HERNANDEZ, CRISANTO A.

FIRE TECHNOLOGY

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1. What is Fire Fighting?

Firefighting is the act of attempting to prevent the spread of and extinguish significant unwanted fires
in buildings, vehicles, woodlands, etc. A firefighter suppresses fires to protect lives, property and the
environment. The first step in a firefighting operation is reconnaissance to search for the origin of the
fire and to identify the specific risks.

2. Brief history of Fire Fighting.

In 6 A.D. after a disastrous fire in Rome, Emperor Caesar Augustus established the first organized fire
brigade known as the Vigiles. The Corp of Vigiles consisted of ex-slaves who were trained in firefighting;
they also served as watchmen of the city during the night. The duties of the Vigiles were divided into
Uncinarius, the hook-man who carried a large hook for removing burning roofs; Siphonarius, the
firefighter who was responsible for the supervision and operation of water pumps; Aquarius, the
firefighter whose main duties were to supply water to pumps and organize bucket chains, and the
Emperor who was the fire chief. There were seven battalions of firefighters, each working in two of
Rome’s fourteen fire districts. Each battalion, which were known as cohorts, consisted of 560 men. Each
battalion had one chief and he was assisted by administrative personnel and four physicians.

Firefighters used hooks, pick-axes, ladders and ropes as equipment. They also brought their own water
to the fire using buckets. Powerful pumps were used which could reach a height of 20 to 30 meters.
Water was drawn from public fountains, basins and wells inside buildings. Fire codes were developed
and enforced; a 4% tax was levied on the sale of slaves to pay for the Corp of Vigiles. The Corp of Vigiles,
which consisted of 7190 members grew to become one of the most powerful, esteemed and elite
organizations in the Roman Empire. The fire service known today is a direct result of the Vigiles.

In the following years, the Vigiles expanded to other cities in the Roman Empire to provide fire
protection. “Rome suffered a number of serious fires, most notably the fire that started near the Circus
Maximus on 19 July A.D. 64 and eventually destroyed two-thirds of Rome. The Emperor Nero was
blamed for the conflagration, and may in fact have allowed the fire to bum. At least one roman may
have become very rich from this fire, buying properties in advance of the flames and using teams of
slaves in attempts to defend his recent acquisitions from being consumed”.

“Another great city that experienced such a need for organized fire control was London, which suffered
great fires in 798, 982, and 989. Little is known about the development of fire fighting in Europe until
after the Great Fire of London in 1666. It started in a baker’s shop on Pudding Lane, consumed about
two square miles of the city, leaving tens of thousands homeless. Prior to this fire, London had no
organized fire protection system. Afterwards, insurance companies formed private fire brigades to
protect their clients’ property. Insurance brigades would only fight fires at buildings the company
insured. These buildings were identified by a badge or sign. Still, it was not until 1672 that the Dutch
inventor, Jan Van der Heiden invented the fire-hose. Constructed of flexible leather and coupled every
50 feet with brass fittings, the length and connections remain the standard to this day.” Meanwhile, in
America, Jamestown, Virginia had been virtually destroyed in a fire in January, 1608. Fire “wardens”
were appointed in New Amsterdam in 1648. Wardens were to patrol the cities to inspect chimneys.
“Rattle Watches’ were performed at night by eight appointees, who were to rouse citizens to fight fire
by bucket brigade if necessary. In Boston, serious fires in 1653 and 1676 had inspired the city to take
greater measures towards combating fires.

“The fire engine was developed by Richard Newsham of London in 1725. Pulled as a cart to the fire,
these manual pumps were manned by teams of men and could deliver up to 160 gallons per minute.
“Benjamin Franklin created the Union Fire Company in 1736 in Philadephia, the first volunteer fire
company in America. There were no full-time paid firefighters in America until 1850. Even after the
formation of paid fire companies in the United States, there were disagreements and often fights over
territory. New York City companies were famous for sending runners out to fires with a large barrel to
cover the hydrant closest to the fire in advance of the engines. Often fights would break out between
the runners and even the responding fire companies for the right to fight the fire and receive the
insurance money that would be paid to the company that fought it. Napoleon Bonaparte is generally
attributed as creating the first “professional” firefighters, known as Sapeurs-Pompiers, from the French
Army. Created under the Commandant of engineers in 1810, the company was organized after a fire at
the ballroom in the Austrian Embassy in Paris which injured several dignitaries.”

“In the United Kingdom, organized fire fighting arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland when the Edinburgh Fire
Engine Establishment was formed in 1824, led by James Braidwood. London followed in 1832 with the
London Fire Engine Establishment. he first horse-drawn steam engine for fighting fires was invented in
1829, but not accepted in structural firefighting until 1860, and ignored for another two years
afterwards. Internal combustion engine fire engines arrived in 1907, built in the United States, leading to
the decline and disappearance of steam engines by 1925”.Today the fire service has modem fire
suppression engines, cameras that can see through smoke, breathing apparatus that protect our
firefighters and the best in communications equipment. One can only imagine what firefighting will be
like in the next 2000 years.

3. History of BFP.

The Bureau of Fire Protection was formed from the units of the Philippine Integrated National
Police's Office of Fire Protection Service on January 29, 1991, through a law named Republic Act 6975
creating the present Interior Department and placing the fire service under its control. The enactment of
Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as the Department of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990
which took effect on January 1, 1991 paved the way for the establishment of the Philippine National
Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) as
separate entities. Specifically, the Fire Bureau’s charter was created under Chapter IV (Section 53 to 59)
and carried-out through the provisions of Rule VII (Sections 49 to 58) of the Implementing Rules and
Regulations of the said law. The organization was then placed under the direct supervision of the DILG
Undersecretary for Peace and Order. The succeeding approval of the Appropriation Act of 1991 has also
caused the inaugural operation of the Bureau of Fire Protection on August 2, 1991 as a distinct agency of
the government, with its initial preparation of Operation Plans and Budget (OPB) undertaken by the staff
of the Office of the National Chief Fire Marshal at Camp Crame, Quezon City headed by then F/Brigadier
General Ernesto Madriaga, INP (1990-1992) that took over from the long reign of F/Major Primo D
Cordeta (Ret.) the first Chief Fire Marshal (1978-1989). Gen. Madriaga served as the BFP first Acting Fire
Chief/Director from 1991 to 1992. BFP is responsible for ensuring public safety through prevention
and/or suppression of all destructive fires on buildings, houses, and other similar structure, forests, and
land transportation vehicles and equipment, ships/vessels docked at piers, wharves or anchored at
major seaports, petroleum industry installations. It is also responsible for the enforcement of the Fire
Code of the Philippines (PD 1185) and other related laws, conduct investigations involving fire incidents
and causes thereof including the filing of appropriate complaints/cases.

4. What is Fire Hazard? and provide an example

Fire hazards are workplace hazards that involve the presence of flame or the risk of an uncontrolled fire.

Examples of fire hazard:

*Open flames used in various applications (such as welding)

5. What is Fire Precention?

Fire prevention is a function of many fire departments. The goal of fire prevention is to educate the
public to take precautions to prevent potentially harmful fires, and be educated about surviving them. It
is a proactive method of preventing emergencies and reducing the damage caused by them. Many fire
departments have one or more Fire Prevention Officers, which may also be a routine duty of firefighters.
in the general sense of preventing harmful fires, many aspects are discussed in the articles Fire
protection and Fire safety.