Fonds RG-70 - City of Edmonton. Edmonton Fire Department fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

City of Edmonton. Edmonton Fire Department fonds

General material designation

  • Textual record
  • Graphic material - photograph

Parallel title

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Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on name of creator.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

CA EDM RG-70

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • 1892 - 1997, predominant 1942 - 1994 (Creation)
    Creator
    Edmonton Fire Department

Physical description area

Physical description

13 m of textual records. - 304 photographs

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

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Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1906 - 1992)

Administrative history

The Fire Department was first formed in 1892 through Bylaw 17: A Bylaw to Establish a Fire Department. The bylaw provided for a fire department composed of a Fire Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief, and any number of members deemed necessary to provide fire protection in Edmonton. The Chairman of the Fire, Water and Light Committee controlled a register in which the names of members of the Brigade were written. The Chief and Assistant Chief were elected by members of the brigade and ratified by Council. The Chief was responsible for all apparatus, for organizing the brigade into companies, and had the power to dismiss brigade members for certain infractions. The Companies were led by Captains, who were responsible to the Fire Chief for the work of their unit. All persons at or near a fire were responsible for helping to dowse the flames. In April 1906 the Fire Department went from a volunteer system to a paid system. Initially it was overseen by the Engineer’s Department, however by 1914, the time of the first available City organizational chart, the Fire Department was shown as an independent administrative section.

A 1952 organization chart for the City lists the responsibilities of the Fire Department as: “Operation of City fire equipment to extinguish fires in the City; installation and maintenance of fire alarm and traffic light system; inspection of structures and extinguishing equipment for fire protection; operation, maintenance and repair of fire equipment and vehicles; and maintaining complete accounting records.” By 1975 this had been replaced by a simplified policy “…to provide fire prevention, suppression, and emergency services for the City of Edmonton.” According to a history of the Fire Department written in 1946, the City Ambulance service was operated by the Fire Department prior to its transfer to the Police Department sometime after 1910.

The Fire Department was led by a Fire Chief, who reported directly to a City Commissioner, who in turn reported to City Council. This relationship continued until 1983, when the City Commissioners were replaced by a City Manager. From 1983-1993 the Fire Chief reported to the City Manager.

The Fire Department was dissolved in 1992 when it was combined with the Emergency Medical Services Department to form the Emergency Response Department.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of minutes, reports, correspondence, speeches, log books, scrapbooks and other records relating to the various functions performed by the Edmonton Fire Department.

An order has been imposed on the material. The arrangement includes 7 series. The series are as follows:

  • Series 1: Administrative Records
  • Series 2: Communications
  • Series 3: Correspondence
  • Series 4: Fire Prevention
  • Series 5: Fire Fighting
  • Series 6: Affiliated Organizations
  • Series 7: Reports

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

This material was transferred to the City of Edmonton Archives from various sources between 1973 and 2024.

Arrangement

The photographs were assigned item numbers with the prefix EA-89. Some reports were assigned item numbers with the prefix GP.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

    Location of originals

    Availability of other formats

    Restrictions on access

    These records contain information that is protected in alignment with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act.

    Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

    Copyright may apply.
    Reproduction restrictions may apply.

    Finding aids

    Associated materials

    Accruals

    Further accruals are expected.

    General note

    Accession numbers: A69-120, A71-13, A73-50, A74-41, A75-5, A75-50, A76-62, A76-89, A77-59, A78-19, A80-9, A80-74, A81-139, A82-70, A83-40, A84-56, A85-80,A85-146, A86-124, A86-128, A87-111, A87-135, A88-17, A88-70, A88-85, A89-103, A90-104, A91-89, A93-148, A94-61, A95-128, A97-160, A98-4, A98-59, A2001-89, A2002-103, A2004-23, A2004-57, A2005-46, A2005-140, A2005-172, A2013-160, A2020-39, A2024-53

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Standard number

    Standard number

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    Name access points

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    Control area

    Description record identifier

    Institution identifier

    City of Edmonton Archives

    Rules or conventions

    Rules for Archival Description (RAD)
    Archives Society of Alberta Subject Terms

    Status

    Final

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation, revision and deletion

    Language of description

      Script of description

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        Accession area