Baton Rouge Fire Department holds 200 years of history

(BATON ROUGE, La) — Before the Baton Rouge Fire Department became what it is today, it first was the Baton Rouge Bucket Company 200 years ago in 1825.

94 citizens living in the city came together to form the Bucket Company to fight local fires in their area. Now there are 19 stations in East Baton Rouge Parish fighting fires, responding to medical calls, and being on scene for accidents.

Privates work a 24 hour shift while at the station building community with their team, training, and responding to incoming calls.

“It’s pretty cool working at an old station. you see the pictures of the guys that were here before you on the wall and hear the stories gives you a strong sense of pride where you work at,” Station 1 Private Burkett said.

Station 1 is one of the busier stations in the city with around 3,000 calls a year. The original Station 1 was built in the early 1900s.

The first  volunteer fire station under the Bucket Company before the Baton Rouge Fire Department was established, Washington 1, still stands downtown in Baton Rouge, but is now a law firm. A sign is posted in front commemorating the building and also the horse that served the station’s fire carriage for 28 years before passing away in 1908. The horse ‘Old Brad’ is buried right there at the fire station.