For 40 years, Firehouse Magazine has chronicled the events and evolution of the American fire service. The stories, events and articles that fill these pages have been penned by paid, urban, suburban and rural firefighters, volunteers, fire chiefs, commissioners, politicians and more. In each and every case, the intent was simple—to serve America’s Bravest.

Through the pages of this magazine, firefighters have become fire chiefs, leaders have been made, and lives have been saved. The columnists and contributors who share their messages witih you, our loyal readers, are representative of the men and women who have helped develop the proud traditions of this profession and who today carry the torch for others to follow.

What propels the drive and passion expressed in the printed words and glossy images in Firehouse Magazine is the relentless passion and dedication of those authors and photographers who contribute to the betterment of the fire service.

To each of you, we share our sincere thanks and appreciation as we celebrate our first 40 years of service. — The Firehouse Team

View the PDF of our timeline here

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Historical Incidents

Major Incident Coverage—Charleston Sofa Super Store Fire

June 10, 2016
As part of our ongoing celebration of Firehouse Magazine’s 40th anniversary, we share with you examples of Firehouse’s commitment to major incident coverage through the years....
Chief Marc Bashoor
Community Risk

40th Anniversary: 40 Years of Tradition, Strengthened by Progress!

June 9, 2016
Chief Marc Bashoor examines some of the ways the fire service has evolved over the past 40 years and how Firehouse will continue to lead to way toward meaningful change.
According to the October 1985 issue of Firehouse Magazine, the best-run fire departments in America were Seattle, Miami, Los Angeles City and Palm Beach, FL. That conclusion was based on a research project using the best-selling management book by Thomas Peters and Robert Waterman, “In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies,” as a research methodology. The study identified the 25 top fire departments in the country, then measured their performance to determine the top performers.
Careers & Education

40th Anniversary: How Do We Measure the Best in the Fire Service?

June 6, 2016
Dr. Burton Clark reflects on an early project he worked on with Firehouse Magazine as well as some of the big picture questions that still challenge the fire service.
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Safety & Health

40th Anniversary: The Inception and Evolution of the Close Calls Column

June 6, 2016
Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder describes his time with Firehouse Magazine, including the evolution of his famous Close Calls column.
Charles Werner standing with a piece of 9/11 Memorial Steel, now suspended from the ceiling in CFD Station 10. He wrote about the trip to JFK Hangar 17 to take possession of the Memorial Steel in the September 2011 issue.
Tech & Comm

40th Anniversary: Technology Changes the Game

June 3, 2016
Charles Werner reflects on his 20 years with Firehouse Magazine, including the integral role he played in the early days of Firehouse.com.