HOLLYWOOD - The Los Angeles Fire Department and LAFD Historical Society, welcome you to join firefighters and their families for a special day of fun and safety awareness, as we celebrate Smokey Bear's 70th Birthday at the LAFD Museum in Hollywood.

Museum docents, including off-duty and retired firefighters will warmly welcome you to this hidden Los Angeles treasure (admission is free), where you'll see a special display of Smokey Bear memorabilia, hear stories about the legendary spokes-bear and be treated to an up close look at the fire service past and present, all inside a carefully preserved former firehouse.

At 1:00 PM, Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge will join museum staff and visitors to celebrate Smokey's birthday and serve a special birthday cake to those in attendance. The museum is open from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM each Saturday and admission is free!

Smokey Bear 70th Birthday Celebration
Saturday, August 9, 2014
1:00 PM
LAFD Museum in Hollywood
1355 North Cahuenga Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department warmly welcome you to join civic and community leaders, including Fire Chief Douglas Barry, at the public dedication and grand opening of the LAFD's newest Neighborhood Fire Station. Saturday, August 16, 2008 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM New Fire Station 43 3690 Motor Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90034 We are pleased to offer an interactive map with driving directions to this new facility, which is now in service protecting the Palms neighborhood and nearby westside communities. Following Saturday's dedication ceremony, there will be food and entertainment as well as a chance to tour Southern California's newest Fire Station. All members of the community are welcomed to this family-themed public event. A Brief History of Fire Station 43... Housing an Engine Company and Paramedic Rescue Ambulance, and protecting a 4.3 square-mile district centered in Palms, new Fire Station 43 replaces a cramped and inefficient facility on National Boulevard that opened in 1942.

Former Fire Station 43 was designed prior to World War II, and built at the height of the battle to house no more than four male firefighters and two limited-role (now antique) fire apparatus to serve a residential neighborhood. Constructed for $35,000 on a 100' x 103' lot, the sixty-six year old former facility was deemed deficient in meeting modern seismic safety, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, Building Code, ADA and separate gender accommodation issues. In fact, when built, the first crew assigned to the former station (some of whom joined the LAFD in 1922) boasted of working in one of the few Fire Stations heated by the modern marvel of "air forced across hot water pipes from a 200 gallon storage tank". LAFD operational and societal advances over nearly seven decades made that 4,885 square-foot station and only slightly larger parcel of land inadequate for providing timely and effective response to a community that now includes sizeable commercial and industrial properties as well as large multi-story apartments and filming industries. A New Fire Station for Palms... The new energy-efficient 15,250 square foot Fire Station 43 is built on a one acre site, and is designed to address modern response needs while bringing efficiency to LAFD's workforce - and therefore convenience and enhanced service to a vibrant neighborhood we've long been proud to be a part of.
View Larger Map (you can also click, grab and zoom the map above!) Los Angeles Firefighters know that neighborhood safety demands community interaction. The ability of Fire Station 43 to now host community functions and training events in the new station's community room will allow Neighborhood Firefighters an even closer and more productive relationship with those they proudly serve. The energy efficient 6-bay facility also features an important "drive through" feature that prevents the need to block traffic on busy Motor Avenue when rehousing Fire Department vehicles. We encourage you to learn more about new Fire Station 43 and the many Fire Department facilities being modernized through Proposition F by viewing a highly detailed on-line Monthly Progress Report. We look forward to seeing you in Palms on Saturday, August 16, 2008. Please don't forget your camera! Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman Los Angeles Fire Department