Engine 2 received one of the 1889 Ahrens steamers.  Engine 2’s new station at 3rd and Pine opened July 21st, allowing Chemical I to move out of the warehouse into the temporary headquarters in the space vacated by Engine 2. Engine I received the other new Ahrens steamer and the older Gould apparatus was “ spruced up” in a repair shop for use at Engine 4, which went into service in a new station on the northeast corner of 4th and Battery on October 15. This allowed closing of Hose 4’s rented quarters at Front and Battery. Quartered with Engine 4 was Truck Company No. It utilized the little Babcock village service truck of the volunteers, which had been rebuilt and strengthened to be pulled by horses. The old Western Electric Co. fire alarm system remained in service until the new Gamewell system could be put into operation. This occurred on November 1, 1890.

A large 2‑1/2‑story brick headquarters station opened on the southwest corner of 7th and Columbia. Quartered there were Engine 1, Truck 2, Chemical 1, and Chief Kellogg, along with the alarm room. Chemical Company No. 2 went into service on the top of First Hill in a 2‑story frame fire station at Broadway and Terrace, this on December 29, 1890. Their apparatus was a new, smaller model of Chemical 1’s rig. Holloway built it with two 50‑gallon soda‑acid chemical tanks.

 A fireboat, the first of its kind to be constructed on the Pacific Coast, was built for the City by Moran’s Shipyard. Named the “Snoqualmie,” it could pump up to 7,000 gallons a minute. The “Snoqualmie” went into service as Engine 5 in a small station at the foot of Madison Street January 3, 1891. Quartered with it was a small hose wagon, Hose 5. 

Barely two months later, the Department suffered its first on‑duty fatality of a fire fighter. Herman Larsen of the fireboat died March 9, 1891 of injuries sustained March 6 during a drill when a charged hose line got away from its crew, knocking him off the pier onto spikes protruding from logs in the water. After this incident Chief Kellogg required red all new nozzles purchased to be of the shut‑off type. This I incident brought about formation of the Firemen’s Relief Association, May 12, 1891. 

May 19 of that year saw the Seattle Fire Department reach its authorized strength of 73 paid personnel when Chemical No. 3, using another Holloway chemical wagon, went into service in rented quarters on Jackson Street near 24th South. Chief Kellogg was a staunch advocate of fire prevention as well as fire suppression. The multitude of new buildings erected after the Fire were “traps,” built with an eye for speed of construction rather than fire safety. Among the Chief s recommendations were ordinances requiring fire curtains under piers and self‑closing fire doors and shutters in buildings to control the size of the area which might become involved. The Chief himself personally inspected every commercial building and pier In the City, reporting his findings to the Fire Commission. Some of the building owners, upset by the Chief’s plans, which would cost them quite a sum of money, also went to the commissioners and complained. The new City Charter, which went into effect in November 1890, had placed all operations of the Fire Department in the hands of a four‑member Fire Commission. The Mayor was chairman and, as such, a fifth member. The Commission, by Charter, had the power to remove the Fire Chief without cause, as well as hiring, promoting, or dismissing other members. Heeding the complaints of the City’s businessmen, the Fire Commission elected to dismiss Gardner Kellogg on November 1, 1892, touching off a period of turmoil in the Department which lasted until implementation of the Civil Service system In June, 1896.