Seattle Fire Department

The Seattle Fire Department is the fire department of the city of Seattle.

History

Skyscraper Fire

One of the toughest calls in the department's history was that of the skyscraper fire in downtown Seattle, requiring the help of numerous stations.

Ripley's Death

The majority of the SFD gathered for the procession and funeral of universally beloved Fire Chief Ripley. Afterwards, people from all stations attended the wake at a bar.

Ranks

Fire Cadet

Fire cadet is a trainee rank for firefighter recruits undergoing training at the fire academy. Cadets receive comprehensive classroom instruction and hands-on, drill-intensive training in firefighting techniques and equipment use.

Firefighter

Firefighters are the fully trained hands-on personnel of the fire department. They are charged with saving lives and protecting property through emergency medical response services, fire suppression, protection and prevention services, special operations and technical rescue response services, and other services and activities. Firefighters are trained to use the fire department's resources and equipment including the Engine Companies and Ladder Companies. Unique to the Seattle Fire Department, all firefighters are also fully trained and certified as EMTs. As such, any firefighter within a firehouse can be assigned to an aid car as easily as they can be assigned to an Engine Company or Ladder Company apparatus.

Probationary firefighters or "probies" are the newest firefighters assigned to a station. They are typically recent graduates of the fire academy. As such, they are often under close supervision of more senior firefighters, including lieutenant(s), and the captain. However, the term can also apply to demoted higher-ranking officers within the Fire Department when they are stripped of their ranks as a disciplinary measure. Probies are assigned more of the grunt work within a firehouse. As part of the hierarchy within a fire station, probies are not allowed to drive on the aid car unit, ladder company apparatus, or engine company apparatus; said driving privileges have to be earned.

Fire Lieutenant

Fire Lieutenants are firefighters who have been promoted to an officer and this is the lowest-ranking officer within the department. They serve as shift supervisors for all firefighting personnel and equipment at their respective firehouses and are the second-in-command within a firehouse. Often they are the "right-hand" man or woman who assist the fire captain and lead units on a call under their captain's direction. Should the captain become unavailable, lieutenants fill in as acting captain.

Fire Captain

Fire Captains are the highest ranking officers within the department and are responsible for directing and assisting their subordinates during a call. Fire Captains are responsible for the welfare and performance of the firefighting personnel in each firehouse as well as the maintenance of the fire equipment and assets. They are the overall manager of the firehouse and are usually present during premium shifts. Captains are appointed and assigned by their battalion chiefs and approved by the fire chief after rigorous training and evaluation.

Fire Battalion Chief

Fire Battalion Chiefs are firefighter-officers that are the highest ranking officers within the department. Fire Battalion Chiefs are commanding officers who are responsible for responding to all major incidents and commanding and controlling all firehouses and the assigned firefighting personnel and equipment within an assigned Battalion or area, which can have 20 or more firehouses. Fire Battalion Chiefs can conduct site visits to these firehouses and can decide which firehouse they choose as their Headquarters. They are responsible for appointing, assigning, and training captains, lieutenants, and other personnel in their assigned area.

Fire Chief

The Fire Chief is the highest ranked commanding officer within the fire department. The Fire Chief serves as the overall authority and executive management of all firefighting personnel and equipment management as well as overseeing all activities of firefighting and Safety including safety education initiatives, fire protection, suppression, and prevention services, hazardous materials response services, special operations and technical rescue services, and emergency medical response services along with other services. The Fire Chief is appointed usually by and answers to the mayor and/or the city council.

Known Employees

Current

Seattle Fire Chief

• Andy Herrera

Battalion Chiefs

• Hal - Battalion 28
• Battalion Chief Frankel - Unknown battalion, comprising 20 stations
• Battalion Chief Jerry Cooke - Unknown battalion
• Battalion Chief Gregory - Unknown battalion
• Battalion Chief Sato - Unknown battalion

Station 7

• Unnamed Captain
• Lieutenant Cole Edmonds
• Arnett/Izzy Packing
• Lieutenant John Maddox
• Dan Barnes

Station 12

• Lieutenant Charlotte Dearborn

Station 15

• Firefighter Walden
• Firefighter Greene
• Firefighter Ceasia
• Firefighter Sutley
• Unnamed firefighter

Station 19

• Captain Maya DeLuca-Bishop
• Pruitt Arike Miller-Warren
• Maritza Zamora
• Matthew Richards

Station 23 (closed, list reflects known firefighters as of the last day it was open)

• Captain Pat Aquino
• Lieutenant Theo Ruiz
• Lieutenant Andy Herrera
• Lieutenant John Maddox
• Dan Barnes
• Deja Duval
• David Mayhorn
• Firefighter Sam
• Mahlia
• Unnamed firefighter

Station 42

• Captain Ted Conlin
• Lieutenant Cook
• Anderson
• Lee
• Galarza
• Henderson

Station 46

• Firefighter Yancy
• Ullman

Station 88

• Captain Khalidi
• Firefighter James
• Askey
• Hellerstein
• Brown
• Lieutenant Lucas Ripley (formerly)
• Robert Sullivan (formerly)

Unknown stations

• Brian
• Johnny
• Charlotte
• John Finch
• Roy Mackinaw
• Deja Duval
• Nate
• Unnamed Former 42 Captain (quit, died, or moved)
• Captain Carroll (was captain of Station 23)
• Eliza Meacham
• Bill Meacham

West Seattle Fire Academy

• Lieutenant Glazier

Fire Investigation Unit

• Captain Vinnie

Head of Public Affairs

• Ari Lan

Medical Plaza

• Gloria
• Dr. Diane Lewis

Former Firefighters

Deceased

• Holden McKee
• Michael Cooper Williams
• Casey
• Fire Chief Lucas Ripley
• Rigo Vasquez
• Pruitt Herrera
• Dean Miller
• Lieutenant Cooper
• Kate Powell

Retired

• Captain Lawrence
• Charlie Irwin
• Snuffy Souza
• Fire Chief McCallister

Quit/Fired

• Fire Chief Michael Dixon
• Emmett Dixon
• Jack Gibson
• Victoria Hughes
• Travis Montgomery

Unknown

• Sean Beckett
• Firefighter Cutler
• Firefighter Larsson
• Firefighter Kline
• Firefighter Wiggins
• Russell
• Butler
• Bennett

Known Stations

A map showcasing Station 19's territory in relation to its neighboring stations' territories.

• Station 4: One of the neighboring stations to Station 19, its territory located North of Station 19's.
• Station 7: One of the fire stations that responded to the skyscraper fire. Their lieutenant Cole Edmonds was in the running to become Captain at Station 19. Its territory is further North to Station 19's than Station 4.
• Station 12: Lieutenant Charlotte Dearborn was also in the running for Captain.
• Station 15: Station 15's territory is located to the Southeast of Station 19's.
• Station 19: The best station of SFD. It sets the bar for other stations.
• Station 23: A notoriously slow station located close to Station 19. Station 19 once came across a crash site and stopped to help out since Station 23 wasn't there yet. Maya was initially going to become Lieutenant there. Victoria briefly had a sexual relationship with one of the firefighters there. Its territory is located to the Northeast of Station 19's.
• Station 42: A station located close to Station 19. They once handled a call together with Station 19. Later, they responded to a fire at a coffee processing plant and called Station 19 for backup. They also responded to the L.A. wildfire and came by Station 19 to pick up supplies.
• Station 46: A station located far from station 19. They responded to the fire at the Firefighter's Ball when other stations were occupied by a four-alarm fire.
• Station 54: The station where Theo Ruiz was captain and Michael Williams worked until Michael's death and Theo's subsequent demotion. Their former Captain, Kennedy, was promoted to Battalion Chief.
• Station 66: One of the fire stations that responded to the coffee plant fire.
• Station 71: One of the fire stations that responded to the skyscraper fire.
• Station 88: One of the fire stations of SFD. Fifteen years before the start of the series, Lucas Ripley was a lieutenant there. Robert Sullivan also worked at that station at the time. They were called to a scene along with Station 19 and then-Captain Herrera complained they arrived late. In present day, they also responded to the fire at the coffee plant.

West Seattle Fire Academy

Andy and Maya's graduation ceremony.

Aspiring firefighters in Seattle follow a tough training at the West Seattle Fire Academy. Often, strong friendships are formed during the hard times and remain intact throughout the firefighters' careers, for example Andy Herrera and Maya Bishop as well as Jack Gibson and Dean Miller, and Theo Ruiz and Michael Williams.

Instructors

• Robert Sullivan (former)

Cadets

• Kathleen Noonan
• Laura (dropped out)

Medic One

Medic One is a special program run by the Seattle Fire Department that trains firefighters to provide pre-hospital basic and advanced life support. The fact that they are allowed to start advanced life support sets them apart from regular firefighters, who are also qualified EMTs in Seattle. It's often viewed as an elite program as only the very best manage to get in. Ben Warren studied to get in, but was denied due to his history of going rogue. Given the medical nature of the program, Richard Webber once mentioned it would be eligible to qualify as a fellowship.

Employees

• Shireen Varma

Crisis One

In response to the growing incidence of police violence, Dean Miller developed a program he called Crisis One, funded by money from the settlement he received after suing the police department for being wrongfully arrested. The program was designed to respond to non-violent calls instead of police. Responders are trained in de-escalation and non-violent conflict resolution. Dean asked Vic to help him, as he knew she was good with people. ("Phoenix from the Flame") He also tapped Emmett as a civilian responder. ("Can't Feel My Face") When a multi-car accident meant they were unable to respond to a call and police were sent instead, Dean decided the program needed to be immediately expanded to include more personnel so they could respond to more calls. ("Too Darn Hot")

Black Firefighters Coalition of Seattle

There is a coalition of the Black firefighters in the Seattle Fire Department. They have an annual banquet on a sunset cruise. Judging by the shown attendees of the 2020 banquet, there are around 40 members of the Coalition.

Notes and Trivia

• A somewhat unique characteristic for the Seattle Fire Department is the fact that all firefighters are required to complete an EMT training, meaning all firefighters are also qualified EMTs.
• The department organizes peer groups where troubled firefighters come together to talk about tough calls. Lucas Ripley, Travis Montgomery and Victoria Hughes attended at least once after the skyscraper fire.
• While the uniforms, gear and vehicles shown in Station 19 are true to the real versions of the SFD, the locations in the show and station and battalion numbers are entirely fictional.
  • For example, Station 19 does not exist. The exterior used for Station 19 is actually the real Station 20. The set was modelled after that station. In reality, Station 20 only has an engine company and no ladder company or aid car unit.
• As with Station 19, the other mentioned stations so far (7, 12, 23, 42, 71, and 88) do not exist in reality.
• According to Jack Gibson, the Fire Department sees about seven babies per year who are left at fire stations around the city.