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Life of a Fire Fighter
Before the 1850s, fire fighting in American cities was the work of volunteers. Summoned by alarm bells from their homes or jobs, they pulled powerful engines by hand to combat blazes in their communities.
These volunteer companies furnished their own uniforms and equipment, and a fire engine was often their greatest expense. The engine was a fire company's source of pride and identity, with brass fixtures and elaborate carvings. Many engines had fitted hand-painted panels to attach for parades and other ceremonies.
Volunteers maintained the machines and kept their own skills honed through drills. Companies also competed in public contests to see which could pump fastest, or throw the longest stream of water. These rivalries could spill into the streets, at times violently, as companies raced to be the first to a fire.
Hand-Pumped Fire Engine
about 1842
Developed in Philadelphia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this engine style was pulled by hand to a fire. Pump handles (called brakes) and standing boards could be folded up to maneuver through crowded streets. With both extended, 20 or more fire fighters could operate the pumps, with teams working in short shifts.
Such an engine could throw about 100 gallons of water per minute on a blaze from 150 feet or more. Fire fighters directed the streams from a long nozzle on top, or through leather hoses attached to the sides. These pumpers used similar hoses to draw water directly from municipal hydrants and cisterns. |