Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Overview of the History, Tradition, and Development of the American Fire Service

Introduction • This chapter covers: – Importance of the mission of the fire service – Purpose of a mission statement – Major events that alter the history of the fire service – History of firefighting and emergency response

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The Mission of the Fire Service • Firefighter tasks are the same all over the world – Save lives and property from fire and other emergencies – Different fire departments have different approaches

• Mission synonymous with purpose for existence – Legal authority to act in a certain manner

• Mission statement – Written declaration describing things it intends to do to protect citizenry or customers

• Every individual responsible for mission 1.3

Roots in the Past • Factors common to all agencies – Organizational structure – Inventory of facilities, apparatus, equipment, methods – Programs to protect life and property

• Categories of programs – – – – –

Fire and emergency operations and fire prevention Arson investigation Training Emergency medical services Communications and maintenance

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Figure 1-1 Understanding the history of the fire service is like climbing a ladder.

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Ancient Beliefs • Turning point in human history: recognition of value of fire – Initial challenge: manage fire, prevent it from destroying its user

• Ancient Greeks believed fire was a gift from Prometheus • Phoenix myth: fire powerful destroyer and giver of life • Ancient cultures used fire; fire destroyed their homes and consumed their property 1.6

Recorded History • Vesta: Roman goddess, protector of hearth fire • Hero of Alexandria: created first fire pump • 22 B.C.: magistrates reported fire outbreaks at night – “Familia publica” organized along military lines • A.D. 6: “Cohortes Vigilum” permanent fire

brigade – Housed in barracks; toured the city at night looking for fires

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Recorded History (cont’d.) • Emperor Augustus created seven cohorts – Seven military units under command of a tribune – Groups under a prefect (officer of equestrian rank) – Each prefect had 500 men, later expanded to 1000 – Vigiles were a variety of specialists

• Roman leaders attempted to regulate building • After fall of Rome, no organized fire brigades for 1000 years • Legacy of organized firefighting left by Rome 1.8

Figure 1-3 An early European hand-operated pump based on the ancient Roman design.

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Early History and Symbols of the Fire Service • Crusades: Order of Saint John of Hospitaliers – Dedicated to treatment of battlefield wounds

• Knights of Malta – Dedicated to saving lives by serving as stretcher-bearers

• Symbol on uniform and shield determined friend or foe – Red cross worn by Order of Saint John – Maltese cross worn by Knights of Malta 1.10

(A)

(B)

Figure 1-4 Symbols taken from history: (A) red cross and

(B) Maltese cross.

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The Middle Ages • Fire continued to destroy European cities • Technological advances around the globe not widely available in Europe – Fire brigade created in China, not copied in Europe • A.D. 1100 – 1600: English devised fire

regulations – Laws requiring home owners to have ladders, buckets, and barrels of water handy – Arson a serious crime • Punishment: to be burned alive 1.12

The Middle Ages (cont’d.) • 1666: Great Fire of London • Community leaders placed emphasis on elimination of conflagration • Next 200 years: creation of almost all basic fire protection institutions of the modern age – Organization of fire departments – Creation of fire insurance industry – Rise of technology to prevent and combat fires 1.13

Early American History • Early regulations on prohibition of wooden chimneys, limitations on candle-making – Early settlements built of wood; emphasis on prevention

• 1637: fire marks used by insurance companies • Fires fought by bucket brigades • Early 1700s Boston designated fire wardens – 1718: fire societies, era of volunteer firefighter

• 1752: Benjamin Franklin started Philadelphia Contributorship 1.14

Early American History (cont’d.) • Fire companies extinguished only the fires of insured buildings – Volunteer firefighters extinguished any fire

• Fire used as a weapon of war • 1800 – 1850: better protection, more powerful hand pumpers, development of fire helmet • Arson became common in mid-1800s • 1853: first full-time, paid firefighting service – Steam-powered fire engine replaced hand-pumps 1.15

The Civil War • Establishment of paramilitary organizational practices • Firefighters became soldiers in the Civil War – Most of the country’s experienced firefighters were lost to the war

• Military veterans replaced lost firefighters – Introduced military rank structure – Command and control similar to infantry tactics – Coloration and design of uniforms

• 1873: National Association of Fire Engineers 1.16

The Industrial Revolution • 1870s through 1900: U.S. moved from farming to industry • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) – Designed and installed automatic sprinklers – Standard number 1

• Basic research in fire engineering started in: – – – –

Alarm systems Fire hydraulics Aerial apparatus Steam-powered fire pump 1.17

The Beginning of the Twentieth Century • International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) • National Board of Fire Underwriters (NBFU) – Evaluated level of fire defense in different cities

• Emphasis on fire prevention • 1920s: firefighter education reform – Fire Chief Ralph Scott – Firefighting Bulleting Number 155, series 44, Federal Board of Vocational Education, 1931 1.18

Technology, Transition, and Times of Change • Different technology in service simultaneously • Pre-World War I stations had both horsedrawn and motorized fire apparatus – Several pieces of equipment had to be assembled to fight a fire

• Internal combustion combined three apparatus into one • Advances in ability to reach fire, but not in capacity to fight fire once on the scene 1.19

Figure 1-16 Triple combination engine companies can carry water and hoses and other equipment as well as pump the water. (Owned and photographed by William Killen)

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The Effects of World War II • War accelerated need to deal with fire – Fire still a weapon of war

• Research resulted in: – – – –

Indirect attack method Improved foams for use in fire service Improved personal protective clothing Improved fire nozzle technology

• Fire service became more paramilitary • Other innovations: improved communications (radio), diesel engines 1.21

Modernization of the Fire Service • Modernization is a process • Information half-life: how long it takes for 50% of information to become obsolete – 1700s about 100 years – Half-life has decreased with every generation over last 100 years

• Technological obsolescence: any given technology is only useful for a period of time – Steamers replaced hand-pumpers – Diesel replaced gasoline

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The Fire Service of Today • Acceleration of change related to duties of firefighter and agency staffing – Hazardous materials response – Search and rescue – Terrorism incidents

• 1947: National Conference on America’s fire problem (Harry Truman) • Texas City Disaster: first catastrophic hazardous materials event in America

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The Fire Service of Today (cont’d.) • 1960s Johnson Foundation “Wingspread Conference” • 1970s National Commission on Fire Protection and Control “America Burning” – United States Fire Administration created – Incident command system (ICS) created

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The Fire Service of Today (cont’d.) • Twenty-first century: – 30,635 fire departments and 1,140,900 firefighters – Fire department in the U.S. responds to one fire every 20 seconds – U.S. has fourth highest death rate among industrial nations: one person dies every two hours in a fire

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Figure 1-17 The fire service has expanded into many areas, including hazardous materials response.

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The Fire Service of Today (cont’d.) • The fire service also plays a large role in EMS

Figure 22-2 Firefighters are often called on to assist EMS crews with patient care. 1.27

Lessons Learned • Firefighter’s career is like climbing a ladder • We must give due credit to the past • Future contains difficult challenges and opportunities • Firefighters must develop skills that did not exist previously • Motto of the Roman fire brigade “Semper Vigilans” – “Always Vigilant” 1.28