Школа брандмейстеров / School of fire-fighters - St. Petersburg 1908-1910

Курсы пожарных техников (школа брандмейстеров) Петровского городского общественного управления Санкт-Петербург 1908 -1910 Courses of fire technicians (school of fire-fighters) Petrovsky city public administration St. Petersburg 1908 -1910 Music: “Polka“ by M. Balakirev On November 29, 1802, a decree was passed to organize a permanent fire brigade in St. Petersburg. State funds were allocated for its maintenance. The team was formed in the spring of 1803. Following the example of the northern capital, professional fire departments began to be formed in other cities of the Russian Empire. From the word go, there were a number of difficulties to overcome. First of all, there was a lack of special fire equipment. However, the biggest problem was the lack of professionally trained firefighters who could fulfill the duties of fire brigade officers, that is, fire department commanders. These posts often turned out to be people who had not only no experience in firefighting, but simply not able to handle machinery. A decision was made to open a school of fire fighters, including finding the necessary funds in which to fund the school and purchase the necessary equipment... A fire committee, elected by the City Duma on December 17, 1904 engaged in the development of the project for the reorganization of the fire protection of St. Petersburg. At a meeting on April 6, 1905 it was decided to.... “ Establish courses of fire technicians ...in a building chosen for that purpose...“ The purpose of the courses was to train fire specialists who could not only successfully manage the fire fighting, but also have competence in the field of operation of fire equipment.... “...In June 1906 an announcement appeared in the St. Petersburg newspapers about the establishment of the courses of fire the courses were accepted persons not younger than 18 years old, quite healthy and without physical defects. Admission to the courses was conducted through a competition of certificates of at least 4-class urban school. “...For those who did not have the necessary disciplines in the certificate, in May, August and September, examinations in algebra, geometry and physics were held. Preference was given to persons who had a secondary technical education. Solemn opening of the courses took place on October 5, 1906. The curriculum of the courses was designed for a two-year period of study. Cadets studied the construction of fire trucks, fire tactics, insurance business, combustion theory, electrical engineering, drawing, physics, chemistry, mathematics, drawing, hippology. During the training, practical training in chemistry, first aid, and fire fighting equipment was conducted. The service in the training fire brigade was compulsory. In the summer, students practiced in the fire departments of St. Petersburg or in the countryside...“