Department History

In 1893, volunteers formed Fire Company No. 1, banding together to provide fire protection using horses from a neighboring barn and hitching them to a small wagon outfitted with fire extinguishers. The first fire station was built one year later and the first two paid firefighters were hired in 1913. The three current fire stations were constructed in 1923, 1925, and 1939, respectively.
Scarsdale Fire Department
Scarsdale Fire Department
Today, the Scarsdale Fire Department is led by Chief James E. Seymour and consists of a uniformed staff of six captains and 39 firefighters, along with a contingent of 70 volunteer firefighters and two civilian employees. The Department maintains a fleet of three fire engines, one ladder truck, one command vehicle, and seven staff and support vehicles.

The Scarsdale Fire Department is committed to the protection and preservation of life, property, and the environment from the adverse effects of fire and hazardous conditions through fire prevention, education, suppression, and training. We are responsive to the needs of our citizens by providing rapid, professional services essential to the health, safety, and well-being of the community. The protection of life and property is accomplished by our steadfast commitment to reducing the number of incidents of fire through fire education and prevention, identifying fire safety code violations, identifying and assisting with arson-related crimes, and providing a multitude of related services to create a secure environment.

During calendar year 2016, the Fire Department responded to a total of 1,499 alarms. Of these, 42 were structure fires, 139 were motor vehicle accidents/victim rescues, 268 were hazardous conditions requiring Fire Department intervention, and 258 were public assistance/service calls. The remainder of alarms were divided among commercial and residential automatic fire alarms, refuse/brush fires, mutual aid to neighboring community fire departments, and unintentional alarms caused by system malfunctions.

The average emergency response time for the Fire Department is approximately 3-4 minutes. This excellent response time along with such factors as equipment and training has kept the Scarsdale Fire Department's Insurance Service Organization's (ISO) rating one of the highest in Westchester County and among the top 10% in New York State.