Little Egypt Heritage Articles Stories of Southern Illinois © Bill Oliver 10 September 2006 Vol 5 Issue: #28 ISBN: pending Osiyo, Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen of Little Egypt “Volunteer Fire Departments” The person given credit for the establishment of the first volunteer fire department is none other than the versatile publisher of Poor Richard’s Almanac, Benjamin Franklin, in Philadelphia in 1736. Ben’s ideas were formed at age six as a witness to the 1711 Boston fire. Following the 1676 fire, Boston purchased a “London pumper”. They hired thirteen men, led by Thomas Atkins, to fight fires. Thus, they were the first paid firefighters in the United States. At first fires were fought by “bucket brigades”, where every available person helped fight fires by passing water filled buckets to the site of a fire. In New Amsterdam, fire buckets were made of leather by the Dutch. Then, in some communities, hand pumps were purchased and manned by Engine and Hose companies. After 1711, in fire conscious Boston concerned citizens banded together and formed Mutual Fire Societies. When a fire happened to a member of these Mutual Fire Societies, the members would rush to help battle the blaze. These societies usually had about twenty members. These societies were protective associations, but also became very social. This set a pattern for organized volunteer firefighting groups, which became the backbone of firefighting in the United States, and exists yet today where there are still volunteer fire departments. Like the name implies, the Boston “Mutual” Fire Societies only went to put out fires for “members.” Benjamin Franklin, on the other hand, wanted Philadelphia’s companies/organizations to fight ALL fires, regardless of whose property was burning. In 1736, Ben organized a fire brigade, The Union Fire company, which had thirty members/volunteers, with the first full fledged volunteer firefighter in the United States named Isaac Paschall. The idea caught on and fire brigade companies were formed in Philadelphia with thirty to forty men each. While we are at this place in the story of Volunteer Firefighters, it might be nice to list some of the early famous volunteers: The Father of our County, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin [of course], Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, John Barry, Aaron Burr [there is good in us all], James Buchanan and listed last, but certainly not the least, Millard Fillmore. And, not to leave the ladies out; the first recorded [1818] female volunteer was Molly Williams of New York. [Those interested in Afro-American history should research this lady.] In 1820, Marina Betts volunteered in Pittsburgh. [She used to dump water on bystanders who wouldn’t help fight fires.] San Francisco had a top notch volunteer in Lillie Hitchcock. Before her sixteenth birthday, while watching a brigade that didn’t have enough men to pull the pumper, she grabbed the vacant place and pulled with all her might, while calling out to bystanders, “Come on, you men!! Everyone pull .....” Some cities that had organized brigades also hired “Prowlers”. They would patrol the streets on the “rattle” watch [dark to dawn]. In large cities, the coming of the steam engine signaled the doom of the volunteer fire departments. Men were no longer needed to pass buckets, pump water, and pull the fire fighting apparatus, for horses now pulled the “engines”. History records some very violent reactions to eliminating the “volunteer brigades” as cities hired permanent firemen. However, in smaller communities, such as Aurora, Nebraska, in Hamilton county, might be called “typical” of volunteer fire departments. There the fire department was organized in 1889. In March, four days after a group of citizens met to organize the Aurora fire department, a straw stack caught fire at a local stables. [Great timing.] All matters of forming the fire department were approved before the end of the month. By the 18th of April, the temporary officers were elected to the same positions. The occupations of this first group of firemen included: an insurance man, four printers, a hardware retailer, a butcher, a deputy county clerk, a carpenter, two furniture dealers, and a medical student. One of the furniture dealers also served as the “undertaker”. This company was desolved and a hook and ladder company was formed. The members of the original fire department were given the opportunity to resign and volunteer for the new company. New members were charged two dollars for initiation and dues were ten cents a meeting, with a fine of twenty-five cents for missing a meeting or a fire without an excuse. In August 1893, a fire broke out in a barn near the town depot. The fire department did a great job of running the ten blocks and throwing water in less than fifteen minutes. Well, you might guess that -- the barn and crib were reported in the local paper, as a total loss. This calls for some expanding. “Running” teams were very popular in those early days. The “team” practiced dragging the hose cart a prescribed distance, rolling out the hose, making the connections and having the water flowing in the fastest possible times. These “team” practices were so popular that there were state conventions and competitions and Aurora sent their team. In 1901 the fire department was authorized to buy uniforms of pants, coat and cap, at a cost of $13.50 each. In 1904 an electric light was installed in the office for the secretary. A final anecdote to the Aurora story. In June 1919, the cost of a “brass pole” to be installed so that in the event that the fire alarm sounded during the fire department’s monthly meeting, the firemen could slide down to the truck and shorten the time of arrival at the fire scene. There is no record that the pole was ever ordered. See, I do believe that we all have this type of picture of our wonderful volunteer firemen. I know I do and I’ve seen ours grow from one full time paid “chief” to several full time personnel, two new fire houses, EMT units in each, and “pair” volunteers who show up at fires. And, the social events still bring great crowds of grateful citizens to enjoy pancake suppers, chicken picnics, and/or ice cream socials. e-la-Di-e-das-Di ha-wi nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk in peace and harmony) and Wado, Bill -=- 977 PostScript: Other sites worth visiting: PostScript: = = = = http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/SOIL http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/ILMASSAC http