The Austin Fire Department provides fire protection and first-response emergency medical services to the city of Austin, Texas. The Austin Fire Department is the fourth largest fire department (by number of personnel) in the state of Texas. In total, the department is responsible for an area of and services a population of 885,400 (2013 estimate), the 11 largest city by population in the United States.
The Austin Fire Department was started in 1841 as a seven-man fire protection group was sanctioned by the city council. It was not until 1858 that the city would have a properly organized, skilled and equipped department.