Portland Fire and Rescue Station 1
SW Naito Parkway
The Jeff Morris Memorial and Neal Heesacker Fire Museum is located in Fire and Rescue Station 1. The entrance is on Naito Parkway. Morris and Heesacker were highly regarded Public Information Officers who put on safety displays at schools and other public events. The Museum was created in 2018, with private money, labor, material, and donations from the public and local businesses. The contents and apparatus are original Portland pieces.
The theme of the museum is apparatus: Hand Pulled, Horse Drawn and Motorized. Some pieces of equipment are restored and others are in original condition. Everything, except the Hose Wagon, are original Portland pieces from 1850-1918.
Please remind students that there is no climbing on equipment or ladders and no touching the displays.
Museum Highlights:
Motorized – The first motorized equipment was a car for the Fire Chief. Next addition was a frame with motor and steering to the steam pumper. A short time later fully motorized vehicles became available.
Fire Box – Citizens would break the glass to pull a lever to sound the alarm. The boxes were located throughout the city. Each had a number which coincided with its location. This informed the fire department of where the alarm was pulled and where the fire was.
Life Net – The Life Net needed 8-12 people to catch a jumper. This is a large round canvas device with handles along the edge. Volunteers would hold the net to catch people who had to jump from upper stories of a building.
Watchdesk – There was a watchdesk in every station. It had alarge bell above on the wall. When the alarm went off, the bells would clang, the lights came on, the doors went up.
Access is only by pre-arrangement through the Fire Department Public Education Office
Contact Info as of March 2026::
Kim Kosmas, Senior Public Education Officer
Portland Fire and Rescue
503-793-6035
Copy Belmont Fire Station on all email correspondence: belmontfire@portlandoregon.gov
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Suggested Discussion:
How has fire fighting changed and improved?
Firefighters do more than respond to fires. What else do they do?
Vocabulary: apparatus, memorial, watchdesk, volunteer, motorized
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State Education Standards:
Social Studies 3.1 Examine how different levels of city and county government provide services to members of a community. Civics and Government
Social Studies 3.2. Describe the responsibilities of people in their community and state. Civics and Government
Social Studies 3.11. Describe how individuals, groups, events and developments have shaped the communities and regions. Multicultural Studies, Historical Knowledge