Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
The Cathedral Café maintains the building’s original church exterior.
Cathedral Café
Exterior of the historic Dyffryn Arms pub.
Dyffryn Arms
Most of what’s on the menu here comes from Michigan.
The Glenwood
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Siegfried Tieber specializes in sleight-of-hand magic using small objects, as well as mentalism, which gives the illusion of reading minds.
Does a Magician Really Never Reveal Their Tricks? AO Wants to Know.
11 days ago
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
14 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
17 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
24 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States California San Francisco Pier 22½ & the SFFD Fire Boats

Pier 22½ & the SFFD Fire Boats

Prone to disastrous fires, the city of San Francisco has the Guardian, a fireboat gifted by residents, to watch over them from the bay.

San Francisco, California

Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
  Gavin / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
  SEANETTA / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

A city with a history of devastating fires and a design that invites disaster, San Francisco runs a tight ship when it comes to emergency services, and the fireboats are a historical and quite literal example.

The Fireboat House on Pier 22½ is home to the fireboats that patrol the bay. The Renaissance Revival structure was designed by Alfred A. Pyle. The house is an uncommon example of cooperation between the Port of San Francisco and the Fire Department, and is the only firehouse that serves the fireboat crew. While it used to be a crowded station housing around 15 men, not counting officers, its current in-house staff is made up of only three – a marine-qualified pilot, an engineer, and a firefighting captain or lieutenant.

While the fireboats aren't as vital to San Francisco's emergency structure as they once were, they embody the extensive maritime history of the city, and there are two vessels that shine as historical treasures, the Phoenix and the Guardian.

The Phoenix was a vital tool in the Marina District during the chaotic aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Pumping water from the St. Francis Yacht Harbor into the SFFD's portable water system, the Phoenix delivered critical assistance to the conflagration at Beach and Divisadero Streets, saving countless homes.

As a heartfelt thank-you for the successful efforts of the Phoenix, two anonymous donors purchased a $300,000 vessel shortly after the earthquake, and after serving as a fireboat for the city of Vancouver and being retired as surplus, the Guardian was rescued from the salvage chopping block and became a part of San Francisco maritime lore.

Related Tags

Fires Fire Fighters Water Ships Obscura Day Locations

Community Contributors

Edited By

James Ricci, Rachel, SEANETTA, Gavin

  • James Ricci
  • Rachel
  • SEANETTA
  • Gavin

Published

April 18, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://guardiansofthecity.org/sffd/firehouses/vintage/engine_co_no9.html
  • http://www.noehill.com/sf/landmarks/sf225.asp
  • xx
Pier 22½ & the SFFD Fire Boats
Pier 22 1/2
San Francisco, California, 94105
United States
37.790252, -122.38865
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Hills Bros. Coffee Sculpture

San Francisco, California

miles away

Rincon Center Murals

San Francisco, California

miles away

San Francisco's Peregrine Falcons

San Francisco, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of San Francisco

San Francisco

California

Places 213
Stories 50

Nearby Places

Hills Bros. Coffee Sculpture

San Francisco, California

miles away

Rincon Center Murals

San Francisco, California

miles away

San Francisco's Peregrine Falcons

San Francisco, California

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of San Francisco

San Francisco

California

Places 213
Stories 50

Related Stories and Lists

In the Footsteps of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

By Annetta Black

Society Adventures: San Francisco Fireboat Expeditions

By Tre

Related Places

  • 2019 Molly Williams mural by street artist Robot

    Tomar, Portugal

    Molly Williams Mural

    In Portugal, a larger-than-life painting of America's first Black female firefighter.

  • Kastellholmen wreck in 2013

    Stockholm, Sweden

    Shipwreck of Kastellholmen

    At low tide, you can see the remains of a 17th-century ship just off a Stockholm island.

  • Although in need of funding, volunteers come together to repaint and restore Fireboat No. 1 in fall.

    Tacoma, Washington

    Fireboat No. 1

    This landmark vessel dry-berthed in Tacoma's harbor served in emergencies and ceremonies for more than 50 years.

  • Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage

    A museum dedicated to firefighting in a city that was crucial to the modern history of the profession.

  • James Braidwood Statue

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    James Braidwood Statue

    Dedicated to the Father of the British Fire Service.

  • The propeller from the SS Good News.

    Mbala, Zambia

    Propeller from the SS Good News

    The propeller from the first steamship launched on Lake Tanganyika.

  • Glasgow, Scotland

    Cheapside Street Fire Memorial

    This colorful mosaic remembers one of Britain's most deadly peacetime fires.

  • International Falls, Minnesota

    Smokey Bear Park

    Home to a 26-foot-tall statue of an American icon.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.