SHAMROCKS

When the Irish and Scottish immigrated to this country following the great potato famine, they brought many of their traditions with them. Work for these immigrants was often very difficult to find. Factories and shops displayed signs reading "NINA" meaning No Irish Need Apply. The only jobs they could get were the civil service jobs that were dirty, dangerous or both -- firefighters and police officers -- jobs that no one else wanted. Irish-American firefighters began affixing images of the shamrock to their apparatus and their person not only as a display of Irish-American pride, but also as an inconspicuous message to their fellow Irishmen advertising that the fire service is a place that can't discriminate against them. Today, by tradition, most truck companies have a shamrock somewhere in their logo, on their apparatus, or on their helmet. Irish-American firefighters usually display a shamrock somewhere on their gear, as well, to channel the "luck of the Irish".

DALMATIANS

Why do you always see Dalmatians in firehouses? Why aren't other dogs used as firehouse mascots? It all began in the days of stagecoaches when horse theft was so common that many stagecoach drivers would set up a hammock between two stalls at night, and sleep behind their horses to guard against thieves. However, if the driver owned a Dalmatian, he had it made and could sleep in the house or in the stagecoach hotel. Why? Because the Dalmatians formed an amazingly tight bond with horses. No stranger would dare lay a hand on them. Once the knowledge of this trait spread, more coach drivers went to great lengths to get Dalmatians to watch their teams. In fact, this practice became so common that Dalmatians were first called "COACH DOGS". You see, horses are very outgoing creatures and desire companionship. They don't care to be left alone for very long. Dalmatians would fill the need for a companion. Back in the stagecoach days, these dogs would run alongside the coaches, or under the rear axle of the moving coach. They'd keep up with the team as far as it ran, sometimes over 20 or 30 miles a day and at the end of the day, the dog could be left to guard the team as well as luggage in the coach.As horse numbers grew, the number of Dalmatians also grew. Every firehouse back then had a set of fast horses to pull the plumper wagon, and a faithful Dalmatian. These spotted dogs not only guarded the firehouse and horses, but they kept them company during their long, boring waits between fires. When they did get a fire, the dog would run alongside the pumper. Horses are no longer part of the fire service, but the Dalmatians aren't. The Dalmatian is still around the firehouse. It may be more for looks and appeal of these beautiful dogs than for their uses in the past. There is also another theory out there, that many breed enthusiasts would like dispelled. It's that Dalmatians are kept at firehouses because they're deaf and therefore, the siren does not bother them or "spook" them like it would other dogs. It's true that there is a problem with deafness in the breed, but thinking that all dalmatians are deaf, is totally false! One thing that is true is that these dogs have spots everywhere--even inside their mouths and on the bottom of their paws!

ST FLORIAN

Saint Florian, the patron saint of firefighters, was an officer in the Roman army during the third century. Saint Florian had converted to Christianity but kept his new faith a secret to avoid persecution. When ordered to execute a group of Christians during the persecutions of Diocletian, Saint Florian professed his faith and refused to follow the order. He then had a stone tied around his neck and he was thrown into a river where he drowned. Florian is said to have once stopped an entire town from burning by throwing a single bucket of water onto the fire. Saint Florian is the patron saint of Firefighters, Chimney sweeps, Barrel-makers, Soap boilers, Austria, Poland and others.

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