Firefighting in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 1741-1917
One of our retired member, Chris Eline wrote a book about the history of our department. He also helped us with this section of the website.
At this time in the Local 735, we have members ranging in hire dates from 1987 to 2024 (the 2025 class has not been sworn in yet, but they will be!) through the over 30 years of experience on the line we were able to collect photos of the times that have been almost forgotten. Below you will find images and brief summaries of what was happening and when. If we do not have any information on the image, just take the time to look at the difference between photos to see where we came from and what we are now.
Dwelling fire (no information) where you can see the long coats and high boots we used to wear, instead of today’s pants and coats.
C Shift
photo on a tour of a facility.
Safety
The Safety committee was organized to protect the health, well-being, and safety of our firefighters through advocacy and education.
Constitution and Bylaws
The Bylaw committee ensures our union’s governance remains strong, fair, and aligned with our members’ best interests
Political Action
The political committee advocates for policies and leaders that support firefighters, public safety, and our union’s mission.