Fire Station #1 is the City’s largest and busiest firehouse. It was originally built in 1967 at the same time as the adjacent Fire Administration Building.
The Fire Administration building was torn down in July 2013 and reopened in the new Ovation building on Dayton Street in December 2015.
Fire Station #1 is a double-company house and the home base for the Madison Fire Department's Lake Rescue Team.
Equipment
- Engine 1 – a 2016 Pierce Quantum Pumper. It has a 1,250 gallons-per-minute fire pump and a complement of ground ladders, fire hose, and tools. In addition, Engine 1 carries emergency medical equipment including a defibrillator, oxygen, and immobilization gear.
- Ladder 1 – a 2011 Pierce Quantum 105-foot aerial ladder with water tower, ground ladders, a 1,500 gallons-per-minute pump with 250-gallon booster tank, attack and supply fire hose, hand tools, and extrication equipment.
- Car 31 – a 2015 Suburban LT. The Command car is used by the Officer in Charge (OIC) to respond to significant incidents including structure fires, rollover vehicle crashes requiring extrication, and other incidents requiring the intervention of the Department’s Special Teams
- Lake Rescue SCUBA 1 –
- 2003 F250 equipment vehicle which carries SCUBA and ice rescue gear and personnel;
- 24-foot 2015 Lake Assault Rescue Boat - Marine One, fully equipped with state-of-the-art RADAR, SONAR, and FLIR thermal imaging system. It has a 500 gallon-per-minute attack pump for fire suppression.
- Utility 1 – 2002 GMC3500 Utility Truck used to tow the Lake Assault boat to emergency calls
- Car 52 – a 2004 Chevy pick-up truck designated for the on-duty Captain
- 16-foot Tracker Jon Boat-Marina Two – Auxilliary fire-rescue boat equipped with fire pump.
Staffing
The double-company personnel requirement at Station #1 includes:
- 2 Lieutenants, one for the ladder and one for the engine
- 2 Apparatus Engineers (drivers), one for the ladder and one for the engine
- 4 Firefighters, two for the ladder and two for the engine
- 1 OIC. This is a member of the Command Staff (Assistant or Division Chief) assigned to Car 31 for on-scene incident management.
- 1 Chief's Aide assisting the OIC and driving Car 31
- 1 Captain
- The Lake Rescue Team: 57 certified rescue divers (6 divers on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year)
Station One's News
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Recruit Class 7 Graduates the MFD Fire Academy Posted 04/24/2018
18 firefighter recruits walked across the stage last Friday to receive their badges and pledge an oath to serve and protect the City of Madison with integrity, courtesy, respect, compassion, and trustworthiness. Read more » -
Meet Firefighter John Clooten Posted 03/20/2018
Seventeen new firefighters now serve at a fire station near you! Get to know them by subscribing to the MFD Blog. Where are you stationed? I’m at Station 1 (W. Dayton Street) on the A shift. Read more » -
Meet Firefighter Daniel Congdon Posted 03/12/2018
Seventeen new firefighters now serve at a fire station near you! Get to know them by subscribing to the MFD Blog. Where are you stationed? I'm assigned to Station 1 (W. Dayton Street) on the B Shift. Read more » -
Apparatus Engineer Mindy Huitt Retires From MFD Posted 01/09/2018
Apparatus Engineer Mindy Huitt steps down from the driver’s seat of Ladder 2 one last time this week, wrapping up nearly thirty years with the Madison Fire Department. Huitt was a carpenter before joining the MFD’s recruit class of 1988. It was a career shift that might not have happened if not for the encouragement of a rugby teammate who thought she should give it a try. Read more » -
Old Fire Hoses Find New Life At the Henry Vilas Zoo Posted 12/21/2017
16-year-old Kawan takes hold of the line. With speed and precision she reaches forward, grasping to the ropes and slings with her hands and feet as her body swings upward. Seconds later she’s out of sight, hugging the skylights high above all who watch. Read more » -
EMS Training Officer Beth Risler Retires From MFD Posted 03/09/2017
In a department comprised of more than 350 commissioned members, few can say they know every name and recognize every face. Consider, then, what an achievement it is to know every name, every face, and have a direct impact on everybody’s career. Read more » -
MFD Behind The Scenes: Lake Rescue Team Ice Dive Training Posted 03/02/2017
The Madison Fire Department Lake Rescue Team is trained and equipped to perform water rescues, but did you know we do ice rescues, too? To keep our skills fresh, we take to the lakes year-round for routine training. On a frigid January afternoon, the team headed out to Lake Monona for ice dives. Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Murray brought a camera with him so you can get a glimpse of what it's like to go beneath the surface– without having to brave the freezing temps! Read more » -
PHOTOS: Getting Up Close With The Lake Rescue Team Posted 02/14/2017
Lake Rescue Team members have been getting their annual ice dives in while Madison's lakes are nice 'n' chilly. Our B-shift Dive Team set up on Lake Mendota last Friday. Scroll through the photos to learn more about their work: The Dive Team placed its tent near the hole in the ice for divers and support personnel to keep warm in frigid temperatures. The tent has a heater that can be deployed inside to warm the interior. Read more » -
AE Eddie Emberson Retires With 28 Years Of Service In the Rear-View Mirror Posted 01/05/2017
Apparatus Engineer Eddie Emberson is stepping down from the driver’s seat of Engine 11 one last time this week after nearly 28 years of dedicated service to the Madison Fire Department. Emberson’s path to the MFD was inspired in the 1980s by his father-in-law, then-Division Chief Ron Schmelzer. Read more » -
Retiring Lieutenant Tim Binger Reflects On "A Wonderful Life" Posted 12/22/2016
After 40 years in the fire service, and 29 at the MFD, Lieutenant Tim Binger says he’s ready for a new adventure. Binger first put his feet to the fire in 1976 as a volunteer with the Town of Madison Fire Department. He was eventually hired with the Janesville Fire Department in 1980 and then moved to the Madison Fire Department in 1987, where he’s remained until December 21 of this year. Read more »