Zahlen, bitte! 23977 Volunteer fire brigades for rapid assistance in emergencies
In 23,977 volunteer fire departments, people are working around the clock to rescue people in distress. But how did the fire departments come about?
(Image: heise online)
In Germany, fire department helpers are once again working around the clock in flood situations to save people. In light of the current situation, we have updated an earlier "Figures, please!" on fire departments and republished it as "Figures, please! Classic".
Rescue – Extinguish – Rescue – Protect. These are the four keywords that describe the broad spectrum of operations of the German fire departments. Thanks to highly efficient operational logistics and the dedication of well-trained firefighters, you can be sure that you will receive help within a few minutes if you call 112.
The fear of fire has been with mankind since urbanization. This is why there were already organized fire departments in Ancient Egypt and China. In ancient Rome, with its densely populated insulae, there were devastating fires against which no urban firefighting was initially organized. To counter this, wealthy Romans formed private fire departments. These had the disadvantage that they served private interests, not the common good.
(Image: CC-BY-SA 4.0, Rabax63)
Firefighting only against the house to be saved
They used a perfidious strategy to fight fires: homeowners whose possessions caught fire had the choice between plague and cholera. Either they gave their house to the operator of the private fire department at a price far below its value, or the fire department let the house burn down. In this way, Marcus Crassus and his 500-strong private fire department, consisting of slaves trained in their trade, made a considerable fortune in 100 BC. This mafia-like form of land appropriation also encouraged arson and caused anger among the citizens of Rome.
In 20 BC, the aedile Marcus Egnatius Rufus set up a fire department to fight fires in Rome free of charge and unconditionally. This was so well received by the citizens of the Eternal City that they made him praetor. Emperor Augustus became so suspicious of his popularity that he had him arrested and executed as a conspirator. In turn, he took up the idea of the fire department for the common good and continued to expand the unit. After Augustus, the fire departments became more and more professionalized.
First fire regulations provide more fire protection
With the fall of the Roman Empire and the migration of peoples, some of this knowledge was lost again. In the Middle Ages, guilds and guilds were entrusted with the task of fire protection. Devastating fires were not uncommon in densely populated cities. After Lübeck suffered from three enormous city fires between 1157 and 1276, newly established fire regulations, which restricted the use of wood as a building material, for example, ensured that the city was spared citywide fires until 1942.
In addition to the building regulations, the supply of extinguishing water was also improved: among other things, every household had to keep a bucket of water to be prepared in the event of a fire or to be able to help set up a fire-fighting line from the water point to the source of the fire. The fire pump in its primitive form already existed in Crassus' time, and the first hand-operated fire pumps were built around 1600. After hoses made of stitched leather were already available, the first woven hoses were put into service in Leipzig around 1720. It was not until around 100 years later – thanks to the rubber inner hose – that these could really be used effectively.
Major fire disasters lead to trained fire departments
The first voluntary fire departments were founded in Germany in the 19th century. Devastating fires such as the great fire in Hamburg in 1842 and the theater fire in Karlsruhe in 1847 showed that it was not enough to provide fire-fighting equipment and organize volunteers on a cooperative basis. A fire is a highly complex situation and requires trained and professional units. The difference was particularly evident during the theater fire: in addition to the conventional units, the Durlach Pompiercorps, a new type of fire department unit, helped out with a mobile hand-operated fire engine and were well-equipped and trained in this.
(Image: Markus Will)
Although they arrived at the scene later than the neighboring fire brigade, they were able to do a lot to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjacent Orangerie and Badische Sparkasse. Impressed by the effective way in which the fire was fought and the terrible fire incident, a few days later around 100 Karlsruhe citizens agreed to found a fire department based on the Durlach model.
First professional fire department in Berlin in 1851
The first professional fire department was founded in Berlin in 1851. By 1852, there were already 27 fire departments based on the Durlach model, and the number continued to grow over time. In 1855, the founding of the "Association of German Fire Departments" was decided in Stuttgart. This gave rise to the German Fire Brigade Association (DFV), which still represents the interests of firefighters today.
A devastating fire in Öschelbronn in Baden-Württemberg in 1933 also showed how important it is for fire departments to have comparable equipment on board: The fire could only be extinguished inadequately because two fire departments were unable to set up a joint water supply.
Where did it happen?
Please describe the emergency location as well as possible, ideally with the address and any special features that may be necessary for a rescue.
What has happened?
Briefly describe what you have observed and what you see. E.g. traffic accident and two people trapped.
Wait for further questions!
Please do not hang up immediately after making the emergency call. There may still be important questions.
The questions (according to the old 5-W scheme) are also still important:
How many injured persons?
Describe as best you can the estimated number of injured persons, their location and, if possible, the suspected injuries. Be sure to estimate the age of children.
Who is calling?
Please have the name, location and ideally a telephone number ready in case of any queries.
Your information can save lives!
The reason: the hoses were incompatible with each other. As a result, the DIN standard FEN 301-316 was created for fire hoses, and the so-called Storz couplings are still in use throughout Germany today.
