Monthly Fire Reports, bulk: 1900-1976
Series
Identifier: PD208
Scope and Contents
The records are manuscript monthly reports submitted by the Assistant Engineer of each fire district and bound into large ledgers arranged by month and, thereunder, by district. The volume covering the years 1924-1926 were missing at the time of transfer from the New Orleans Fire Department.
The format of the ledger pages changed remarkably little during the 76 years covered by the reports. The reports give:
- date of fire
- time
- station number
- owner of property and occupant of property
- occupied as (e.g. residence, shoe store, barroom)
- location, number of stories, and style of building (e.g., frame, brick, double)
- cause of fire
- amount of loss (subdivided into stock, building, furniture)
- amount of insurance (subdivided into stock, building, furniture)
- remarks
- size of hose (2 1/2", 3/4", P.E -- column added in 1920)
The remarks typically include information on which units responded to the alarm – “Chem. 4,” “Engine 7,” or the official in charge -- e.g., “Assist. O’Neill in charge”; also included sometimes are additional relevant comments such as “poor water supply,” “tub of oil found on premises,” “loss confined to a lot of horse hay; no damage to building,” and notation of fatalities. After ca. 1930, remarks are usually limited to a description of which equipment responded to the call.
From 1900 to 1940, each monthly report includes (on the reverse of the page) a tally of the number of alarms (whether bell or still – telephone is included in later years), the total estimated loss and insurance, the number of actual fires, and the total number of “unnecessary” responses). In some years, these accumulated totals are more detailed, including a tally of the causes of fires and the type of use of the building. Beginning in 1941, the monthly tallies no longer appear.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1900-1976
Creator
- New Orleans (La.) Fire Department (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Available on microfilm to registered researchers by appointment.
Extent
24 Volumes (available on 27 rolls of microfilm)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Missing Volumes
Volume 8
Call number
mf PD208
Repository Details
Part of the City Archives Repository
Contact:
City Archives & Special Collections
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans LA 70112
504-596-2610
archivist@nolalibrary.org
City Archives & Special Collections
219 Loyola Avenue
New Orleans LA 70112
504-596-2610
archivist@nolalibrary.org