The history of firefighting in America can be traced all the way back to
Jamestown, Virginia, 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.
In
January 1608, a devastating fire destroyed most of the colonists'
provisions and lodgings. Smith made a concise assessment of the
situation: "I begin to think that it is safer for me to dwell in the
wild Indian country than in this stockade, where fools accidentally
discharge their muskets and others burn down their homes at night."
Three hundred ninety years later, Smith's read on America's safety
issues is not that much different than today's. Our headlines still
feature the same two elements - fire and guns.
The population of the New World continued to rise as shiploads of
immigrants stepped ashore looking for a fresh start in a new land.
Cities began to take shape, and the problems Smith found in the small
stockade multiplied as more and more structures were added. The fire
load in these cities increased as forests were cleared and wooden homes
and buildings were constructed.
The communities that sprang up around three of the best harbors -
Boston, New York and Philadelphia - soon faced a number of social
problems involving housing, sanitation, water supply and the danger of
fire. These three cities, and the firefighters who eventually stepped
forward to protect them, set the course early on as to the direction and
shape the American Fire Service would take.
In
1648, New Amsterdam (later New York) Governor Peter Stuyvesant stood
firmly on his peg leg and appointed four men to act as fire wardens.
They were empowered to inspect all chimneys and to fine any violators of
the rules. The city burghers later appointed eight prominent citizens to
the "Rattle Watch" - these men volunteered to patrol the streets at
night carrying large wooden rattles. If a fire was seen, the men spun
the rattles, then directed the responding citizens to form bucket
brigades. This is generally recognized as the first step in organized
firefighting in America.
Even earlier, Boston's city fathers took the first steps in fire
prevention when Governor John Winthrop outlawed wooden chimneys and
thatched roofs in 1631. Forty years later, Boston suffered a series of
arson fires and finally a conflagration in 1676. The small "ingine"
built by local ironmaker Joseph Jynks, probably a syringe-type pump, had
little effect on the swelling wall of flames. Shortly after the fire,
Bostonians sent for the "state of the art fire engine" then being made
in England. The three-foot-long, 18-inch-wide wooden box arrived with
carrying handles and a direct-force pump that fed a small hose. The
tub-like section of the engine was kept filled with water by a bucket
brigade.
The need to coordinate these efforts brought about the establishment of
the first engine company in colonial America. Twelve men and a captain
were "hired" by the General Court to care for and manage the engine and
to be paid for their work. On January 27, 1678, this company went into
service. Its captain (foreman), Thomas Atkins, was actually the first
firefighting officer in the country.
Two Newsham engines arrived in New York in December 1732. Jacob Turck
was appointed to take charge of the engines and to keep them in repair
at his own cost after a 10-pound salary was advanced him. Turck also
worked on a pump of his own design, perhaps the first mechanical fire
pumper built in America.
Most notable among the famous Americans who helped shape the country and
the fire service was Benjamin Franklin, a writer, printer, philosopher,
scientist, statesman of the American Revolution - and a fireman.
Franklin helped draft the Declaration of Independence, served as a
diplomat, and invented items that ranged from lightning rods to bifocal
eyeglasses. In 1736, Franklin founded the Union Fire Company in
Philadelphia, which became the standard for volunteer fire company
organization.
Two important "tools" utilized by early American firemen were the bed
key and salvage bags. With firefighting apparatus able to supply only a
small stream of water, a fire that began to gain any headway was soon
out of control. Arriving firemen quite often opted for immediate salvage
efforts in the fire building and surrounding exposures. The bed key was
a small metal tool that allowed the men to quickly disassemble the
wooden frame of a bed, quite often the most valuable item owned by a
family, and remove it to safety. Other household goods of any value were
snatched up, placed in salvage bags and carried to safety.
The first attempt at fire insurance went bust after a devastating fire
in Charlestown, MA., in 1736. Ben Franklin then organized the
"Philadelphia Contributorship" to insure houses from loss by fire in
1740, a venture that was a success. The company adopted "fire marks" to
be affixed to the front of the insured's property for easy
identification.
With rules to provide for buckets, hooks, ladders and the formation of
volunteer companies, firefighting started to become formalized. The
chain of command fell in place as officers of various ranks were
established. Firemen devised new and better ways to accomplish their
mission; everything from helmets to hoses were invented or improved.
Firemen in Philadelphia, New York, Boston and other cities made major
advances in the technology and theory of firefighting.
The legacy of colonial firefighters can still be seen in fire department
operations and organization across the country to this day. The wooden
hydrants are gone but the iron willed determination of American
firefighters is as strong as ever.
About the Author: Paul Hashagan, is a fire service historian and author
of several books about the history of firefighting. He is an FDNY
firefighter assigned to Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan and an assistant
chief of the Freeport, NY, Fire Department.
