Fireman - The firebell rings 1922
by Mike Savad
Title
Fireman - The firebell rings 1922
Artist
Mike Savad
Medium
Photograph - Colorized Photo
Description
Colorized photo from 1922
Original Title: Fire Layout
Location: 775 12th St NW, Washington DC
The fire bell rings, and everyone wakes up, gets their bunker gear on and races to the pole. Their uniforms are a bit worn out, but everyone is excited... Wheeee we get to ride the fire pole.
Note how you slide down, your sleeved elbow grabs the pole and you glide down. No skin touches the pole, partly because it would hurt, partly because it would make it less slippery
Modern fire departments no longer use the pole. Its dangerous, many people have gotten hurt because they lost their grip and fell, others hurt ankles and knees, a few lost their lives. The pole was invented back in the 1880's or so, it came from a pole they used to lift hay up into the hay loft for winter. Back then they used horses to pull their equipment.
Until one day someone had the bright idea of sliding down it, and in doing so, found he got down really fast. He convinced the chief to have one inside, and they made it from wood about 3" in diameter, smoothed it and coated it with a lot of shellac. As a result many people made fun of their department for having it. That is until they found that company got to the fire much faster than everyone else. Then it became a standard for a good long while.
Uploaded
October 8th, 2015
Statistics
Viewed 10,508 Times - Last Visitor from Seattle, WA on 03/28/2024 at 3:07 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet