1900-1910, a new beginning for military firefighters

Abstract

At the beginning of XX century, enterprises and factories from Galaţi city were real deadfalls and open traps for the needy population from town. In those compact spaces there were no Professional Standards for protection work or Fire Prevention, Health and Safety Authority, so beyond the small extinguish fires, when major burnings occurred, firefighters’ task became very dangerous. Fire chief had asked for a hydrant near major industries, but before Second World War, this requirement hadn`t been applied. There also were no plans of factories and manufactures, so firefighters found many challenges when extinguishing fires. Firefighters’ facilities from Galaţi city contained pumps and German carloads, with a small water content and beaten comparing to city needs. Our study analyses fire chief correspondence from Archive documents, revealing great difficulties and attributes inherited from past century. The main problems encountered during this study are not related to man fear, but to old trucks and engines; all fire chiefs requested performing engines and pumps, but the lack of concern from local and central institutions, lead to attitudes that still exist.