San Diego Fire Department Shops at Station 6
historic place
The San Diego Fire Department Shops at Station 6, in San Diego, California, served the Little Italy community. This facility was built in 1915 and operated as the original Fire Station 6 until 1970. Within its workshops, firefighters developed important innovations. In 1919, they built the world's first gas engine powered fireboat, named the Bill Kettner. Later, Inventor and Battalion Chief Robert Ely invented a machine here that led to the National Standard Thread. This thread became the official fire hose thread of the United States in 1963, allowing fire hoses across the country to connect and function as one. A historical marker, erected in 2015, commemorates these achievements. Today, this historic place houses the San Diego Firehouse Museum. The site's contributions to firefighting technology and standardization demonstrate its lasting historical importance to fire service in the United States.