The Fire Brigade of Berlin, Germany.

The Fire Brigade of Berlin, Germany.

According to the report of the administration of the Berlin fire brigade for the year 1889, the sanitary condition of the brigade was less favorable than in the year 1888. The occurrence of the influenza largely contributed to produce this result. Of 1888 men 605 were sick, 4 died and 10 were pensioned. Those firemen formed into the so-called “Samaritan Service” rendered excellent service during the year, assisting at 59 fires and relieving 11 persons injured. They also tended 11 cases of injury which had occurred in the streets. They relieved 40 firemen injured at fires, and 51 citizens, making in all 91 persons. There were 3762 fires in Berlin in the year 1889, of which 47 were large and 120 medium; as compared to 1888, there was an increase of 608. The quantity of water used in quenching fire was 1,461,880 liters against 1,977,967 liters in 1888. Causes of fire: I case of incendiarism, 7 cases suspected, 722 cases of unknown cause. The first working part of the brigade reached the place of fire in an average of 7.09 minutes. In 85 cases the brigade was called on for other services; in 3 cases for the saving of human life, in 40 cases to save horses fallen into ditches, holes, etc. in 26 cases to bail out cellars, ditches, etc., and in 2 cases to take down red flags from telegraph posts. To the water supply system were added 146 new hydrants and 19 water-pipe connections. The expenses for the whole fire brigade were 1,319,274 marks [1000 marks equals $245], and for the fire telegraph 72,131 marks, making a total of 1,391,405 marks.

According to the report of the administration of the Berlin fire brigade for the year 1889, the sanitary condition of the brigade was less favorable than in the year 1888. The occurrence of the influenza largely contributed to produce this result. Of 1888 men 605 were sick, 4 died and 10 were pensioned. Those firemen formed into the so-called “Samaritan Service” rendered excellent service during the year, assisting at 59 fires and relieving 11 persons injured. They also tended 11 cases of injury which had occurred in the streets. They relieved 40 firemen injured at fires, and 51 citizens, making in all 91 persons. There were 3762 fires in Berlin in the year 1889, of which 47 were large and 120 medium; as compared to 1888, there was an increase of 608. The quantity of water used in quenching fire was 1,461,880 liters against 1,977,967 liters in 1888. Causes of fire: I case of incendiarism, 7 cases suspected, 722 cases of unknown cause. The first working part of the brigade reached the place of fire in an average of 7.09 minutes. In 85 cases the brigade was called on for other services; in 3 cases for the saving of human life, in 40 cases to save horses fallen into ditches, holes, etc. in 26 cases to bail out cellars, ditches, etc., and in 2 cases to take down red flags from telegraph posts. To the water supply system were added 146 new hydrants and 19 water-pipe connections. The expenses for the whole fire brigade were 1,319,274 marks [1000 marks equals $245], and for the fire telegraph 72,131 marks, making a total of 1,391,405 marks.