The history of fire in Norwalk dates back to July 1779, when British troops burned the city during the Revolutionary War. A second major conflagration occurred in 1858, destroying sixteen buildings in the Wall Street section. After this incident, the first volunteer fire companies were organized. In 1913, the citizens of Norwalk voted to consolidate the districts of Norwalk, South Norwalk, and East Norwalk. As part of the consolidation, multiple volunteer companies were merged into the City of Norwalk Fire Department.

In 1913, the paid drivers worked 24 hours a day, six days a week, with time off for meals. The men were paid $16 a week. The apparatus was a mix of horse-drawn and motorized vehicles.

 

In the ensuing decades, the department continued to expand with the city, and by the 1960s, all five of the current stations had been built and staffed with ever-increasing manpower and newer apparatus. 

 

In 2013, Volk Central Station on Connecticut Ave. was replaced with a new state-of-the-art headquarters, housing four of the city's nine fire companies as well as the Administrative Chiefs and the Fire Marshal's Division.

 

Today, the Norwalk Fire Department is staffed 24/7 with five engines, two ladders, a heavy rescue, a fire boat, and a command car. An officer and three firefighters staff all firefighting companies. A Deputy Chief and Firefighter Aide staff the command car. 

 

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