STATION 1 PHOTOS

Station Location: 707 Reserve Street

Station Call Letters: WPJW144

Units in Quarters: Engine 1, Brush 1, Dive 1, Battalion 1, Dive 2, ATV 1

The whole history of the Boise Fire Department begins with a Station 1. On January 24, 1876, 28 men joined as volunteers to found the first fire department in Boise. They became known as the Boise City Fire Company. The firehouse was located on Main Street. It was an old blacksmith shop belonging to a George Stilz. It had two stalls, one of which held the Silsby steamer engine, which arrived in 1879. Much remodeling of the blacksmith shop was done to make the fire hall a splendid building, consisting of a two-inch floor, a ramp extending to the street, a partition in the middle, and a room for the watchman in the rear. In June, 1876, a bell was ordered and a bell tower constructed. However, by 1880, the bell had become virtually useless by becoming cracked and not loud enough to be heard by the volunteers. A newer, heavier bell was ordered and placed in the tower in June, 1880, of much better quality sound than the previous one. On September 23, 1883, though, the firehouse met disaster as it burned to the ground.

Temporary quarters were made in another old blacksmith shop located at the corner of Ninth Street and Main Street. A new brick firehouse was constructed at the site of the old firehouse. The new firehouse was a two-story structure. It was named City Hall, due to the large meeting rooms located upstairs. In 1889, the building was renamed "Central Fire Station".

In 1893, a brick two-story structure was built on the Idaho Street side of Eighth Street and Idaho Street.

In 1902, a two-story structure was planned and built on the corner of Sixth and Idaho Streets. The structure was a simple rectangular building measuring 76 feet by 74 feet. However, the list of improvements included seven stalls for the horses and apparatus, a chief's room, a toilet, and a bath room. The second story had the firemen's quarters. A hay and grain loft to feed the horses was located in the rear of the second story. The total cost of the construction of the new firehouse was $9820. The station was named "Central Fire Station" and boasted a spectacular 68-foot square bell tower. The structure is still standing, though no longer used as a fire house. In May, 1902, the volunteer era ended. Boise started a full paid professional fire fighting department.

In 1961, an alarm and office building was built behind the Central fire station. Also during the 1960's, mutual aid agreements were signed with the Whitney, Cole, Collister, VA Administration Hospitals, Triangle Dairy, and Bannock Steel fire departments.

In 1970, as the need for larger apparatus and the need for larger quarters for them, the city built a new fire station number 1 at 707 Reserve Street. This is the present location of that station. The administration offices were moved to the current U.S. Bank building.

Station 1 Apparatus

ENGINE 1 is a 2003 Spartan/Boise Mobile Equipment (BME) 1500 gpm pumper. The chassis is a Spartan Gladiator FF series chassis with a cab that seats four. There is additional seating for two forward-facing passengers in the rear section by means of two fold-down seats (these can't be used when responding to fire calls, as there is no SCBA attached to them).  The body is built by Boise Mobile Equipment. It has a 500 gallon tank and Hale pump. It is powered by a 400 hp Detroit diesel engine and has a complement of lighting by Federal Signal. It was the first of four new Spartan/BME engines to go into service. Other specifications are as follows: Top-mount pump and speedlays 42,500 lb. gross vehicle weight rating Allison EVS automatic transmission Air brakes with Anti-lock (ABS) braking system Aluminum body Rescue style compartments Roll-up doors by ROM Slide-out vertical tool boards Stainless steel pump panel Hale QMAX pump Hale 5.0 foam system 30-gallon foam tank 270-amp Leece Neville alternator

BRUSH 1: 2006 FORD F550/BOISE MOBILE MANUFACTURING Waterous pump Pac-Rac poly water tank 1 inch front trash/grass pump and roll line

DIVE 1 is a Ford E-Series dive rescue unit which tows the dive boat.  This unit went into service in the spring of 2009.

DIVE 2 is a Jet Ski towed by the Chevrolet Suburban that had once been Battalion 3.  The Jet Ski is used for patrolling the river during the float season and for rapid access to areas where Dive 1's boat can't reach.

Battalion 1 is a 2009 Ford Expedition command vehicle.

ATV 1 is the former dive team rig, a converted ambulance, which tows an ATV. The unit is used for areas in which a full rig or full-sized four-wheel drive vehicle is unable to make it. This is usually on bike and hiking trails in the Boise foothills area, but has also been used in remote areas outside of the city limits.