Fundamentals of Fire and Emergency Services Chapter 1 History of the Fire Service Jason B. Loyd James D. Richardson Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education,

Fundamentals of Fire and

Emergency Services

Chapter 1

History of the Fire Service

Jason B. Loyd

James D. Richardson

Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

All rights reserved.Fundamentals of Fire and Emergency ServicesJason B. Loyd and James D. Richardson

Objectives

• Describe the evolution of firefighting in the United States and other countries.

• Explain the history of early firefighting organizations.

• Describe early fire vehicles.• Describe early personal protective

equipment.



Objectives

• Understand fire service traditions.• Describe the origins of fire facilities.• Explain the U.S. fire dilemma and its

causes.• Discuss the changing role of the modern

firefighter.



The Evolution of Firefighting Services

• 1st century BC, city of Rome was subject to conflagrations

• Roman fire brigades were originally slaves

• Approximately 6 AD, Emperor Augustus organized freedmen called “vigiles” to patrol the streets




• In 64 AD, fire destroyed two-thirds of the city of Rome

• After the fire, Emperor Nero instituted building construction standards to help prevent another fire from destroying the city




• 11th century, William the Conqueror of England instituted first fire prevention activities– Signal at 8 PM each night required homes to

extinguish all candles and cover cooking fires

– This was called couvre feu, which became the English word curfew




• The Great Fire of London (1666)– City burned for 4 days and consumed 430

acres, 13,000 homes, and 89 churches– City rebuilt with wider streets and brick

replaced wood and pitch for buildings




After the Great Fire of London:• First insurance company formed

– In addition to insuring property, this and later companies assumed responsibility for actual firefighting

• Firemarks placed on buildings to identify which properties were protected




In the United States:• Houses required to have a bucket on front step

for bucket brigades• 1648, volunteer fire wardens established in

New Amsterdam (New York City)• 1679, Boston established first paid firefighters




In the United States:• 1736, Benjamin Franklin established first

volunteer fire company in Philadelphia • History of the wooden fireplugs• Hand pumpers



Early Firefighting Apparatus and Fire Vehicles

• Firefighting technology dates back to 2nd century BC

• Greek engineer invented basic hand pump which operated on the principle of a siphon and could propel a jet of water toward a fire

• Not until the 17th century were hand-operated pumps placed on wagons




• 1672, Dutch inventor Jan van der Heiden developed first fire hose

• 1679, Boston imported first fire engine to America

• 1743, first American-built fire pump produced by Thomas Lote of New York




• 1829, steam-powered fire pump constructed in London by John Braithwaite

• 1841, group of insurance companies contracted for the construction of a self-propelled fire steam engine similar to a train engine




• 1907, American-built internal combustion fire engines appeared– Early versions were either pumping engines

or tractors to pull the fire equipment

• Early 19th century saw the addition of horse-drawn fire wagons

• Horse-drawn era lasted about 100 years




• 1853, first US steam-powered fire engine constructed in Cincinnati

• 1910, those two functions were combined to both move the apparatus and pump water

• 1923, Chicago Fire Department became first completely motorized fire department in the U.S.




In addition to fighting fires, today’s firefighting vehicles provide services for

highly specialized functions



Personal Protective Equipment and Fire Facilities

• Victorian firefighters used their beards to protect from smoke inhalation by dipping the beard in water and holding it in their teeth

• 1825, first protective mask, the French apparatus Aldini, tested in fire conditions

• 1870s, fire departments use “Neally’s Smoke Excluding Mask”




• Early 20th century, first self-contained breathing apparatus known as the Gibbs came into use

• 1945, the air pac allowed for breathing fresh air in smoke-filled environment

• Today, AirPac steel cylinder replaced by light-weight composite air bottles- Pressure regulators provide positive pressure




• Early volunteer-era equipment was stored in a shed

• With advent of the professional full-time firefighter, firehouses were needed for sleeping quarters and equipment storage



Fire Service Insignias and Traditions

– Red fire engines

• Badges

• Maltese Cross

• Dalmatian fire dog



The Modern U.S. Fire Dilemma

Fire statistics show the U.S. lagging other nations in fire security

• Examples: – In 2001, direct property loss due to fire estimated at

$11 billion ($44 billion if WTC loss included)– In 2004, direct property loss due to fire estimated at

$9.8 billion





The Modern U.S. Fire Dilemma

• 1973 U.S. Fire Administration report shows Americans have casual attitude about fire danger

• The 2001 terrorist attacks and resulting Patriot Act and establishment of Homeland Security, have had impact on national fire policy and its implementation

The Scope of Fire and Emergency Services Today

• Firefighters today are no longer single-role providers

• In many cases dual- and triple-roles required of emergency workers today

• EMT and NREMT certification a minimum standard in many states/municipalities



The Scope of Fire and Emergency Services Today

• 2003 Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 mandated a national (NIMS) system for all government and private emergency workers

• Modern fire and emergency services embrace standards established during annual FESHE Conference

• Majority of emergency calls are medical in nature rather than fire-related



Summary

• Fire service requires emergency workers be able to respond to all hazards

• Future trends will emphasize fire prevention and education

• Fire service is becoming more diverse





Questions ?

Fundamentals of Fire and Emergency Services Chapter 1 History of the Fire Service Jason B. Loyd James D. Richardson Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education,

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