History of the Columbus Fire Department

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History of theColumbus Fire Department
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Rome

• Rome had the first beginnings of a fire
  department
• 20 A.D. under Augustus

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Maltese Cross

• Symbol of Firemen
• Originated during the time of the Crusades by the
  Knights of St. John
• They used burning oil to defeat the Crusaders
• The man who designed the cross was named Malta

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First U.S. Fire Departments

• Boston and Philadelphia had the first real fire
  departments in the United States
• Ben Franklin is recognized as the first fire
  chief in the U.S.
• He was fire chief in Philadelphia

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U.S. Fire Departments

• 1600 the first pumpers were developed
• Hand operated with cisterns below the streets
• As many as 6 men were on each side pumping water
  from leaded riveted hoses that were made in
  England

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Georgia History

• 1821 Columbus was declared a city by the
  Governor of Georgia and the city streets were
  laid out
• The city stretched from the Chattahoochee River
  to what is now 6th Avenue and 18th Street
• The Indians named the river Chattahoochee,
  meaning Treacherous Waters

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Georgia History

• 1828 Muscogee County became a county and started
  getting rid of all the Indians from Georgia
• The State wanted the gold, silver, phosphorus and
  timber that were Georgia resources and did not
  want to share with the Indians.

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Georgia History

• 1831 Columbus first fire department was
  organized with 8 men
• The men began storing ladders around the city so
  they could use them in the event of a fire
• Over the next 12 years, a true fire department
  was developed

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Georgia History

• 1842 The first fire company was organized in
  Columbus
• To be a company, the state legislature had to
  recognize 50 fire fighters as members
• These first members were also some of the first
  citizens of Columbus
• First department was purely voluntary

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Columbus History

• The Springer Opera House was used as one of the
  first fire stations
• The first true station was located at Front
  Avenue and St. Claire
• 1842 the first pumper was purchased from Elmira,
  NY and delivered by river
• A parade began from the river to the fire station
  where the pumper was pulled by hand

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Columbus History

• 1854 Columbus was hit by huge fire on the west
  side of Broadway near 15th Street and burned to
  10th Street.
• It destroyed almost every building on both sides
  of Broadway

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Columbus History

• As it approached 9th Street, the blacks from
  South Commons were commissioned for 200 to stop
  the fire at a specific house
• The blacks formed a line about 300 yards from the
  river to that house and kept it from burning
• The residents of South Commons were given their
  own fire station after that and was called the
  Washington Fire Station

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Columbus History

• Leonard Springs were natural springs located near
  the Columbus Country Club
• They were owned by Colonel Seaborn Jones
• 1844 A chain of hollowed pine logs were laid
  underground from the springs to Broad Street
• The logs were 3 ¼ in diameter

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Columbus History

• The distance was about four miles
• The water was piped into cisterns under the roads
  on Broad Street.
• Handheld pumpers were dropped into the cisterns
  to get water to fight fires

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Columbus History

• 1854 started replacing the wood pipes with iron
  pipes
• A reservoir was also built to contain the water
  piped and a Lovers Lane walk was built around
  the lake
• This was Lakebottom Park

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Columbus History

• 1857 The first fire station was built at 1st
  Avenue and 14th Street
• A water tower was also built that contained 250
  gallons of water

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Columbus Fire Department Today

• 382 civilian employees and firefighters
• 14 Fire stations
• 13 pumpers/engines
• 5 quints ladder, water, pumpers
• 1 Hazardous Material truck
• 8 ambulances

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Columbus Fire Department

• A minimum of 18 firefighters respond to each call
• There is one chief, 2 assistant chiefs and 3
  deputy chiefs

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Columbus Fire Department

• A 2 year degree is required or a contract is
  signed where the firefighter must complete the
  degree within 3 years or lose his job
• CFD trains EMTs, paramedics, first responder,
  and hazardous materials