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Monday 2 February 2015

Firefighter

Pliny the Younger’s request to form a fire brigade of 150 men was denied by the Emperor Trajan.

Marcus Crassus the creator of the first Roman fire brigade, employed 500 slaves. At the first cry of help, Crassus offered to buy the building for cheap. The fire fighters did nothing while a price was negotiated. Failing to reach a deal, the structure was allowed to burn to the ground after which an offer was made to purchase it for a fraction of its value and then Crassius rebuilt it with slave labour. He is often called "The richest man in Rome".

St Florian was the first known commander of one firefighting squad in the Roman Empire. He lost his life, as well as those of his colleagues, for protecting the same humane ideas which firefighters all over the world share even today. ).  He is the patron saint of firefighters.

Early firefighters weren't paid with cash, instead they first grabbed all valuable items out of the victims house or business, then would sell those items or keep them for themselves.


The first volunteer fire department was established in New York by Peter Stuyvesant in 1648.

Damaged caused by the Great Fire of London of 1666, which destroyed more than 13,000 houses, led to insurance companies creating the first fire brigades. The known London fire brigade comprising six uniformed men was founded in 1699 by an insurance firm at Tom’s Coffee House in St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden.

At the time the crews would all rush to a burning house, but only put out the flames if the correct ‘fire mark’ on the outside wall proved the homeowner had paid that particular company his insurance premium.

Before municipal fire services came to fruition, metal plaques marked with the emblem of a fire insurance company were affixed to the front of insured buildings as a guide to the company's fire brigade. The first to use the mark was the Sun Fire Office which was established in 1710.

On September 19, 1738, the Common Council appointed for the first time thirty "Strong, Able, Discreet, Honest and Sober" volunteers to be the 'Firemen of the City of New York."

A picture of American firefighters in the 1770s

Napoleon created the first military unit of firefighters on September 18, 1811 as a result of a lackluster response during a fire at the Austrian Embassy. Their members were the sappers of the Imperial Guard in charge of preventing and fighting fires in the Imperial Palaces in Paris. Today the Paris Fire Brigade is part of the French Army. They serve Paris and the surrounding area of 7 million people. 

In 1867, after New York City firemen sent a fire engine/fire gears for use by Columbia, South Carolina which was razed by fire in the Civil War, the state promised to return favor "should misfortune ever befall the Empire City." After 9/11, Columbia sent a fire ladder truck to New York City Fire Department as a gesture from 1867.

The fire pole was invented in the 1870s by David Kenyon of Chicago's Engine Company 21. When it was first used other firefighters thought its use was crazy—until 21 started being the first Chicago crew to arrive at fires. 

Until 1878, fire houses were equipped with spiral staircases so the fire horses would not try to climb the stairs into the firefighter's living quarters.

Three Honolulu firefighters were killed, and six wounded, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, making them the first fire department on American soil to be attacked by a foreign power.

UK's first woman firefighter, Mary Langdon, joined East Sussex Fire Brigade in 1976.

Some 343 firefighters were killed during the Al Qaeda terror attacks on New York’s Twin Towers on September 11, 2001.

Comedian Pete Davidson’s father, Scott Davidson, was a New York firefighter who died on September 11th, 2001 when entering the World Trade Center towers. He was last seen entering the ground floor of the WTC Marriott to help victims who had been trapped by the first crash. 

International Firefighters’ Day is observed each year on May 4th. It is a time where the world’s community can recognize and honor the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions.

Pixiebay

International Firefighters’ Day was instituted after a proposal was emailed out across the world on January 4, 1999 by Lt JJ Edmondson due to the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a large bushfire at Linton in Victoria, Australia.

The date was chosen as May 4 is the feast day of St Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. This date is also known as St Florian’s Day worldwide and has been tradition for more than 150 years in Europe.

Firefighters use wetting agents to make water more "wet". The chemicals added reduce the surface tension of plain water so it's easier to spread and soak into objects, which is why it’s known as “wet water.”

Firefighters in Dubai use jetpacks to tackle blazes in high-rise buildings.

Smokejumpers are specialized firefighters who parachute in remote areas to fight early fires, with little to no ground support.


About 100 firefighters die each year in America.

Every fire department in Chile is staffed by volunteer firefighters, from the smallest towns to major cities such as Santiago and Valparaiso. Chile is possibly the only nation in the world with an entirely volunteer fire service.

Sources Creators, Firefightersday

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