Fun Fire Facts

The History of the Maltese Cross

The badge of a fireman is the Maltese Cross. This Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old. When a courageous band of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John, fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land, they encountered a new weapon unknown to European warriors. It was a simple, but a horrible device of war; it wrought excruciating pain and agonizing death upon the brave fighters for the cross. The Saracen's weapon was fire.

As the crusaders advanced on the walls of the city, they were struck by glass bombs containing naphtha. When they became saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Saracens hurled a flaming torch into their midst. Hundreds of the knights were burned alive; others risked their lives to save their brothers-in-arms from dying painful, fiery deaths.

Thus, these men became our first firemen and the first of a long list of courageous firefighters. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow crusaders who awarded each here a badge of honor - a cross similar to the one firemen wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived for close to four centuries on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross came to be known as the Maltese Cross.

The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the fireman who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a ladder rung away from death.

The Dalmatian

The Dalmatian's affinity for horses led them to their well-known name "Coach Dog" or "Carriage Dog." Their ability and agility to run between the carriage wheels and the horses hoofs and their stamina to run great distances made them ideal for traveling long and far with a coach. They guided the horses through the streets and guarded the occupants of the coach against the notorious highwaymen.

This ability to run with horse and carriage is the reason the Dalmatian was so widely used with the fire carriage of yesteryear. They would carefully and aptly guide the firemen through streets of busy traffic. In addition, it was observed that Dalmatians formed an amazingly tight bond with horses.

Today, with no horse-drawn carriages for fire trucks, the Dalmatian has become the firehouse mascot. Contrary to popular belief, the Dalmatian was not used because he could see through smoke or because he liked the color red, but because he was a useful tool in guiding the carriages.