Centuries
of Change
For
almost 250 years Halifax Firefighters have used
many tools and machines to combat fire in our
great city. In 1762 a local statute had provided
for the appointment of firewards. These
firewards were given the power to direct all
firefighting forces within the Halifax
boundaries. When on duty the firewards were
obliged to wear attire which distinguished them
in office. This attire consisted of a fireward
badge, a staff which was six feet in height and
coloured red and topped with a bright brass
spear.
It
was the firewards who assigned duties to the
various volunteer companies and decided what
houses were to be torn down to prevent the
spread of fire. These statutes which were put
into effect almost 250 years ago are still
referred to in current legislation. By another
statute in 1782, the wardens were provided with
ladders, hooks, axes, and saws. In addition to
their responsibilities at the scene of Halifax's
fires they had fire prevention duties throughout
the year. They administered local by-laws which
forbid the use of rockets, squibs, and other
fireworks. They were also responsible for
licensing chimney sweeps and for ensurring that
chimneys were swept regularly. Halifax's first
firewards recommended the digging of wells and
pumps for firefighting purposes.
One
news item of 1809 describes a typical fire scene
of the day, "...the sloshing of buckets
passing hastily from hand to hand, the
perspiring leather caped gentlemen at the
engine, bowing to each other alternately like
clockwork toys as the handlebars went up and
down, the paltry stream of water that gushed and
sank with the movements of the pump, the
gentlemen of rival fire companies watching in
case 'one of ours' should catch fire from 'one
of theirs'." All this was familiar
spectacle of a fire in Halifax during the early
1800's.
But
the Union Engine Company had its social side
too. Its picnics and sleigh rides were looked
upon as the leading functions of the day, the
latter particularly with teams of four, six and
eight horses driving to hosteliries outside the
city, returning with torchlight processions.
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The
Percheron Horse
The
Percheron breed pulled Halifax's horse drawn
fire equipment.
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