The evolution of firefighting technology
Posted June 10, 2014 5:00 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The technology to fight fires has come a long way since the late 1800s, when flames levelled much of the City of Vancouver.
The fire happened in June of 1886. Volunteer crews only had things like buckets, axes, and shovels at their disposal to try to contain the fire.
At least eight people died and 1,000 buildings were flat-lined in less than an hour.
Captain Gabe Roder says up until a short while ago, all the ladders they used were made out of wood. “We took care of them. We sanded them down regularly, we re-varnished them, and we made sure they were in impeccable shape.”
But every once in a while, things would get out of control.
“We had to get off of that building but the ladder would stay there. And guess what happens to a wooded ladder on the side of a burning building? They would burn.”
Today, crews can choose between all aluminum or fiberglass.
“We don’t stop and start pulling all of our equipment out; we get all of our members out,” says Roder. “If we can reclaim it later on, so be it. But if not, then that’s the cost of doing business in firefighting.”
Some of those wooden ladders are now on display at certain fire halls around the city.
Roder has hopes for a firefighters museum, which would also feature helmets, hoses, and fire trucks — one that even dates back to 1912. The project is in the works, but how it will be funded is still being figured out.
