Chapter 1

Question 1

What happened on this date?

1500 B.C.

Answer 1

Hero of Alexandria invents the first fire pump (a giant syringe).

Question 2

What happened on this date?

24 B.C. (Rome)

Answer 2

Emperor Augustus forms the “Vigiles,” a group of firefighters from slaves. Their motto was “Semper Vigilans” (Always Vigilant).

Question 3

What happened on this date?

872 A.D. (France)

Answer 3

Passing of the “curfew” law, originally meaning “cover fire,” requiring fires to be put out or controlled at night.

Question 4

What happened on this date?

1189 (England)

Answer 4

Law passed requiring new buildings to have stone walls and slate roofs to reduce fire spread.

Question 5

What happened on this date?

1240 (Flanders) & 1736 (South Carolina)

Answer 5

Early approaches to fire insurance (community pool in Flanders, first firm in America)

Question 6

What happened on this date?

October 6, 1871

Answer 6

The Great Chicago Fire (Mrs. O’Leary’s cow) and the Peshtigo brush fire. Anniversary date for annual Fire Prevention Week.

Question 7

What happened on this date?

1903

Answer 7

Iroquois Theatre fire, killing 570 people, leading to new standards for drapes/curtains.

Question 8

What happened on this date?

April 18, 1906

Answer 8

San Francisco Earthquake and the resulting massive fire, requiring block-by-block firefighting.

Question 9

What happened on this date?

1911

Answer 9

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, killing 143 employees and highlighting issues with building construction and exits.

Question 10

What happened on this date?

1942

Answer 10

Coconut Grove fire, killing 492 people, leading to standards for exits opening in the direction of escape and focus on building conditions.

Question 11

What happened on this date?

1970s

Answer 11

Publication of “America Burning” and formation of the NFPCA (later USFA) to address the nationwide fire problem.

Question 12

Hero (of Alexandria)

Answer 12

Invented the first recorded “fire pump” (c. 1500 B.C.)

Question 13

Augustus

Answer 13

Roman Emperor who formed the “Vigiles” firefighters (24 B.C.).

Question 14

William the Conqueror

Answer 14

Passed a major “curfew” law in 1066.

Question 15

Benjamin Franklin

Answer 15

Promoted “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” linked fire prevention/protection to insurance, established organized fire brigades in Philadelphia, created “Fire Marks.”

Question 16

Andrew Gratacap

Answer 16

Leather craftsman who designed an early, distinctive American fire helmet in the late 1700s.

Question 17

Moses Latta

Answer 17

Built the first steam-powered fire pumper used by a paid fire department in Cincinnati (1854).

Question 18

William Channing

Answer 18

Developed a telegraph fire alarm system around the time paid departments began.

Question 19

John Parmalee

Answer 19

Invented the automatic fire sprinkler system, leading to the development of Fire Protection Engineering.

Question 20

Define

Vigiles

Answer 20

Early organized firefighters in Rome, formed by Emperor Augustus from slaves

Question 21

Define

Curfew

Answer 21

Originally from French law (“cover fire”) requiring cooking/heating fires to be controlled at night; an early fire prevention regulation.

Question 22

Define

Fire Marks

Answer 22

Lead symbols placed on colonial homes insured by specific fire companies (Benjamin Franklin’s idea).

Question 23

Define

Bucket Brigade

Answer 23

An early, basic firefighting method where people passed buckets of water in a line; gradually replaced by pumpers.

Question 24

Define

Hand Pumper

Answer 24

Mechanical device (like the Newsham pumper) used to squirt water on fires, replacing bucket brigades; required many people to operate.

Question 25

# Define Steam Pumper

Answer 25

Steam-powered fire apparatus that replaced large numbers of men needed for hand pumpers; required horses to pull due to weight.

Question 26

# Define Fire Zouaves

Answer 26

A group formed from New York firefighters who volunteered to fight in the Civil War (noted for courage and high casualties)

Question 27

# What is... Scorched Earth Policy

Answer 27

Military tactic used in wars (like the American Revolution and Civil War) where retreating forces burn everything that might help the enemy.

Question 28

# What is... Catastrophic Theory of Reform

Answer 28

The idea that major fire disasters often reveal flaws and lead directly to significant changes and improvements in fire safety standards and regulations

Question 29

# Define Fire Protection Engineering

Answer 29

A field developed after the invention of the automatic sprinkler, focusing on the science and design of fire safety systems and building construction.

Question 30

Volunteer Fire Company

Answer 30

Early firefighting organization in America where citizens served voluntarily when alerted; the basis of the fire service before paid departments in large cities.

Question 31

Paid Fire Fighters / Paid Fire Department

Answer 31

Professional firefighters who are paid for their service, replacing volunteers in many larger cities starting in the mid-1800s due to issues with the volunteer system and technological changes.

Question 32

What organization, formed by insurance companies, first published recommended building codes in the late 1800s?

Answer 32

National Board of Fire Underwriters (NBFU)

Question 33

Name three key regional model code organizations that emerged in the 20th century.

Answer 33

BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators International), SBCCI (Southern Building Code Congress International), ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials)

Question 34

# What happened on this date? 1666

Answer 34

Great fire of London

Question 35

# Name their impact Massachusetts colony

Answer 35

Outdoor smoking ban

Question 36

National Board of Fire Underwriters’ accomplishments

Answer 36

System of fire prevention and protection used today Funding rewards for conviction of arsonists Developed guidelines Municipal water supplies Firefighting apparatus

Question 37

What is the nongovernmental entity that has had a significant impact on fire prevention through the development of regulations?

Answer 37

Insurance industry

Question 38

# Define Factory Mutual Insurance Company, known as FM Global

Answer 38

one of the leading companies in the world in providing insurance to highly protected risk property owners.

Question 39

The Great Chicago fire destroyed how many businesses and killed how many people?

Answer 39

17,500 buildings destroyed 300 killed

Question 40

In 1850, how did the alarm boxes work?

Answer 40

The person would pull the lever. It is connected to the fire house by telegraph.

Question 41

What put out the Great Chicago Fire?

Answer 41

A Rain storm

Question 42

What magnatude was the 1906 San Fran Earthquake?

Answer 42

8.2

Question 43

How did they stop the San Fran earthquake fire?

Answer 43

They destroyed some buildings to create a barrier | The hydrants worked here ## Footnote Rain eventually put it out

Question 44

Why couldnt the firefighters in the San Fran Earthquake Fire put out the fire?

Answer 44

The watermains broke so they had no water

Question 45

Indirect Costs of Fire

Answer 45

Hidden/secondary consequences & expenses caused by a fire (e.g., lost business, lost jobs, relocation). Not direct property damage or firefighting expenses.

Question 46

Direct Costs of Fire

Answer 46

Tangible financial losses directly resulting from a fire incident: Property damage (structure, contents) Injury and death costs (medical, funeral, lost wages) Fire suppression expenses (fire department resources, water, etc.)

Question 47

Personal Costs of Fire

Answer 47

* Injury, death, and related medical/emotional trauma * Loss of home, belongings, and sentimental items * Psychological distress (PTSD, anxiety, grief) * Displacement and disruption of daily life * Financial burdens (even with insurance, deductibles, temporary housing, etc.) * Loss of security and sense of safety

Question 48

community costs of fire

Answer 48

* Strain on public services (fire, EMS, police, utilities) * Economic losses (business disruption, job loss, reduced tax revenue) * Environmental damage (air/water pollution, habitat destruction) * Disruption of infrastructure and essential services   * Negative impact on community morale and tourism * Potential increase in insurance rates for the area * Cost of rebuilding and recovery efforts

Question 49

In 1066, William the Conqueror decreed that all home fires were to be extinguished and covered every evening at a time signaled by the ringing of a bell. This eventually led to the concept of:

Answer 49

curfew

Question 50

Founded in 1735, the first fire insurance company in the American colonies was called

Answer 50

Charleston’s Friendly Society for the Mutual Insurance of Houses Against Fire.

Question 51

Following the Great Fire of London, Nicholas Barbon formed a group for the insurance of buildings against fire. It grew into:

Answer 51

The London Fire Office.

Question 52

# Define Conflagration

Answer 52

A large, destructive fire that spreads rapidly over a wide area, often defying control efforts and crossing natural or man-made barriers

Question 53

# Define Rattle Watch

Answer 53

a group of volunteers who patrolled streets at night, using large wooden rattles to sound the alarm upon discovering a fire or other emergency. It was an early form of fire detection and community alert system.