Fire Service History
Dec 01
Posted: under about.
Tags: bagpipes, fire, fire pumps, fire vehicles, Henry Ford, red, SAESI
I’m amazed of how many fire fighters don’t know the history and traditions of the Fire Service, that includes myself. SAESI celebrates their 50th birthday this year and they gave each member a book of the history of the Fire Service.
Bagpipe Traditions
Though South Africa didn’t adopt the bagpipe tradition, I was always wondering why the Americans use them at fire department and the police department funerals.
The tradition of bagpipes played at fire departments funerals in the United States goes back over 150 years. When the Irish and Scots immigrated to the US, they brought many of their traditions with them. One of these were the bagpipes, often played at Celtic weddings, funerals and cellis (dances). It wasn’t until the great potato famine and massive Irish immigration to the East Coast of the US that the tradition of the bagpipes took hold in the fire departments. Factories and shops had signs reading “NINA” No Irish Need Apply. The only jobs they could get were the ones no one else wanted - jobs that were dirty, dangerous or both - firefighters and police officers.
The Irish firefighters’ funerals werelike all Irish funerals where the bagpipes were played. Those who have been to funerals when bagpipes play, know how haunting and mournfull the sound of the pipes can be. Before long, families of non-Irish fire fighters began asking pipers to play for these fallen heroes.
Today, the tradition is universal and not just for the Irish or Scots. The pipes have come to be a distinguishing feature of a fallen hero’s funeral.
Source: SAESI
Why are fire engines red?
Most of us would thought that it is because of the colour red represents danger. The most widely accepted reason for this, dates back to the 1800s, a time when there was strong competion between the fire brigades of neighbouring cities and towns. The fire fighters of each brigade took great pride in their pump. Each brigade wanted their rig stand out by the cleanest, having the most brass, or being a regal colour. Because red was the most expensive colour, that’s what colour most crews chose to paint the pump.
Other sources cite the tradition of painting fire engines red going back to the early 1920s. Henry Ford said that that his cars can be any colour aslong as it is black 
The problem of this is was that all the vehicles on the road was black. The fire departments began to paint their vehicles red in a effort to stand out.
Source: http://qbfire.com/traditions.asp
