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Fire History |
Click here for our fire trivia page
| The history of firefighting in America can be traced all the way back to Jamestown, VA, the first permanent English settlement in the New World. Founded in 1607 by colonists from the London Company, Jamestown was under the command of Captain James Smith. It did not take long for fire to begin taking its toll on the new settlers. |
| Click here for an article by fire service historian Paul Hashagen. |
| The worst loss of life fire in US history occurred in Peshtigo, Wisconsin on October 8, 1871. Very few people have even heard of this fire because it occurred at the same time as another historic fire, the great Chicago fire. An estimated 1100 people died when a forest fire overtook their town, in comparison, about 250 people died in the Chicago fire. For more information on the Peshtigo fire, visit the links below. |
The Great Peshtigo Fire |
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The worst loss of life fire in the world occurred in May of 1845, 1,670 people were killed in a theater fire in Canton, China |
| The US Fire
Service has a rich and colorful history, the first volunteer Fire
Department was started by Benjamin Franklin in 1736 in Philadelphia, PA.
For the full story go
here. |
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The Dalmatian |
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Many
people associate the Dalmatian breed with firefighters and fire trucks.
The Dalmatian is a hardy dog known for speed and endurance which probably
originated in Dalmatia, a province of Austria, on the eastern shore of the
coast of Venice in what is now Italy. Statues, engravings, paintings, and
writings of antiquity have been used to claim that this spotted dog first
appeared in either Europe, or Asia, or Africa, but without proving the
point. Perhaps some of the problem about the original home of the
Dalmatian can be accounted for by the fact that the dog was frequently
part of gypsy bands, and like them, he was well known but had no sure
origin. The breed’s activities have been as varied as its roots. It has
been employed during wars as a sentinel on the borders of Dalmatia and
Croatia. Used as draft dog, and a shepherd, this breed also excels when
sent to kill rats and vermin. It is well known for heroic performances as
a fire-apparatus follower and fire-house mascot. As a sporting dog it has
been used as bird dog, retriever, or in packs for boar or stag hunting. A
retentive memory made it one of the most dependable clown dogs in circuses
and on the stage. Down through the years the intelligence and willingness
of the Dalmatian have found the breed in practically every role to which
work dogs are assigned.
The use of the breed as a coaching dog may even go back to the days of the Pharaohs. For centuries the breed has been used with ears entirely cropped away and padlocked brass collar, as follower and guardian of horse-drawn vehicles. It was this that brought the Dalmatian to the fire house as the dog that would clear the way ahead of or around the horse-drawn apparatus. The breed’s build blends speed and endurance. Its gait has beauty of motion and swiftness, and strength. The Dalmatian has vitality and fortitude to keep going until the alarm’s end. Since the breed has a natural instinct for coaching, Dalmatians and horses have a natural affinity. The dog traditionally worked clearing the path before fire apparatus during the horse-drawn era. They frequently ran under the rear axle, the front axle, or, most difficult of all, under the pole between the lead or following horses and chase off other dogs or animals that would bother the horses, thus speeding the apparatus to an alarm. To this day the breed remains the only recognized carriage dog in the world. His love for working (and firehouses) is his most renowned characteristic, but it in no way does it eclipse the breed’s renown for friendship. That is the reason that the Dalmatian found employment in, and now is part of the tradition of the fire service. |
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The Maltese Cross |
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| The badge of a firefighter is the Maltese Cross, which is a symbol of protection, and a badge of honor. It dates to the days of the Crusades, when Christian Knights fought the Saracens for possession of the Holy Land. During these battles a frightening weapon was used against the heavily armored warriors, fire. As the Crusaders advanced upon the walls of a city, they were struck by glass bombs containing Naphtha. When the liquid penetrated the knight’s armor, the Saracens hurled a flaming torch into their midst. Hundreds of the knights were burned alive and many others risked their lives to save their comrades in arms. Fellow crusaders recognized the efforts of those knights who rescued others from the fire by awarding each hero a special cross as a badge of honor. This cross had eight points to its construction and had as its origin the Beatitudes. Since many of these heroes were members of the Knights of St. John, whose headquarters where on the island of Malta, the cross these men wore became to be called the Maltese Cross. If you will look in the Bible at Matthew 5: 1-12 you will find the meaning of the Maltese Cross. As in days of old, the Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears the cross is willing to lay down his or her life for you, just as the Crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many centuries ago. The Maltese Cross is a firefighter’s badge of honor, signifying that he or she works in courage - a ladder rung away from death. |
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Fire Apparatus |
| The history of
fire apparatus is as colorful as the history of firefighting itself.
Starting in the 1700's with the hand drawn pumps, to the horse drawn
steamers, to the modern trucks you see today. Follow the links below to
learn about the old, and the new.
Hall of Flame Photos on the website of the Hall of Flame Museum in
Phoenix, AZ Fire Museum Network List of American fire museums, includes a directory of fire museums in the U.S. |