The Heroic Fire Department of Mexico City commemorates its 169th anniversary with a special parade to which all citizens are invited this Saturday, January 25, at 9:00 AM. The route will start on 20 de Noviembre street, next to the capital's Zócalo, and will continue past the Metropolitan Cathedral, 5 de Mayo Avenue, Juárez Avenue, Paseo de la Reforma, and will conclude at Plaza de la República, next to the Monument to the Revolution.
The beginnings of firefighters in Mexico date back to the time of New Spain when a group of indigenous people, under the leadership of Spanish soldiers, was responsible for extinguishing fires between the years 1526 and 1527. The first formal fire department in Latin America emerged in 1873 in Veracruz under the name 'Voluntary Fire Department of Veracruz'. In Mexico City, the fire department was officially constituted on December 20, 1887, with its first station located where the National Palace is today, on Moneda street.
In its early years, the Heroic Fire Department had a commander, a second commander, four officers, and 52 firefighters. Its equipment was limited, with rudimentary tools and transportation dependent on the physical effort of the firefighters, who had to run exhausted to the fire scene. Today, the Heroic Fire Department of CDMX not only celebrates its history but also appreciates the trust of the citizenry and reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the safety of the city.
Among some historical milestones, in 1899, the City Council acquired a fire extinguisher after a fire destroyed a bakery and bar. In 1946, Jahudiel Zamorano Ledesma established the fire department, and in 1948, President Miguel Alemán Valdez elevated the Fire Department of the Federal District to the category of Heroic.
