On this Day: 4th May International Firefighters Day

Known worldwide as International Firefighters Day this day was selected because it is the feast day of St Florian, who is the Patron saint of Firefighters, he is also the Patron Saint of Chimney Sweeps, Beer brewers and Soapmakers as well as being the Patron Saint of Poland, because his remains are housed in St Florians Church in Krakow, and the city of Linz in Austria. 

Florian was born in Austria in 250 AD in Aelium Citium (now called Sankt Polten) part of the Roman Empire. He joined the Roman Army once he was old enough and rose through the ranks and was at one time in charge of a ‘Cohort of Vigiles’, responsible for their training and organisation. Established under the reign of Augustus the Vigiles  evolved from what had been a firefighting force that was staffed by slaves and organised by Centurions to a fully military unit. As well as patrolling the streets at night looking for fires, they were also responsible for apprehending criminals, arresting runaway slaves and routing out any suspicion of sedition and were, in the absence of any other, also a Police force. Under the later reign of Emperor Alexander Severus guarding the Baths, which were open all night, would be become part of their duties. 

During early firefighting some of the Vigiles had specific tasks, these were: 

The Unicarius who carried metal hooks on timber poles and used them to pull down burning    timber, debris, etc. so that it could be extinguished. 

The Aquarius who carried buckets and were responsible for securing water supplies and getting it to the fire. 

The Siphonarius who worked the squirts, a small hand- held pump much like an enlarged syringe invented by an Alexandrian, Ctesibus, in 2 BC, sucking up the water and projecting it onto the fire.  Later hand operated pumps came into use which improved firefighting, and the distance water could be projected. 

Florian became the Imperial Commander of Noricum, an area in modern Austria, which gave him extensive powers. This period was a particularly hazardous one for Christians as the Emperor Diocletian was enforcing the worship of Roman Pagan Gods and ordered that Christians should be executed if they refused to worship them.            

Information reached Diocletian that Florian was not enforcing this edict in his province, so he sent Governor Aquilinus to investigate. On arrival Aquilinus quickly learnt that Florian was not executing Christians and suspected it was because Florian was a Christian himself. To test his theory Aquilinus ordered Florian to make a sacrifice to the Roman Gods, which he refused to do citing that the Gods had no authority. Unable to let this blatant disregard for Roman values pass Aquilinus ordered that Florian should be brutally beaten by Roman guards. On learning of his punishment Florian reportedly declared ‘Tell the Emperor I am a Christian and will suffer the same fate as Christians’.                                                                                     

Having been beaten Aquilinus decided that Florian should suffer the same fate as his fellow Christians and be burnt at the Stake. As he stood on the pyre awaiting the soldiers lighting the timber he called out to them ‘light the fire so that I may climb the flames to be nearer to my God’.                        

Fearing that he may indeed do this, thereby possibly proving the powers of the Christian God, Aquilinus ordered him to be cut down and taken away, flayed, beaten again and then a millstone to be tied around his neck and he was to be thrown into the River Enns. The heavy stone ensured Florian was dragged down to the bottom of the river and drowned. This is probably why he is also considered the’ protector against dangerous waters’ (including drowning and flooding).

His body washed up further down the river sometime later and was discovered, removed and interred in a tomb by fellow Christians.          

Florian was made a Saint between 900 and 955 AD, despite dying in 304 AD, when an Abbey was built beside his tomb and a small village called St Florian, near Linz, sprang up.                                                                        

St Florian was never formally canonised but as he lived in a time called ‘pre-congregation’ before the time the formal process was devised and as he was one of the first Christian martyrs, he did not have to undergo the complicated and rigorous process of authentication. 

In the German language ‘Florian’ is often interchangeable with the term ‘firefighter’ and is a universal radio call sign for Fire Departments. 

International Firefighters Day started after five firefighters died in the line of duty in Linton, Australia. They were headed to a large bush fire when the wind suddenly direction changed and killed all 5. As a mark of respect red (for fire) and blue (for water) ribbons 5 cm long by 1cm wide are worn to remember them on IFD.