LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — August 1 is a special day on Las Vegas Fire and Rescue’s calendar.
On this day back in 1942, the department hired its first official full-time chief, Harold Case. Volunteers ran and staffed the department before Case’s arival. Within three months, the chief had fired the city a dozen full-time firefighters.
As of this story, the department boasts a staff of nearly 750. Back then, Las Vegas had just one firehouse. The city now has 21.
During the 1940s, LVFR responded to fewer than 500 fires a year. It now typically responds to more than a hundred thousand emergency and a non-emergency calls annually.
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
