Washington, DC Fire Museum

While the Friendship Fire Association (FFA) involves itself in many DCFD activities, one is the District of Columbia Fire/EMS museum for which the Association was officially chartered by the District of Columbia government in the late 1940's and is presently located on the 3rd floor of Engine Company 3 after having been transferred from the Association’s meeting room at Engine 31.

On display in the museum are artifacts and memorabilia of firefighting in the District of Columbia dating back to the days of the volunteer companies, over 125 years ago. In August of 2001, the Association finally obtained a 15-year lease from the DC government which has allowed FFA to move its collection to the third floor of this restored historical firehouse located at 439 New Jersey Avenue, NW on Capitol Hill.

According to the Museum’s Curator, Mark Tennyson, the collection pays tribute to the men and women who have served to protect the lives and property of District residents for over 130 years. Some of these professionals have paid the ultimate sacrifice. These artifacts honor their memory.

In viewing the various displays, one can’t help consider the rich history of DCFD from its earliest days to the present. The intricate painting on the leather parade hat from the original Anacostia Fire Company reflects the Native American Peoples who first inhabited the area. The leather fire brigade bucket from Francis Scot Key's (who penned the Star Spangled Banner) Georgetown home, reminds us that the District’s history is our nation's history. The original ticker alarm tape from a multi-alarm fire at the White House in 1929 reminds us that any building, no matter how important and how big, is not immune to fire. For more information on the DCFD Museum please visit www.friendshipfire.org.