WHO WE ARE

Old photo of firefighters

History

“On August 13th, 1913, in a mighty thrust which most certainly set the stage for a vibrant future, 289 firefighters formed the Firemen’s Association of the District of Columbia. Officers of this organization were C.W. Gill, President, W.A. Smith, Secretary, and C.C. Wolz, Treasurer. These resolute men were moved by virtually the same objective as that which motivates us today: protection and improvement of conditions relative to their employment.“

- Jackson Gerhart, former Secretary of Local 36, from the book “100 Years of Glory

About US

Local 36 represents over 2000 active and retired professional men and woman trusted with the protection of the citizens, workers and visitors of our Nation’s Capital. Our members respond to 220,000 emergency calls per year, ranging from Fire, EMS and Technical responses. In a post 9-11 environment, we are considered an integral component of the common defense of our Nation’s Capital.

Our service to the city comes at a price that is not measured in dollars or cents - unfortunately, the stakes are much higher. Firefighters are faced with a greatly diminished life span when compared to our non-firefighting peer group. We are inflicted with a myriad of occupational diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular ailments and infectious diseases. Members of Local 36 are not covered by workman's compensation, and the District government currently does not recognize all of the occupational diseases associated with our profession.

Day in and day out, Local 36 members are putting themselves in harm’s way to protect life and property. Ultimately, we are protecting the quality of life and the economic viability of our city. The public counts on us and our members will always rise to the occasion to ensure we are there when they need us most.

Five firefighters in front of truck