|
1704 |
|
|
The Board of Firemasters was created in
Charleston, SC to oversee fire protection. |
|
1715 |
|
|
The Boston, MA Fire Department has 6 engine
companies. |
|
1718 |
|
|
Mutual Fire Society created in Boston, MA to
assist in fighting fire in the homes of
members of the group as well as salvaging
items from the fire. |
|
1721 |
|
|
First fire engine to throw continuous
stream of water patented in London, England
by Richard Newsham. The engine had two single-acting pumps and an air vessel placed in a tank which formed the frame of the machine. The pumps were worked by two men at the long cross handles. |
|
1731
|
|
|
New York, NY imports its first two fire
engines, Engine Co.1 and Engine Co.2, from Richard Newsham in London,
England. |
|
|
Fire roars out of control in Charleston, SC
and levels nearly half of the city. |
|
1734 |
|
|
September 7th, the first mention of a fire "enjin" in
Charleston, SC listed for
sale
£180
sterling. |
|
1735 |
|
|
First fire insurance company in America in
Charleston, SC. It was called the Friendly
Society. |
|
1736 |
|
|
First volunteer fire company in
America by Ben Franklin, Philadelphia.
Founded as the Union Fire Company. |
|
1737 |
|
|
The Volunteer Fire Department of the City of
New York was established. |
|
1740 |
|
|
First fire insurance company in Charleston,
SC goes bankrupt after much of the city if
destroyed in a fire on November 18th. |
|
|
Felt top hat adopted for firefighting
by Jacob Turck, New York. Leather hat has
high crown and narrow brim. |
|
1743 |
|
|
First successful fire engine designed
and built in America, New York. |
|
1750 |
|
|
Cash awards for first-arriving
fire companies started. Companies begin
racing each other to fire scenes. |
|
1752 |
|
|
May 11th, first successful fire insurance
company founded by Ben Franklin,
Philadelphia, PA and was known as the
Philadelphia Contributionship. |
|
1768 |
|
|
First
successful fire engine
manufacturing company formed, Philadelphia,
PA. The creators, Richard and Philip Mason,
built the engine for the Northern Liberty
Fire Company, |
|
1776 |
|
|
September 21st, New York, NY was reportedly
burned by American Patriots implementing a
"scorched earth" policy against the British
Army. The fire destroyed 493 buildings. |
|
1778 |
|
|
January 15th, fire destroys half of Charleston,
SC with over 250 buildings destroyed at a
cost of $3million. The was reportedly
started by British Loyalists in a kitchen
house at the corner of present day State
Street and Queen Street. |
|
1779 |
|
|
Fire destroys much of the 1778 rebuild in
Charleston, SC. |
|
1780 |
|
|
May 15th, an explosion in a powder magazine
on present day Logan Street, in Charleston,
SC, resulted in the deaths of over 200
people. Eyewitness accounts said that 60
were burned beyond recognition and that
there were human limbs hanging in the trees
and torsos writhing in the streets. Captain
Collins and Lieutenant Gordon of the
artillery, Lieutenant McLeod of the
Forty-second regiment as well as thirty
privates, perished in the explosion. |
|
1784 |
|
|
First
"Hand in Hand" fire company formed in
Charleston, SC. |
|
1785 |
|
|
Volunteer fire department formed in the City
of Brooklyn, NY. |
|
1787 |
|
|
January 7th, the first major fire for
Richmond, VA destroyed 50 buildings causing
an estimated $500,000 in damage. |
|
1788 |
|
|
March 21st, New Orleans had a devastating
fire destroyed almost the entire city. Over
900 buildings or seven-eighths of the city
was destroyed. |
|
|
May 23rd, a suspicious fire destroys the SC
State House in Charleston, SC. The
Constitutional Ratification Conference was
meeting at the time. As a result a vote was
taken by delegates and Columbia, SC became
the new capital of South Carolina. |
|
1791 |
|
† |
May 9th, 12 firemen killed by a collapsing
wall at a building fire in Philadelphia, PA. |
|
1794 |
|
|
First protective capes used for
firefighting, Philadelphia, PA. |
|
|
Pat Lyon designed and
constructed the Philadelphia-style hand
engine. This was an end stroke, double deck
style that originally was filled by buckets.
It did not become a suction style until
1810.
|
|
1796 |
|
|
Fire destroys over 500 buildings in
Charleston, SC. |
|
1799 |
|
|
First hook and ladder truck used,
hand-drawn, Philadelphia, PA. |
