Knoxville Fire Department Yearbook

1951-1952

"Knoxville Fire Department: Recording 52 Years of Progress"
by Chief C. M. Johnson

"Thirty members constituted the personnel of the Department in 1900. There were three Fire Stations at that time.

"Headquarters Station - In the old M. L. Thompson Livery Stable building on commerce Avenue, were station two Engine Companies and one Aerial Truck Company.

"North Knoxville Company -- Stationed at Central Street and Fourth Avenue.

"West Knoxville Company --- Stationed at Thirteenth Street and Bridge Avenue.

"Present headquarters station was erected in 1904, adjoining the old station. The Department was reorganized in 1905, and 10 additional men were added; also, No. 9 Fire Station was erected on Highland Avenue.

"In 1907 No. 4 Fire Station was erected on the corner of East Clinch and Lithcoe Streets.

"In 1909 No. 5 Station was erected on the corner of McGhee and Arthur Streets, and the personnel of the Department was increased to 68 members.

"In 1912 the Department was placed under Civil Service ruling and thirst Civil Service Examination was held in that year.

"In 1917 the Boundary lines of the City were extended , creating Greater Knoxville Station No. 7, Lonsdale, on New York Avenue, and Station no. 8, Oakwood, on Caldwell Avenue , were erected and the Fire Department was completely motorized.

"In 1918 No. 10 Fire Station, South Knoxville, on Blount Avenue, was erected.

"In 1919 the Double-Platoon System was adopted, doing away with the old system which required firemen to be on duty 24 hours a day, with only one day off in six. It required an additional 25 men to put the new system into operation. This and the new companies brought the total personnel of the Department to 112 men.

"Chief Sam B. Boyd, who had served as Chief of the Department since 1900 died while directing work at a fire at the Knoxville Business College on March 29, 1929. On the same date of his retirement, Assistant Chief C. M. Johnson was promoted to the rank of Chief of the Department.

"In 1929 the present Pension Law for Firemen and Policemen was enacted by the State Legislature; a Drill Tower was erected and a modern Drill School organized; also, many other improvements were made in the operation of the Department. The Chief's office was modernized, both physically and in equipment, and a modern system of records installed. There was only one Fire Prevention Inspector at that time. His office was in the quarters of the Tennessee Inspection Bureau, on Gay Street. An office for the Inspector was arranged at Fire Headquarters and three additional men were added to the Inspection Bureau. An efficient system of making inspections and keeping records was adopted by the Bureau.

"In 1930 No. 11 Station, Zelda Avenue, and No. 12 Station, Kingston Pike, were erected., making a total of 11 Fire Stations and a personnel of 144 men.

"In 1937 a new station was erected at the Junction of Magnolia and McCalla Avenues, and No. 6 Company was then moved from Linden Avenue to this new station.

"In 1949 an Ambulance, equipped with all modern Life-saving Devices, was added to the Department. This unit has proven to be an asset to the Department in our life-saving program.

"In 1950 the old No. 3 Station was abandoned and the Company moved into a new and modern quarter at Lamar and North Fourth Avenue. The department's first battalion district was then established. The new quarters housed an Engine Company, and Aerial Truck Company and the Battalion Chief's 24 men were also added to the Department at this time, brining the total personnel up to 173 men.

"Since 1930 the improved efficiency of the Fire Department has been recognized by the National Board of Fire Underwriters to the extent that the insurance rating has been lowered from 5th class to 3rd class, thereby effecting a saving to policy holders of more than $200,000 annually.

"Knoxville's insurance classifications should be brought down in class No. 2 if certain improvement which are to be recommended in the 1952 budget, are adopted. The major cost will be erection of two new Fire Stations, the purchase of two Pumpers, one Service Aerial Ladder Truck, the addition of 36 men, and approximately $50,000 improvements to our present Alarm System.

"The total cost of the improvements other than salaries of the additional men should not exceed $150,000. The saving on insurance would pay for these improvements in a period of two years.

Knoxville's Fire Department Recognized By

State, Divisional, and International Associations

"The Convention of the Tennessee Firemen's Association was held in Knoxville in 1932, the Convention of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1935, and that of the Southeastern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1938. Chief Sam B. Boyd was President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1924, Chief C. M. Johnson was President of the Tennessee Firemen's Association in 1932, Present of the Southeastern Division of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1938, and A Director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs in 1939, Assistant W. J. Sams was President of the Tennessee Firemen's Association in 1939.

"Statistics given by the National Board of Fire Underwriters show that Knoxville's per capita Fire Loss for the past 21 years has been far below the average fire loss of the other cities and among the 10 lowest of the 96 cities of 100,000 and over in the United States."

Click here for pre-1900 history of Knoxville's Fire and Police Department

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