Engine
While the different types of firefighting apparatus evolved over time, so did the means of transporting them. Initially, the firefighters themselves would pull carriages filled with water, and tools to the fire. This left them with little or no energy once they arrived on scene, and it quickly became apparent that a new system was necessary.


Engine and hose cart- SFVFD - Engine 13 - 1863 Photo: Charles E. Fennel

Especially noticeable in the evolution of firefighting was the fire engine. In the early 1700s, the first major firefighting advancement occurred: the invention of the hand pumping apparatus. Shipped from England to New York, this type of apparatus allowed a horse drawn carriage to be filled with water, and driven to the scene of the fire. Once there, the firemen would use hand pumps to power water through fire hoses onto a burning structure. This method, while revolutionary, left much to be desired. The apparatus had to be filled by a bucket brigade once a fire alarm sounded, and hand pumping was hard work, leaving many volunteer firemen exhausted before they’d fully put out the fire.


Model of hand pumper     Photo: San Francisco Fire Museum

SFFD Engine 1907


SFFD Engine