Firefighting in the United States can be traced back to the 17th century when, after a great fire in Boston in 1631, the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law banning smoking in public places. In 2009 in the United States there were approximately 800,000 volunteer firefighters and 300,000 professional firefighters. St. John the Baptist Parish has 41 professional firefighters. The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, or FASNY, has been providing information, education and training for the volunteer fire and emergency medical services throughout New York since 1872.