The Alexandria Fire Department holds a special place in the history of The City of Alexandria. Founded in 1774, it counts George Washington among its early members. The first paid professional firefighters were hired in 1855.
Today, the department employs more than 250 professional personnel, which include firefighters, paramedics, fire prevention staff and administrative support. A network of nine stations protects 15 square miles. Among the department’s specialized teams are the Northern Virginia Regional Hazardous Materials Team, Technical Rescue, Marine Operations and the Special Operations Team.
Alexandria also has a volunteer organization, the Alexandria Volunteer Fire Department (AVFD). The AVFD has served the citizens of our fine City for more than two hundred years. AVFD members provide assistance in the areas of firefighting, emergency medical services, communications, canteen and administration.
Members of the Alexandria Fire Department are dedicated to our Community, Our Profession and Each Other. We Value:
The Alexandria Fire Department held a ceremony on the evening of January 24 to thank the City Council, City Manager and Department of Homeland Security for their support and assistance in bringing four of Alexandria's eight fire engines up to the National Fire Protection Association's nationally recognized standard of four-person staffing. The ceremony held at Fire Station 201 in Old Town was attended by Vice Mayor Kerry Donley, Councilman Frank H. Fannon, Councilman Rob Krupicka, Councilwoman Redella S. "Del" Pepper, and City Manager Rashad M. Young, and was celebrated as a first step to bringing the Alexandria Fire Department up to Nationally recognized minimum staffing levels.
The winter months are here. As the mercury begins to dip, some families, struggling to stay warm, will turn on the kitchen stove burners and the oven in an effort to take the chill off of their home. What these families don’t realize is how dangerous this practice can be. A gas oven or range top should never be used for heating. A fire could start and poisonous carbon monoxide (CO) fumes could fill the home. Any fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, space or portable heaters), generators and chimneys can produce carbon monoxide.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) there is an increased risk of dying in a home fire during the winter season. December, January and February are generally the deadliest months for fire.
The Alexandria Fire Department has begun the distribution of 1000 smoke and combination smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarms to residents of the City of Alexandria as a result of a partnership with the Institute of Fire Engineers through a grant by the Department of Homeland Security Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program. The Alexandria Fire Department has received 500 ten year Lithium powered smoke alarms, 400 combination smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms, and 100 smoke alarms for the hearing impaired. The Department will provide and install these alarms free of charge to City residents. To request an alarm, contact Mr. Doug Townshend at 703.746.5274. Certain restriction apply.
The Alexandria Fire Department has announced the promotions of sixteen employees to fire officer positions. Four Battalion Chiefs and twelve Lieutenants were notified of their promotions over the past week. These individuals will assume new leadership roles within the Department and continue its mission of meeting today’s challenges and those of the future.
At 5:48pm, fire department units from Alexandria, assisted by Arlington and Fairfax County fire departments, were dispatched to a possible structure fire. The 911 call reported an abandoned house in the 5300 block of Polk Avenue was on fire. First arriving units found a three story house with a significant portion of the structure on fire as well as spreading into the woods.
Alexandria Firefighters, assisted by firefighters from Fairfax County extinguished a fire on a second floor balcony of a garden apartment building in the 200 block of South Pickett Street. At 2:41pm fire units were dispatched for a structure fire in the 200 block of South Pickett Street. First arriving firefighters reported heavy smoke and flames showing from a second floor balcony of a garden apartment complex. A second alarm was requested to assist in extinguishing the fire.
At 11:31 am, units from the Alexandria, Fairfax, Arlington, and the Washington Metropolitan Airport Authority fire departments responded to 501 Slater's Lane for a report of smoke coming from an apartment on the 12th floor. First arriving firefighters encountered smoke conditions on the 12th floor and requested a second alarm for additional resources. Upon gaining access to the fire apartment, firefighters discovered a fire in a large plastic trash bin in the living room. The fire was quickly extinguished and the second alarm units were returned.
The apartment was undergoing renovations and was unoccupied. Investigators determined the cause of the fire to be accidental due to improper disposal of smoking products in the trash bin. There were no reported injuries in the incident. Damage to the apartment was reported as under $3,000.
At 2:27pm, the Alexandria Fire Department responded to an auto accident with a report of a trapped person in the 3600 block of Russell Road. Two vehicles were involved in a motor vehicle accident, one of them overturned with a patient inside. That patient was extricated from the overturned vehicle which took approximately 15 minutes to complete. The patient was transported by ground to an area hospital in stable condition. A second patient on the scene refused treatment. The 3600 block of Russell Road remained closed for an additional 45 minutes after the fire department cleared the scene for cleanup. The cause of the accident is under investigation by the Alexandria Police Department.
To learn more about the operation and functions of the Alexandria Fire Department, we invite you to spend some time browsing through our web site. Not only will you find numerous "links of information" but a breakdown and explanation of the services we provide. There is something for everyone -- from safety tips for kids to adult educational topics. Have fun! And remember, "Be fire safe, NOT a fire statistic."
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