Our History
"Building a future on the foundation of the past" cont...
In 1955, Boeing purchased its first self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). This purchase was clearly a sign of the times. The 'old timers' in the department who couldn't see the need, and felt you weren't tough unless you went into a fire without one scoffed at this new equipment. Today, every major fire department apparatus has an SCBA for every member who may be riding on that rig-including Command and Aid Units.
On the eve of testing the 727 in the early 1960's, Boeing, which had been building KC-135's and KC-97 at the Renton factory, purchased that plant from the government. The Renton plant's fire department together with Seattle boosted the total Boeing base of firefighters and officers to 200.
In the 1970's and 1980's, as the fuel carrying capacity of airplanes grew with the 747 and 767 airplanes, it became apparent that existing equipment, personnel, and personal protective gear were inadequate. It took six months to put a proposal together for five new trucks, OshKosh M-4000's, each of which had a 4,000-gallon water tank capacity and a $325,000 price tag. The proposal went to then Boeing President Mal Stamper, and called for purchasing one truck a year over the next five years. Stamper is said to have asked if the trucks were needed now. After hearing that they were, he authorized the purchase of all five trucks at one time. The mighty Oshkosh M-4000 was a fixture for many years at the Everett, North Boeing and Renton field's.
When Boeing merged with McDonnell-Douglas in 1997, another station and its history was added to the Fire Department family. Boeing Fire St. Louis serves 15,000 employees at facilities located in St. Louis and at nearby St. Charles, Missouri. Products made there include the F-15, F-18, AV8B, and T-45 aircraft as well as the Harpoon and JDAM missiles. Prior to joining the Boeing family, the fire department began with the formation of the McDonnell Aircraft Company in 1939. The company merged with the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967 and became known as McDonnell Douglas. The merger with Boeing produced the current company of today. St. Louis is now the headquarters of the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems division, which coordinates all defense contract production globally for Boeing.
Boeing in St. Louis has always had its own fire department. In addition to the specialized manufacturing and potential aircraft emergencies, security is very important because of the government contracts held by Integrated Defense Systems.
At its height, the Boeing-St. Louis Fire Department operated from three stations, but in recent years they have been consolidated into a single station. This change allows for a better span of control and provision of services from a single station. The fact that Station 1 is centrally located to the St. Louis facilities and its close proximity to the flight ramp made it the obvious choice for the main station.
Training has been a necessary requirement for Boeing fire department since the Air Force required proof of fire fighting abilities back in the 1950's. Part of our training includes annual live fire training, where flammable and combustible liquid firefighting skills, using large quantities of ignited fuel are honed. For many years, this training was conducted at each facility in 'fire pits', until environmental regulations and other conditions curtailed their uses. Today annual live fire training is conducted at environmentally friendlier facilities in less inhabited locations. Our training requirements have grown over the years and with each new piece of equipment, new apparatus, changes in policies, state legislative ruling, new laws and safety requirements require additional training.
Five fire stations -- Everett; Renton, Boeing Field, Fredrickson and Auburn -- and firefighters and officers make up the Boeing fire department in Puget Sound. In 1979 Wichita consolidated its two stations into one, which today consists of 42 firefighters and officers. In Philadelphia there is one station, 14 firefighters and five officers. Mesa has one station, 41 firefighters and five officers. In St. Louis there is one station, 18 firefighters, 5 fire inspectors and 5 officers. Long Beach has two stations, 37 firefighters, one fire prevention specialist and 11 officers. All on-site fire departments operate 365 days a year and around the clock.
The experience and responsibilities include structural firefighting, airplane crash rescue and firefighting, emergency medical services, confined space rescue, hazardous materials response, rescue, mediation and training; shoreline management and water rescue, urban search and rescue, flammable and combustible liquid firefighting, and mutual-aid with surrounding jurisdictions.
Since the 1940's and through today, the primary goals of the Boeing fire department are fire prevention and emergency preparedness -- which accounts for approximately 80% of our time while on duty.
A good solid foundation is hard to crumble under the weight it carries, and the Boeing fire department has relied on the foundation of the past in building our future.
The End...for now!
The material on this page as well as the previous pages about our history was compiled and written by Boeing News Reporter Rick Roff and published in the Boeing News, August 7, 1993. Some parts have been modified in format and content to fit these pages, and are not intended to reflect in anyway the fine contributions of Mr. Roff, whose chronology of our department is valued.
This page was updated on 02/02/2003.