New York City's Firefighting History

Paper Summary:

The paper records the establishment of the first firefighting unit in New Amsterdam consisting of four men and their buckets and explains their roles and duties. It explains the expansion of this group to include night watchmen called Prowlers. The paper describes the first two fire engines that the city employed and the establishment of the volunteer "Fire Department of the City of New York." The paper details how the department continued to expand and progress and how additional firefighting systems and tools were implemented over time in order to serve and protect the residents of New York City. The paper concludes with a description of the role played by firefighters when terrorists destroyed the Twin Towers on September 11.

From the Paper:

"In order to combat the major problem of "rowdyism" at fire scenes, and to prevent persons who were not firemen from entering the fire lines, in 1855 the Common Council designed a badge to be conspicuously displayed by every fireman while on duty. The firemen were then required by law to wear their badges. Each badge was made of metal and bore a number to be kept in the fire department's records as a means of identifying owner (Journal)."

More papers on New York City's Firefighting History:

• Essay # 15976 : "New York Fire Department"
• Research Paper # 72045 : "Curfew in New York City"
• Book Review # 105572 : " Robert Moses and the Fall of New York City "

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