Firefighting 1800s America

• There was no government run Fire Departments in the US until the time of the civil war ~ 1860

- prior to this independent, private fire brigades compete with each other to be the first to respond to a fire because insurance companies paid the brigades to pay buildings

• Fire Houses were social gathering place rather than a place where professionals would meet and the money paid to the brigade went into the house's fund rather than to individual members

Firefighting used to be a for-profit industry

• private "clubs" or "gangs" were in charge of putting out fires

• first club at the scene got the money front he insurance company

-incentive to get there fast

-incentive to sabotage competition

-got into fights over territory and many times buildings would burn down before the issue was resolved

• they were glorified looters

• New York companies famous for sending runners out to fires with a large barrel to cover the hydrant closes to the fire in advance of the engines

-fights would break out over choice fire hydrants

-firefighting became a spectator sport where people would gather on the streets and cheer on their favorite company

Firefighting in the early 19th century was difficult and dangerous work.

   • firefighters are volunteers

   • equipment is cumbersome and required great physical strength, stamina and speed

   • used pump wagons that were pulled by firefighters

System of bells informed firefighters of where the fire was

- people would light candles in the window so that the firefighters going through the streets could see