This ornament is about 4 inches tall. The Fireman is dressed in a red coat and hat. With his fire hose over his shoulder and an axe in one hand he is ready to put out any fires. The Fireman’s hat has a gold badge with the number 1 inscribed. Select this link to view our People and Profession Tree Ornaments.
Firemen.
A firefighter is trained and equipped for firefighting, extinguishing fires and heat emitting chemical incidents. Select this link to view our Firefighter Ornaments.
Increasingly a firefighter is also a rescuer, trained and equipped to rescue people from car accidents, collapsed buildings and many more situations. The increasing complexity of modern industrialized life with an increase in the scale and complexity of hazards faced has stimulated both advances in firefighting technology and a broadening of the firefighter, rescuer's remit. They sometimes provide emergency medical services. The fire service, or fire and rescue service also known in some countries as the fire brigade or fire department, is one of the emergency services.
Firefighting and firefighters have become ubiquitous around the world, from urban areas to wildlife areas, and on board ships. Select this link to view our Dalmatian Rescue Puppy.
Early pumpers.
Early pumpers used cisterns as a source of water. Water was later put into wooden pipes under the streets and a "fire plug" was pulled out of the top of the pipe when a suction hose was to be inserted. Later systems incorporated pressurized fire hydrants, where the pressure was increased when a fire alarm was sounded. This was found to be harmful to the system, and unreliable. Today's valved hydrant systems are kept under pressure at all times, although additional pressure may be added when needed. Pressurized hydrants eliminate much of the work in obtaining water for pumping through the engine and into the attack hoses. Many rural fire engines still rely upon cisterns or other sources for drafting water into the pumps. Select this link to view our Fireman Gifts Christmas Ornaments.
Early Aerials.
Since the late 19th century, means of reaching tall structures have been devised. At first, manually extendable ladders were used. As these grew in length and weight they were put onto two large wheels. When carried by fire engines these ladders had the wheels suspended behind the rear of the vehicle, making them a distinctive sight. Select this link to view our Firefighter Uniform Ornaments.
Before long, the turntable ladder, which was even longer, mechanically extendable and installed directly onto a fire truck, made its appearance. Since the late 1930s, the longest turntable ladders have reached a height of 150 feet. Select this link to view our Old Fire Trucks.
After the Second World War turntable ladders were supplemented by the aerial work platform, sometimes called 'cherry picker'. Which was a platform or bucket attached onto a mechanically bending arm or "snorkel”, which was installed onto a fire truck. While these could not reach the height of similar turntable ladders, the platforms could extend into previously unreachable "dead corners" of a burning building. Select this link to view our Early Fire Truck Ornament.