Fire Department

1907 – 1930s

• 1907 (March 1) Charles W. Heyl begins serving as Fire Chief
• 1908 (July) The City of Madison Fire Department becomes a fully paid department.
• 1910 The movement to motorized equipment began.
• 1913 The City enacted a Building Code as Chapter 17 of the General Ordinances. A Building Commissioner and others were appointed to enforce the code which was a forerunner to modern Fire Prevention Codes.
• 1919 The last MFD horses, serving at Station No. 4, were sold and the motorization of the department completed.
• 1922 (May) The first two-platoon system began. Firefighters worked 24-hour shifts every other day and averaged 84 hours per week.
• 1929 (March) Chief Heyl retired after 22 years as Chief, longer than any other Chief in the department's history.
• 1929 (July) John Lahm becomes Fire Chief.
• 1931 (May) Members of the MFD organized Local 311 and became charter members of the International Association of Firefighters.
• 1936 Six firefighters (and nine police officers) were trained as Red Cross first aid instructors in an innovative program designed to spread first aid education throughout the State.
• 1939 (January 1) Richard Widmann becomes Fire Chief.
• 1939 (June) A drill and fire school was started in order to efficiently and thoroughly train the men.
• 1939 Although protective gear was still considered a novelty rather than an accepted necessity, two self-contained oxygen masks were added to the supply of six service canisters.
• 1939 (June) Firefighters Judson H. Holcomb and Adolph N. Habich were the first Madison firefighters to die in the line of duty during a fire at the Mary Ann Bake Shop, 602 S. Park Street, when the floor collapsed.

1940s

• 1942 The MFD was suffering from a lack of personnel and materials due to the war. Civilian men were trained as auxiliary firefighters and preparations made for possible air raids and war-related fires.
• 1942 (October) Madison held its first Fire Prevention Week.
• 1944 (January) Due directly to the personnel shortage, the MFD hired its first woman employee. Bettie Ford began working as the Department's secretary.
• 1944 (October 1) Edward J. Page becomes Fire Chief.
• 1945 (October) A Fire Prevention Bureau was established to "make the required inspections...as required by law, thereby reducing the fire hazards and the fire loss in the city." Aside from inspection, the bureau would also handle arson investigations, provide community education, and act as a law enforcement organization when warranted.
• 1946 (September) The Police and Fire Commission amended Rule 70: Saluting within Department was abolished.
• 1947 (February) Firefighters began working a 72-hour week; two platoons continued to work 24-hour shifts.
• 1947 (September) The Department received two-way radios allowing communication between dispatch and truck and truck-to-truck. Madison was the first in the nation to have an FM radio transmitter on a very high frequency (153.89 megacycles) designed especially for fire departments.
• 1947 (November) A third Madison firefighter lost his life in the line of duty. Assistant Chief Patrick Brown suffered a heart attack while at a rooming house fire. Chief Brown was a 41-year veteran of the MFD.
• 1949 Work to convert an auxiliary truck into Madison's first rescue squad was completed.

1950 – 1960s

• 1951 (January) Firefighters began working a 67-hour week; two platoons continued to work 24-hour shifts.
• 1955 (February) Firefighters began working a 63-hour week; two platoons continued to work 24-hour shifts.
• 1962 (January) Five firefighters were promoted to become the first full-time fire dispatchers. The alarm, radio dispatch, and switch board operations were handled at Station No. 1.
• 1962 (Summer) Through the pioneer efforts of Dr. Carl Siebecker of the UW Hospital and the Dane County Medical Association, firefighters were trained in heart massage techniques along with resuscitation.
• 1963 (July 1) Ralph A. McGraw becomes Fire Chief.
• 1963 (July) To aid in fire prevention, the Department began an in-service inspection program where by carrying radios, firefighters were able to make building inspections, yet remain "in-service".
• 1963 A public information and education program was established.
• 1965 (January) The MFD began providing emergency ambulance service to the City of Madison. Ambulances were purchased and operated from Stations 1, 8, and 9.
• 1966 (January) The department switched to a three-platoon system. Firefighters no longer worked 24 hours per day; instead they worked split-shifts with 11-hour days and 13-hour nights to create a 56-hour work week.
• 1966 (January 8) Firefighter Daniel P. Parkinson was killed while fighting a fire in the apartments above the Sergenian's Carpet Store at 227 State Street. Parkinson was the fourth Madison firefighter to die in the line of duty.
• 1967 (January) The department abandoned split-shifts and returned to 24-hour shifts. Three platoons continued to work 56-hour weeks.
• 1967 (August) In an effort to attract and retain the most qualified personnel, a Police and Fire Incentive Program began. Extra compensation is awarded to employees who pursue a college education or job related training.
• 1968 Station No.1 on West Dayton replaced Central Fire Station on South Webster Street. An Administration Building housing the Fire Prevention Division, a new dispatch center, and administrative chiefs, was built at 325 West Johnson Street behind Station No. 1.
• 1969 (February-March) After the City Common Council voted against parity between firefighter and police pay, on March 27, the firefighters union (Local 311) went on strike. This was the first Madison municipal group to go out on strike and the action was illegal. On March 28, schools were cancelled due to the strike and seven MFD administrators continued operating a 'fire department'. Fifty-two hours after the strike began, on March 30, an agreement was reached and firefighters returned to stations. A return to "normal" did not follow immediately. Sparring between the MFD Administration, Local 311, the Police and Fire Commission, and the City Council remained in the headlines for nearly two years.

1970s

• 1972 The MFD participated in a federally funded program to train paramedics through the University of Wisconsin Hospital.
• 1974 (January) The first civilian "Alarm Operators" (dispatchers) were hired.
• 1974 (April 26) Eldon E. Maginnis is appointed Fire Chief.
• 1974 (June) The work week dropped to the present 48 hours; firefighters continued to use a three-platoon system with 24-hour shifts.
• 1974 (August) Madison hired its first black firefighters: Johnny Jackson, Jeff Green, and Jerry Greene.
• 1976 (January 6) A Police and Fire Arson Squad was created to tackle problems associated with Arson.
• 1976 (January) Dr. Marvin Birnbaum was appointed Medical Director of the paramedic program.
• 1977 The National Apprenticeship and Training Committee awarded "Professional Journeyman Firefighter" certificates to MFD personnel who were the first firefighters in the nation to complete the recommended standards.
• 1978 Madison hired its first female firefighters: Marcia Holtz and Mary Freitag. They were released and rehired in 1980.
• 1979 (August) Edward D. Durkin is appointed Fire Chief.
• 1979 (October) Madison's Fire and Police Departments were awarded grant money for the establishments of a "Madison Area Arson Control Program."

1980 – 1990s

• 1980 Jerry Anderson and Cecil Hendricks were appointed the Department's first full-time fire/arson investigators.
• 1980 (April) A Public Education unit was created.
• 1980 Smoke detectors were required in all new housing construction and for existing oneor two-family homes within 30 days of occupancy by a new buyer.
• 1981 A Children & Fire Program (also known as Juvenile Firesetters) began.
• 1983 A MFD Lake Rescue Team was formally introduced.
• 1985 Oliver Olson became the last firefighter to serve as a MFD mechanic and civilians have staffed the Maintenance Bureau since that time.
• 1985 (October 1) Earle G. Roberts is appointed Fire Chief.
• 1987 (June) The department's new Hazardous Materials Incident Team was formally placed into service.
• 1988 (July) Madison Area Technical College began training at their new firefighter training facility at 1750 Pearson Street. Students included potential Madison recruits.
• 1989 (January 25) A county-wide "911" emergency dispatch system was officially "put on the line" at 10:30 am. The MFD's civilian dispatchers were hired by the county and dispatching services within the Department were eliminated.

1990s

• 1996 Debra H. Amesqua is appointed Fire Chief. Chief Amesqua was the first woman to hold this position in Madison and, at the time of her appointment, was one of only seven women Chiefs among the 32,000 Fire Departments in the Country.
• 1996 Created the annual “Safety Saturday” event on the Capital Square.
• 1996 Created HazMat outreach programs informing surrounding communities of the MFD's capabilities in dealing with emergency hazardous materials incidents.
• 1996 Implemented New World reporting system
• 1997 Deletion of any Fire Lieutenant and Fire Inspector position assigned to Fire Prevention Division and creation of noncommissioned position of Fire Code Enforcement Officer 3.
• 1997 Relocated and constructed a new Station #7.
• 1999 Developed a financial tracking system.
• 1999 Automated the Daily Activity Report (DAR) on a specifically-tailored Microsoft Access Database Platform. (1999-2001)

2000s

• 2001 Implementation of mileage charge for ambulance conveyance and increase of $25 for the resident and non-resident ambulance fees.
• 2001 Implementation of a plan review and an inspection fee.
• 2001 Incorporated a fourth Ladder Company into our fleet.
• 2003 Madison Fire Department accepted a donation of a “Sparky” costume to enhance community and fire safety education.
• 2004 7th Ambulance put in service.
• 2004 Implemented a fire safety program called Safety Town.
• 2004 Fire Prevention implemented a “Fire Safety Obstacle Course” which was used in Madison Schools during Fire Prevention Month.
• 2004 Advanced Life Support (ALS) Pilot Program was implemented.
• 2005 Implemented a new EMS and Fire Reporting System.
• 2005 Station No. 11 opened August 2005.
• 2005 Purchased fire behavior simulators (Flashover, Backdraft & Fire Attack).
• 2005 Developed Fireground Safety & Awareness.
• 2006 Ambulance at Station 4 was placed in service on Fridays and Saturdays during the UW Football Season due to the increased volume of calls generated during football games.
• 2006 IAFF Diversity Initiative report ranks the City of Madison Fire Department #1 in a national survey of fire departments for diversity in hiring.
• 2006 MFD places pet oxygen masks on all City ambulances. Masks were purchased from private donations.
• 2006 Creation of the Peer Fitness Trainers.
• 2007 Began using new program called Fireview. Fireview is a mapping and data analysis system.
• 2007 Development of the TEMS team (Tactical Emergency Medical Service Team).
• 2007 Purchased a 911 simulator and a fire extinguisher simulator for teaching and training purposes through a grant awarded to Community Education Unit.
• 2008 A County-wide set of protocols was adopted for all Advanced Life Support (ALS) Agencies in Dane County in 2008.
• 2008 Fire Safe Cigarettes law passed in April 2008.
• 2008 MFD marks 100th year anniversary as a fully paid career fire department (July 1, 1908 MFD became a fully paid department).
• 2008 Fire Station 5 was remodeled.
• 2008 iStan patient simulation program was purchased and implemented.
• 2009 The Common Council approved a comprehensive smoke alarm ordinance.
• 2009 Fire Station 12 opened in August and receives LEED Platinum certification.
• 2009 Elevator Inspection Program began in April 2009.
• 2009 The December 9 blizzard was the first activation of the City's Emergency Operations Center for an emergency event.
• 2009 A bariatric unit was installed on Reserve Medic 63. The unit consists of a larger stretcher with greater load capacity, a set of ramps, and a winch device.

2010s

• 2010 Peter's Story, a documentary about the namesake of the City's Smoke Alarm Ordinance premieres.
• 2010 More than 5,000 smoke alarms installed in more than 800 homes as part of two federal grants awarded following the City's passage of a new smoke alarm ordinance.
• 2010 Eighth ambulance went into service April 4, 2010.
• 2010 On November 1, an additional Ladder Company was placed in service to create a double company on Madison's west side. This double company is located at Station 7 which now houses an Engine Company, Ladder Company and a Medic unit.
• 2011 MFD relocated the Hazardous Materials Team from Fire Station 6 to Fire Station 7.
• 2011 MFD relocated the Heavy Urban Rescue Team from Station 4 to Station 8.
• 2011 UW Simulations Center opened. Four MFD medics were the first EMS providers to train at the simulation center.
• 2011 Developed and implemented an Apparatus Engineer Program which established 62 engine and 18 aerial acting drivers.
• 2011 Conducted a Fire Operations Exercise for UW ER Residents.
• 2011 Developed a Safety and Survival Week program which included fire company drills.
• 2011 Community Education Unit developed and delivered new curriculum The Use of 911 and Careless Cooking.
• 2012 Steven A. Davis was appointed Fire Chief.
• 2012 Implemented new fire inspection software (ACCELA).
• 2012 Fire Station 2 was remodeled.
• 2012 Community Education Officers were cross-trained to perform Fire Code Enforcement duties.
• 2012 Development of Human Relations Steering Committees to promote a cohesive and innovative environment that builds and strengthens relationships within the Department.
• 2012 Introduced the MFD Fitness Challenge
• 2012 Implemented a new Recruitment Coordinator position.
• 2013 ImageTrend patient and fire reporting software was implemented.
• 2013 Introduced EMS Bike Unit
• 2013 Mini ambulance was put into service
• 2013 Fire Administrative Offices moved from 325 W. Johnson St. to 30 W. Mifflin St.
• 2013 Implemented new CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system.
• 2013 Madison Fire takes over Fire, EMS, and fire code inspections in the Village of Shorewood Hills (October 1).
• 2013 Facilitated the construction of a new Fire Safety House.
• 2014 Fire Station 13 opened on June 2, 2014.
• 2014 New Management Information Specialist position
• 2014 New Accounting Technician position
• 2015 MFD introduces PulsePoint, a lifesaving telephone app that alerts the public to nearby cardiac arrests with the intention of getting chest compressions going before EMTs and paramedics arrive.
• 2015 Fire Administration and Fire Station 1 personnel move to W. Dayton Street following the completion of Fire Station 1.
• 2015 The MFD launches its Mobile Integrated Health program, also known as Community Paramedicine.
• 2016 Madison Fire takes over EMS and fire service for the Town of Blooming Grove, as well as EMS for the Town of Burke (January)
• 2016 The MFD's Heavy Urban Rescue Team assists in a 16-hour search for three missing boys inside the Neda Iron Ore Mine in Iron Ridge, WI (July 10). All three were rescued safely.
• 2017 The MFD Heavy Urban Rescue Team is dispatched to an explosion at Didion Milling Company in Cambria, WI (May 31). MFD's HURT saved the life of one patient trapped under a collapsed concrete wall. The explosion was found to be caused by corn dust.
• 2017 MFD introduces a 24-hour captain shift that follows the same schedule rotation as the fire/EMS crews. Captains focus on training, operations, can respond to emergencies, and can serve as fire investigators.
• 2017 MFD responds to an explosion that levels a home on Stratton Way (September 13). Investigators determined the explosion was intentionally set, and one deceased victim of homicide was found in the rubble. The perpetrator, who was the victim's husband, was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree intentional homicide.
• 2017 Dr. Megan Gussick is named Madison Fire Department's Medical Director, providing ongoing medical education of all Madison Fire EMTs and paramedics.
• 2018 The department is rocked by the unexpected and untimely death of Firefighter/Paramedic Richard Garner (April 1), who died at the age of 29 just hours after returning off-duty from a 48-hour shift. He had most recently served from Fire Station 10 on the north side. His death is considered a Line Of Duty Death.
• 2018 MFD announces the launch of its Peer Support Initiative.This program serves as a confidential, supportive resource for first responders coping after a critical incident or during a personal or professional crisis. MFD personnel can turn to any member of the MFD Peer Support Initiative to be connected to the appropriate resources for the individual's specific needs. This program launched in the summer of 2018.
• 2018 MFD provides Mutual Aid to the City of Sun Prairie following a natural gas-related explosion that leveled several downtown buildings and claimed the life of Sun Prairie Fire Captain Cory Barr (July 10).
• 2018 Historic rainfalls on August 20 require the services of MFD in a multitude of capacities. MFD rescued several people from submerged vehicles, assisted with the evacuation of residents from an unsafe senior housing building on the west side, and the Lake Rescue Team conducted an overnight search for a man swept away in a flash flood in the area of Greentree-Chapel Hill Public Park. His body was recovered the following morning. Subsequent to the storm, the City saw historic flooding of Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The City activated an Emergency Operations Center within an hour of the onset of flooding and were prepared with an Incident Action Plan for a response and evacuation should the Tenney Dam have failed. The EOC remained active for at more than a month following the August 20th storm.
• 2018 Fire Station 14 opens on the City's far southeast side (December 27), filling a service gap in the area where response times were double the national standard. Station 14 is also the home of MFD's first-ever Advanced Life Support Engine, which is staffed by a dedicated paramedic every day to provide ALS-level emergency medical care until an ambulance arrives on scene.
• 2019 An explosion and subsequent fire at MGE's Blount Street and East Campus Mall substations occurs on the hottest day of the year, leaving some sectors of downtown Madison without power. The East Campus Mall fire was extinguished within moments of MFD's response; however, the Blount Street fire proved much more challenging due to its size and scope. Truax Fire provided mutual aide.
• 2019 The department switches to a new brand of firefighting foam shown in independent tests to be PFAS-free.

2020s

• 2020 The new Fire Investigation Team (FIT) becomes the fourth special team on the department, based at Fire Station 11. Investigations went from a three-person division working 40 hours per week to a 21-member team covering three shifts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• 2020 As an historic pandemic swept across the globe, the Madison Fire Department was among the lead agencies assisting with the City of Madison's local emergency response. Efforts included the acquisition of additional and/or specialized PPE to protect first responders against the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. New protocols were developed, such as the temporary suspension of administering aerosolized medications which could facilitate the spread of COVID-19. An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated by the City on March 9, 2020 to support the City's COVID-19 response and remained active for the remainder of the year. The EOC also supported MFD and Madison Police during their response to civil unrest that occurred downtown in the summer months.
• 2020 The Lake Rescue Team upgrades to a new airboat, "Yapper," on September 28, named in honor of retired Lake Rescue Team leader Craig Yapp.
• 2020 Engine 10 and Medic 10 (B-shift) make a heroic rescue at the boat launch at Warner Park, where a vehicle was found sinking in the water. The crew ran into the water and rescued one person from the sinking vehicle and began providing lifesaving care upon bringing her back to shore. The MFD Lake Rescue Team performed an underwater search to confirm there were no other victims in the vehicle. The patient who was rescued survived the incident thanks to Engine 10 and Medic 10's swift and selfless acts.
• 2020 Effective November 1, 2020, the Madison Fire Department expanded its fire protection and fire prevention services to the Town of Madison. Two firefighters from the Town of Madison Fire Department were hired on to the City of Madison Fire Department.
• 2020 The Madison Fire Department acquires its first tractor-drawn aerial tiller ladder in four decades. Based at Fire Station 1, the tiller went into service on December 1, 2020.
• 2021 MFD becomes home to the nation's first electric municipal fire engine in service in North America. The Pierce Volterra began responding to calls from Fire Station 8 on Madison's east side on June 8, 2021.
• 2021 MFD launches the CARES (Community Alternative Response Emergency Services) program to respond to behavioral health emergencies occurring in the central district on weekdays between 11 AM and 8 PM.
• 2021 Fire Chief Steven Davis announces plans to retire in 2022 after serving ten years in the role.
• 2021 The department records a total of 102 positive cases of COVID-19 within its ranks since the first positive case on March 24, 2020. There were 411 people employed by the MFD as of December 2021.
• 2022 The department becomes the first such department in Wisconsin to be licensed to provide Community EMS (CEMS).
• 2022 Fire Chief Steven Davis retires, and Chief Chris Carbon is sworn in as Fire Chief on April 1, 2022.
• 2022 In July, CARES adds a second team consisting of a community paramedic and crisis worker, making the behavioral health emergency response service available citywide on weekdays from 8 AM to 8 PM.