Provo City Fire Department: Serving the Community for Over 130 Years

Authored by Shawna N. Fluckiger

Taken in the 1800’s, the city of Provo Utah established a fire department that was run by volunteers in the community.

The evening of January 4, 1884 terror struck the town of Provo, Utah. Billows of black smoke filled the auburn colored sky. The school house, Brigham Young Academy, burnt to the ground with no hope of salvation (Jensen 1924). The community was always willing to lend a hand when a tragedy such as a fire struck but there was no authority or supplies dedicated to the town’s fire safety. Five years (1890) after the Brigham Young Academy fire, Mayor John E. Booth decided that it was time to act so he organized the first volunteer fire department of Provo, Utah (Walden 1990). Marshal John A. Brown was appointed as chief captain and Hyrum Hatton as engineer (Herald Publishing Co. 1911).

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