History of fire brigades in the United Kingdom facts for kids
The history of fire brigades in the United Kingdom tells us how fire services in the United Kingdom have grown and changed over time, from when the country was formed until today.
Contents
Early Firefighting: Before Public Services
Before the 1800s, fire engines and their crews in the UK were mostly run by volunteers, local church groups (called parishes), or companies that sold fire insurance. These insurance companies would protect buildings from fire, and they had their own fire brigades to put out fires in properties they insured.
The First Public Fire Service
In 1824, a huge fire, known as the Great Fire of Edinburgh, destroyed a lot of the city's Old Town. After this, a man named James Braidwood started the world's very first public fire service in Edinburgh. This was a big step because it meant firefighting became a service for everyone, not just for those with insurance.
Braidwood later became the leader of the London Fire Engine Establishment (LFEE). This group brought together ten different fire brigades that were owned by insurance companies in London in 1833. A tall bronze statue of Braidwood stands in Parliament Square in Edinburgh to remember his important work.
In 1836, the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire was created. Its main goal was to provide special ladders to help people escape from burning buildings. Today, this society still exists to honor brave people who rescue others from fires.
A Turning Point: The Tooley Street Fire
Sadly, James Braidwood died in the Tooley Street fire of 1861 when a wall fell on him. This massive fire showed how important it was to have a strong, public fire service. Because of this fire, and after a lot of discussion, the British government decided to create the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1866. This new brigade was paid for by the public and controlled by the government. Its first leader was Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw. In 1904, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade changed its name to the London Fire Brigade.
Outside of London, new local government groups, created in the late 1800s, took over the job of fighting fires in their areas.
Fire Services in the 20th Century
Before 1938, there were about 1,600 different local fire brigades across the UK. This meant that each town or area had its own fire service, and they didn't always work together easily.
Changes Before World War II
The Fire Brigades Act 1938 made local councils responsible for fire services. They had to make sure their area had a fire brigade, engines, and equipment to handle normal fires. Around the same time, the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) was formed. This group was mostly made up of volunteers who weren't paid, and they helped out alongside the regular fire services.
World War II and the National Fire Service
The changes from the 1938 Act didn't last long because of World War II. In 1941, all local fire brigades and AFS units in Great Britain were combined into one big service called the National Fire Service. This was done to make sure all fire services worked together during the war, especially during air raids. Before the war, different brigades used different equipment, which made it hard for them to help each other. The National Fire Service helped fix this problem by making equipment more standard.
After the War: Back to Local Control
After the war, the Fire Services Act 1947 brought back local control of fire services. The National Fire Service was ended, and firefighting became the job of county and city councils. This meant there were still fewer fire brigades than before the war, which helped keep things more organized. The Auxiliary Fire Service was also restarted in 1948 as a national reserve. They used famous "Green Goddess" fire engines, which were meant to help move large amounts of water during emergencies.
In the mid-1970s, local government was completely reorganized. This led to many fire brigades being combined and renamed. For example, in 2013, all Scottish fire services merged into one: the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Over time, most fire brigades in England and Wales changed their names from "Fire Brigade" to "Fire Service" or "Fire and Rescue Service." This change showed that their job was not just fighting fires, but also rescuing people from all sorts of emergencies.
Fire Brigades in Scotland: A Single Service
From 1948 to 1975, Scotland had several combined fire brigades, which were groups of counties and towns working together. For example, the Lanark area combined the county of Lanark and several towns like Airdrie and Hamilton. The City of Glasgow also had its own fire brigade. In total, there were 11 brigades.
Regional Brigades (1975-2013)
In 1975, local government in Scotland changed again. This led to the creation of eight regional fire brigades. These brigades covered larger areas, like the Central Region or Grampian Region. Over the years, some of these brigades changed their names to "Fire and Rescue Service" to show their wider role in emergencies.
One Service for All of Scotland (Since 2013)
Since April 1, 2013, all eight regional fire services in Scotland have been replaced by a single service: the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. This means that all of Scotland now has one unified fire and rescue service, with its main office in Cambuslang.
Fire Brigades in Northern Ireland
Like in Great Britain, Northern Ireland also had many local fire brigades before World War II. On March 1, 1942, all these brigades were brought under one national service called the National Fire Service (Northern Ireland).
Post-War Changes (1948-2006)
After the war, in 1948, four new brigades were set up in Northern Ireland:
- Belfast Fire Brigade
- Northern Fire Authority
- Southern Fire Authority
- Western Fire Authority
However, these three regional brigades didn't last long. On January 1, 1950, they were combined into the Northern Ireland Fire Authority. Then, in 1973, the Belfast Fire Brigade and the Northern Ireland Fire Authority were merged into a single Fire Authority for Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (Since 2006)
On July 1, 2006, the Fire Authority was replaced by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board. The brigade then officially became known as the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
Images for kids
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Pump showing the old North Yorkshire Fire Brigade name
See also
- Fire Service in the UK
- Local Government Acts
- Salvage Corps
- Women in firefighting
- History of law enforcement in the United Kingdom
- Fire insurance mark
