History of the Bagpipes in the Fire Service

Bagpipes Tradition

The tradition of bagpipes played at fire department and police department funerals in the United States goes back over one hundred fifty years. When the Irish and Scottish immigrated to this country, they brought many of their traditions with them.  One of these was the Great Highland Bagpipe, often played at Celtic weddings, funerals and ceilis (dances).


Those who have attended a funeral where bagpipes were played know how haunting and mournful the sound of the pipes can be.  The most famous song played at fire and police funerals is Amazing Grace.  It wasn't too long before families and friends of non-Irish firefighters began asking for the bagpipes to be played for fallen heroes.  The bagpipes add a special air and dignity to this solemn occasion. 


Today, the tradition is universal and not just for the Irish or Scottish. The bagpipes have become a distinguishing feature of a fallen hero's funeral. 

The Maltese Cross

The Maltese cross is known around the world as a symbol of the fire service.  It is often seen painted on fire trucks, on the clothing of firefighters, depicted on firefighter's badges, and is quite often the chosen design of firefighter tattoos. So where did the Maltese cross come from, and how did it get to be known as a symbol of the fire service?  The Badge of a Fire Fighter is the Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor.  Its story is hundreds of years old.




The Fireman's "Ringing of the Bell" Tradition

The ceremonial ringing of the bell in memory of those who died in the line of duty is an age old tradition of the Fire Services that dates back over 150 years.  The tradition reflects respect and honor to those who gave their lives to their duty.  A distinctive bell ringing marks the end of an emergency and a return to quarters.  In memory of all who died during the attacks on September 11, 2001 the bell is rung five times in series of fives (5 x 5 x 5 x 5 x 5).  Multiplied out this equals 3,125, a number very close to the number of people who died as result of the attacks.


The Dalmatian

The Dalmation was first used in the fire service when most fire companies were volunteer or privately operated.  There was some competition for services.  Some of the firefighters were actually recruited not only for their strength in fighting fire but for their fighting abilities to protect the company and its equipment.  Insurance companies paid the fire company that put out the fire, so the one that made it to the scene, hooked up to a hydrant and completed the task, got paid.  The dogs worked well at this task of protecting not only the horses, but the equipment in the stations and on the fire ground as well. 

Early firefighters took tremendous pride in their companies. They would turn out and parade through the city at almost any occasion. Great care was taken in making your rig fancier than the next one. Polished brass brilliant paint jobs and gleaming leather were always maintained. It was only natural that when word of this remarkable spotted dog was heard, companies had to have one. Dalmatians began appearing with fire companies and they had the expected impact. People pointed and gawked. They were that extra piece of fancywork that every Jake wanted on his rig. The Dalmatian did the job proudly but they had some drawbacks. They were hard to get and many of them were deaf. The American fire service was well served by this noble breed. 

Free roaming "wild"dogs would dash out at passing teams of horses.  They would nip at the legs of the horses and generally harass the equines.  The Dalmatian, or coach dog,  would fend off these marauding dogs whenever the steam engine traveled over the road.  It was a very common sight to see the Dalmatian running out in front of the horses. 

Today the Dalmatian serves as a fire house mascot, but back in the days of horse drawn fire carts, they provided a valuable service.  Dalmatians and horses are very compatible.  They have an amazing calming effect on the horses.   The dogs were easily trained to run in front of the engines to help clear a path and guide the horses and the firefighters to the fires quickly.  Once on the scene of a call, they took over as guard dog, making sure nothing was stolen from the apparatus.  They are still chosen by many fire fighters as pets in honor of their heroism in the past.



Why Red Fire Engines

The most widely-accepted reason that fire engines are painted red dates back to the 1800s -- a time when there was a lot of competition between the fire brigades of neighboring cities and towns. The firefighters of each brigade took great pride in their pumper.  Each brigade wanted their rig to stand out by being the cleanest, having the most brass, or being a regal color. Because red was the most expensive color, that's what color most crews chose to paint the pumper. 



Most recent fire engines purchased have shifted to the Chicago-famed, black over red paint scheme. The first closed-cab chief's cars in Chicago had black tops which were of a tar composition and could not be painted. Someone among the brass liked the appearance, so as new closed-cab apparatus came onto the roster, the cabs of the fire engines were painted black. 

You may also notice the green light on fire engines in northern states. This is also a traditional Chicago-style fire engine feature.  Commissioner Albert Goodrich of the Chicago Fire Department (1927 - 1931) had a nautical background.  He applied the marine scheme (red light on port, green light on starboard) to fire apparatus, and the idea became a tradition of the Chicago Fire Department.  It is also used to mark the bay doors at most Chicago fire stations.