Jim Noah

Pictured: Pole fire

James “Jim” Durwood Noah, born April 24, 1928, went to work for the Fort Worth Fire Department in 1952 at the age of 23.  Noah filled many positions in the department during his tenure, including battalion chief.  In addition to drawing fire department-related cartoons, Noah also collected historical documents pertaining to the Fort Worth Fire Department. Noah died September 5, 2008.

The Fort Worth Fire Department was organized in 1873 under the name “Hook and Ladder Company 1”.  The department was solely volunteer-based until 1878 when some of the firefighters began receiving salaries.  A small operation initially, the fire department gradually grew to several stations throughout Fort Worth. According to an archive volunteer connected to the fire department, the first African American firefighter was hired in the early 1960s and the first female firefighters were hired in 1982.