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Page 3 ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF FIRE BOATS ON THE DETROIT RIVER by WILLIAM CAHILL Throughout history waterways have facilitated the movement of settlement. Thus many early American cities were built on rivers. The part of any such city that faced the water - tightly packed, waterfront buildings, warehouses and piers - presented a great danger because of the inability of firefighters to attack the fire from the water. Hence was bom the idea of the fireboat. (The firstfireboat in America was launched at New York in 1800.) Working in conjunction with land-based fire companies, fireboats "close-the-circle" around waterfront fires. Detroit being one of those cities founded at an early time in American history because of its accessibility from the Atlantic Ocean, possesses miles of riverfront that must be protected in such a manner. The old Detroit Volunteer Fire Department began when a bucket brigade was formally organized in 1802 to combat the threat of fire. By 1857 twelve privately funded volunteer fire companies provided the bastion against fire in Detroit, a tradition in most American cities since 1736. The expanding city, however, needed more reliable, and more advanced fire protection. The hand-drawn, hand-pumped fire engine, the trademark of the volunteer, was rapidly becoming outdated. Therefore, in 1861, when four horse-drawn, municipally-paid, steam engine companies were firmly in place, the twelve volunteer companies were disbanded. Firefighting was now in The pumps on the fireboat JAMES BATTLE were converted to diesel power in 1936, which was an early feature for fireboats. Dossin Museum Coll.