City of Bothell Fire Department began with a small number of community volunteers and 50 water buckets. The need for a fire department was ignited in 1911 by the disastrous Easter Sunday fire that destroyed several businesses in downtown Bothell. The force was first incorporated in 1913 and led by Fire Chief Enning Pearson. It wasn’t until 1973 after the passage of the federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act that the first paid professional firefighters were hired.
Bothell Fire Department has grown and changed with the times. The acquisition of more staff and better equipment forced the department to outgrow its original home just north of the 102nd Street bridge and move into the basement of City Hall in 1936. In the late 1970s, it moved to its present location on Beardslee Boulevard.
Today Bothell Fire Department is led by Fire Chief Bruce Kroon. Currently, the department has 55 firefighters, 12 administrative staff, 5 fire engines, 1 ladder truck, 4 aid cars, and 1 brush fire unit.