The Friendship Fire Association's Washington DC Fire & EMS Museun
	A Word From The Curator

	I want to thank you for your interest in the Friendship Fire Association's new Washington DC Fire & EMS Museum and welcome you to our collection.  This collection pays tribute to the men and women who have served to protect the lives and property of District residents for over 130 years.  Some of these professionals have paid the ultimate sacrifice.  These artifacts honor their memory. Museums always have touched people in special ways and we hope this museum is no exception.  Viewing history helps us value our past and better understand where we are going.  Museums like this one help motivate people to get involved in community service by giving them a clear understanding of the value of years of selfless, heroic actions that make this city great. As you look at the various displays, consider the rich history of this Department from its earliest days to the present.  The intricate painting on the leather parade hat from the original Anacostia Fire Company reflects the Native American Peoples who first inhabited this area.  The leather fire brigade bucket from Francis Scot Key's (he penned the Star Spangled Banner) Georgetown home, reminds us that WAshington DC's history is our nation's history.  The original ticker alarm tape from a multi-alarm fire at the White House in 1929 reminds us that any building, no matter how important and how big, is not immune to fire. This museum space has been in the making for many years, and is long overdue.  Special thanks are in order for Friendship Fire's Walter Gold for his years of tireless work at pulling all this together and making it happen.  We are also grateful to the Mayor's Office, the Fire Chief, and the men and women of the DC Fire & EMS Department for their unyielding support.  Thank you again and best regards, Mark A. Tennyson