Oakland Fire Historical Archive
Donation protected
THE ARCHIVE
The Oakland Fire Department is one of the busiest Emergency Agencies in the country for a city of its size, running over 80,000 calls annually. With a rich cultural heritage dating back to the horse-drawn era, Oakland is a melting pot for visual treasure that is constantly evolving. Documenting this course of change has fallen to a few photographers throughout the Department’s 146 year history whose combined work has left a prize of images that inspire and educate anyone who will take the time to look. The latest and most prolific fire photographer to observe the Oakland Fire Department is Dave Hector. Captain Dave Hector is a 23 year veteran of the Department who is unique because of his perspective on fire photography. His images have an insider’s vantage point, which pours into his portfolio an intimacy that renders the collection to be as much a family photo album as it is a documentary of modern firefighting. In most fire department archives, the act of firefighting is emphasized, however Captain Hector’s eye focuses on the Firefighter and in his collection you will witness the daily life of Men and Women of all influences that have answered the call to be a Firefighter.
The combined work of not only Captain Hector, but other Oakland firefighters is available for viewing at: The Oakland Fire Archive . There you will find nearly 11,000 photographs covering Oakland Fire’s long history, documenting responses to emergencies, training, interacting with the public and carrying out daily living inside its 25 firehouses.
Why We Need Your HELP
Captain Hector’s contribution to the collection will sometimes take you to the seat of the fire under conditions that would be fatal to an unprepared observer. These photos will take you inside, where no one, but firefighters have been able to go before and give you the opportunity to experience the adventure through photography. Photographing under these conditions has been detrimental to his camera and lenses. They have been exposed to the severest of conditions for which a camera was never designed to withstand, all for the sake of creating images that will not be found anywhere else. Look closely and you will notice that he has not contributed his own work to the collection since August 2012. This is because of the failure of his equipment and the lack of a revenue source to replace it. Captain Hector is not only a dedicated Firefighter; he is an equally dedicated family man who adopted six children. Replacing expensive camera gear from his own pocket is not within his reach, and the dotcom boom that enabled the City of Oakland to initially equip him is long since gone. With new and improved equipment, Captain Hector will resume his work of watching the Oakland Fire Department from within, giving all of you a ringside seat to the vital work of nearly 500 Firefighters of whom we all rely on and owe so much. Please help in any way you can, any amount of a donation is very much appreciated. Thank You and Enjoy!
The Oakland Fire Department is one of the busiest Emergency Agencies in the country for a city of its size, running over 80,000 calls annually. With a rich cultural heritage dating back to the horse-drawn era, Oakland is a melting pot for visual treasure that is constantly evolving. Documenting this course of change has fallen to a few photographers throughout the Department’s 146 year history whose combined work has left a prize of images that inspire and educate anyone who will take the time to look. The latest and most prolific fire photographer to observe the Oakland Fire Department is Dave Hector. Captain Dave Hector is a 23 year veteran of the Department who is unique because of his perspective on fire photography. His images have an insider’s vantage point, which pours into his portfolio an intimacy that renders the collection to be as much a family photo album as it is a documentary of modern firefighting. In most fire department archives, the act of firefighting is emphasized, however Captain Hector’s eye focuses on the Firefighter and in his collection you will witness the daily life of Men and Women of all influences that have answered the call to be a Firefighter.
The combined work of not only Captain Hector, but other Oakland firefighters is available for viewing at: The Oakland Fire Archive . There you will find nearly 11,000 photographs covering Oakland Fire’s long history, documenting responses to emergencies, training, interacting with the public and carrying out daily living inside its 25 firehouses.
Why We Need Your HELP
Captain Hector’s contribution to the collection will sometimes take you to the seat of the fire under conditions that would be fatal to an unprepared observer. These photos will take you inside, where no one, but firefighters have been able to go before and give you the opportunity to experience the adventure through photography. Photographing under these conditions has been detrimental to his camera and lenses. They have been exposed to the severest of conditions for which a camera was never designed to withstand, all for the sake of creating images that will not be found anywhere else. Look closely and you will notice that he has not contributed his own work to the collection since August 2012. This is because of the failure of his equipment and the lack of a revenue source to replace it. Captain Hector is not only a dedicated Firefighter; he is an equally dedicated family man who adopted six children. Replacing expensive camera gear from his own pocket is not within his reach, and the dotcom boom that enabled the City of Oakland to initially equip him is long since gone. With new and improved equipment, Captain Hector will resume his work of watching the Oakland Fire Department from within, giving all of you a ringside seat to the vital work of nearly 500 Firefighters of whom we all rely on and owe so much. Please help in any way you can, any amount of a donation is very much appreciated. Thank You and Enjoy!
Organizer and beneficiary
Tony Dito
Organizer
Oakland, CA
David Hector
Beneficiary
