Fire Badge "Philadelphia Fire Department"
date: label: date made
content: c. 1868
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Metal firefighter’s badges were a part of the firefighter’s uniform since volunteer companies began to proliferate in the early 19th century. As volunteer companies gave way to municipal fire departments during the mid–19th century, these badges became mandated by uniform codes. Badges served as official identification at fire scenes, as access to derelict buildings by unscrupulous citizens could result in looting. Fire badges came in a variety of shapes, most notably circular, shield–shaped, or the Maltese cross. While shield–shaped badges were often worn on the chest, circular and cross-shaped badges can be seen on jacket lapels or soft caps. Badges usually detailed the company’s name, number and department, and were often decorated with various symbols of the profession such as hose carriages, hand–pumped engines, hoses, trumpets, helmets, hooks, and ladders. For paid municipal companies, many badges also featured the badge number of the wearer.
label: Description
content: This circular metal fire badge was used by a member of the reorganized Philadelphia Fire Department between 1868 and 1871. A number of municipalities in the county of Philadelphia were consolidated into the City of Philadelphia in the mid-1900s and, in response, the city reorganized its fire department from 1855. The Philadelphia Fire Department was under control of the Committee on Trusts, the Select Council and representatives from the fire service. The Fire Department was still made up of volunteers, with only the Chief Engineer and Assistant Engineers paid by the city.
label: Description
content: In 1868, an ordinance was passed to establish this badge for firefighters to wear when not in the uniform of their company. This badge, #95, was issued to James McGough of the Perseverance Hose Company No. 5 on June 1868. The badge has a stippled background and a rim representing a hose. The badge reads “PHILADa’ FIRE/DEPARTMENT” in raised lettering with the silver-colored half inch number “95” in the center.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
label: associated place
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Fire Badges
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.1268
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.1268
objectType: label: Object Name
content: badge, fireman's
label: Object Name
content: fire badge
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 2 3/8 in x 1 7/8 in; 6.0325 cm x 4.7625 cm