5 Things you didn鈥檛 know about 麻豆传媒映画Fire and Rescue Services

Each week 麻豆传媒映画 uncovers some听unusual and (hopefully) interesting facts about听the city. This week it takes on听the 麻豆传媒映画fire department. 1.

麻豆传媒映画 Oct 22, 2017 7:00 AM

Rebuilding Cordova St one month after the Great Fire. Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Archives: #Str P7.

Each week 麻豆传媒映画 uncovers some听unusual and (hopefully) interesting facts about听the city. This week it takes on听the 麻豆传媒映画fire department.

1.听The city burned down within weeks of establishing the first fire department

The 麻豆传媒映画Volunteer Fire Brigade was established on May 28, 1886. Just 16 days later, the Great Fire swept through Vancouver, burning the city to the ground in 45 minutes. Volunteer Hose Company No. 1 didn鈥檛 stand a chance as it had no fire engine and was still waiting on equipment to be delivered from Ontario. The company had only axes and shovels to protect the city鈥檚 many lumber mills and wooden听buildings.

2. Firefighters had no horses, so they had to pull early fire engines themselves

麻豆传媒映画Fire Department Hose Reel Team, 1889. Photo: BC Archives.

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A week after the Great Fire, the city purchased its first fire engine from Ontario for $6,905. The volunteer men of Company No. 1 had to pull the rig by hand to the city鈥檚 fires.听They fought their first fire with it on Aug. 12th听at the Joseph Spratt Oil Refinery.

3. Firefighters started earning $15 a month in 1899

Fire Chief John Howe Carlisle, ca. 1890. Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Archives: CVA 371-2471.

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For 13 years, Vancouver鈥檚 firefighters worked as unpaid volunteers. At the time, only the fire chief and the equipment engineers received salaries. The VFD became a salaried department in September 1899 under Chief John Howe Carlisle. The VFD鈥檚 22 men began receiving $15 a month for their services.

4. The听first motorized fire engine wasn鈥檛 purchased until 1908

Horse drawn hose wagon from Fire Hall No. 4 at Broadway and Granville Street, 1910. Photo: Vancouver — Horse drawn hose wagon from Fire Hall No. 4 at Broadway and Granville Street, 1910. Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Archives: AM54-S4-: FD P51.

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By 1911, the department was ranked third best in the world, just behind London and Leipzig Germany. In 1917, the department did away with horses and became Canada鈥檚 first completely motorized department. It was then recognized as the 麻豆传媒映画Fire Department.

5.听By the end of the war, most of the fire apparatus was old, unsafe and in need of replacement

麻豆传媒映画Fire Department at scene of a fire in 1928. Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Archives: AM1535-: CVA 99-725.

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In the next 15 years, more than 25 new, modern apparatus were purchased and, through the 1960鈥檚 and 1970鈥檚, many more were replaced, reasserting Vancouver鈥檚 fire department as one of the best in the world.

To learn more about the 麻豆传媒映画Fire Rescue Services, visit听,听听and Alex Matche鈥檚 book, 鈥淚t Began With a Ronald.鈥�

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