PHOTOS: George C. Hale served as the Chief of the Kansas City, Missouri, fire department for 31 years. At the end of the 19th century, he revolutionized firefighting with his more than 60 patented inventions, including the Hale Water Tower and the telephone fire alarm, and helped bring the country's fire departments into the modern era.
Fire was a constant danger in Kansas City’s early history. Most homes were built of wood and heated with coal. Chimney fires were common and every second mattered for the crews tasked with putting them out.
Ray Elder, the official historian with The Kansas City Fire Historical Society, began documenting the history of Kansas City’s fire department when he retired after 35 years — 16 years as its captain.