Laredo Fire Department
The first Laredo fire company was organized in 1883. It was known as the Gate City Volunteer Fire Department and initially was comprised of only two men, O. P. Reid and Mauricio "Frenchy" Didieu. Reid and Didieu worked with two independent hose carts and only nine miles of water pipe in the city. They eventually took on more men and acquired a steam engine, but without city support the endeavor did not survive.
Major fires during a period of city growth in the 1890s made Laredo citizens increasingly aware of the need for a fire brigade. Eugene Christen reorganized the city's firefighters and became fire chief. The firemen continued to operate as volunteers, with very little city support, until 1912. The city of Laredo then began to pay its firefighters. The position of fire marshal was created in 1915.
The first motorized pumper was purchased in 1922. An enlarged fire station opened in 1928, and a few months later a second location opened. With city support, modern equipment, and a strong fire chief, the department grew steadily. By special arrangement, the Laredo and Nuevo Laredo Fire Departments agreed to assist each other in cases of extremely dangerous fires.
By 1998, the Laredo Fire Department had nine fire stations, a regional fire training academy, six ambulances, a hazardous materials response team, an arson investigation unit, and fire prevention outreach services. The Laredo Fire Department has evolved with the city, continuing to serve Laredo citizens as it has for more than a century. (1999).