Fighting fires in Muscovite Russia and the beginning of the formation of a fire service

Ever since the dawn of civilization, fire has become one of the most necessary means for human survival. And at the same time, with the loss of control, it is a formidable uncontrollable element that can sweep away everything in its path. In Russia, with its traditions of wooden architecture, fires had a destructive force, representing an almost daily threat to people, their homes and property.
In Russia, the first fire safety measures were purely preventive - laws punishing arsonists, erecting stone walls around cities, issuing rules for using fire, etc.
The emergence of active measures to combat fire dates back to the middle of the 16th century. Soon after the terrible fire that incinerated Moscow in 1547, the Streltsy troops, as the most highly organized structure, were given a new duty - to monitor fire safety. Centuries later, wagon trains began to be used to transport fire equipment to fire sites. Violators of the rules for handling fire are severely punished. All residents are advised to keep tubs of water at home, and for every 10 buildings a special well will be equipped for fire safety needs.

At this time, the only mechanized device used in the fight against fire was water pipes. They were a kind of piston with a narrow nozzle, with the help of which water could be supplied at a distance of up to 7 meters.
In the 18th century, a separate fire service was organized, which at first was a special police unit. For fire safety in each district of the city is the responsibility of the detachment, headed by a fireman. The Fire Major is in charge of the entire city fire service. The fire equipment of the divisions is also being improved. Large pumps appeared at the disposal of firefighters, and in the 19th century - hydrants, allowing you to take water from water supply network. The creation of the first three-knee retractable staircase dates back to 1809. Its author was the Russian mechanic Kirill Vasilyevich Sobolev. A year later, the architect Wilhelm Geste develops a five-legged staircase, with which you can climb to a height of 17 meters. And by the end of the 19th century, A. Sergeev invented a mechanical retractable ladder, which became a good assistant to firefighters for many years.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, a horse-drawn wagon train came to the fire. And in 1904, a fire engine appears. It is built by Frese and K by order fire brigade St. Petersburg. The car delivered a team of ten people to the fire site. It was equipped with two ladders, a hydrant column, sleeves 80 fathoms long. The Moscow fire service received specialized transport in 1907. The effectiveness of fire fighting has increased significantly, since in place emergency brigades began to arrive much faster.

During the period of revolutionary upheavals, the only service that continued to properly fulfill its duty was precisely the fire departments. However, the fleet of special equipment was extremely scarce. It was decided to convert the trucks. The first production car was produced by the Moscow AMO plant in 1928. The car delivered 8 crew members to the fire site, was equipped with a pump with a capacity of 720 l / min. Sound signal served with a bell. At this time, fire trucks were already painted red. At present distinctive feature any fire fighting equipment is still red with a contrasting white stripe.

"Wars and invasions are rare,
fires are inexorably constant
and a truce with them is impossible."

First fire brigade in Moscow was established in the twenties of the XVII century. Initially, the team was located in the Zemsky yard and consisted of 100 people. Since 1629, there have already been 200 people in it, and in the summer, an additional 100 people were hired. At their disposal were the simplest pumps, luba and other property allocated by the treasury. In the same place, at the Zemsky yard, barrels, buckets, shields from the horses were constantly on duty. Responsible for extinguishing fires, the Zemsky order of 20 cab drivers collected taxes from the population for the maintenance of the team. Naturally, this team could not protect all of Moscow from fires.
In 1649, two documents were adopted in Russia that were directly related to the fire business. Attempts legislature to normalize the issues of preventing and extinguishing fires, although they did little to advance the cause of fighting fire, they are of great importance for the history of fire fighting. The first of them, the "Instruction on City Deanery", issued on April 6, ordered all wealthy people to keep copper water pipes and wooden buckets in the yard. Residents with medium and low incomes were supposed to keep one such pipe for five yards. Everyone should have buckets. The order demanded that in "fire time with grate clerks and with all sorts of people and with a water supply, be ready." All the courtyards of Moscow were distributed according to slingshots (parts), and lists of people were kept in the Zemsky order. For non-compliance fire fighting measures, failure to appear for extinguishing fires, various penalties were introduced - "black and ordinary people"were subjected to corporal punishment and imprisonment, and the servants and" all others "were reported to the sovereign.

"Nakaz", basically, repeated all the measures regarding the rules of heating, taken earlier. However, it also included new provisions. So, control over the implementation of heating rules was assigned to tenths and watchmen who were on duty on the streets. They, in turn, were controlled by lattice clerks and archers. For heating houses where there were sick and women in childbirth, it was necessary to submit a petition. Moreover, during the heating of the stoves in the hut were present: an official and 154 yard people with a supply of water. The "Instruction" also specifically stipulated the time of cooking - "from the first hour of the day until four o'clock in the afternoon."
For the first time in Russia, this document established the rules for officials responsible for fire safety. The order ordered the boyar Ivan Novikov and the clerk Vikula Panov "to be on a detour in the White City to protect themselves from fire and from any theft." In the event of a fire, they were supposed to "be immediately on fire and put out the fire. And if they drive around Moscow by mistake and a fire is started by their negligence, then the Sovereign of All Russia will be in great disgrace to them."
The second document is the Code of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. It also had a number of articles regulating the rules for handling fire. The Code criminalized arson and established a distinction between careless handling of fire and arson. In the event of a fire due to negligence, damages were recovered from the perpetrator in the amount "what the Sovereign indicates." For arson, the punishment was the most severe, incendiaries were ordered to be burned. After 15 years, this article was amended: burning at the stake was replaced by the gallows. Article 227 of the Code gave the right to the owner of the house to demand from the tenant (tenant) careful handling of fire. The law also established liability for the theft of private property during a fire. The kidnappers were brought to trial.
In 1670 and 1680. new regulations come out. They confirm all the provisions on fire safety adopted earlier. With the adoption of the Code, the first organizational measures for the prevention and extinguishing of fires were laid down and implemented.
In 1667, Prince Anastas of Macedon was appointed to the post of "circle head". His assistant is the clerk Ivan Efimov. They are instructed to go around the Kremlin day and night and keep an eye on everything that goes beyond the scope of ordinary life. Two clerks, lattice clerks and archers were allocated to help them. As watchmen, as before, the urban population is involved: one person from 10 households and one person from 10 trading shops. Watchmen are equipped with spears, axes, reeds and water pipes. In case of fires, grate clerks, archers (whose number increased to 22 thousand at the end of the 17th century), street watchmen with tools and a supply of water had to arrive "immediately and act not badly in order to put out the fire and yards, take away the mansions from the fire." The management of the extinguishing was entrusted to the "going around the head."
An important point in the prevention of fires was the cleaning of chimneys. This innovation spread to Moscow and a number of other cities from 1675. In addition, a mandatory norm for the construction of wells was established: every ten houses had to have one well. To implement this decision, a staff of 14 wells was formed in the Pushkar order.
Job Responsibilities"circling the head" boiled down to the following:
1. Place watchmen at the bars along the streets and alleys and observe that "they stand without ceasing day and night."
2. Observe, "so that no people drown huts and soaps and do not sit with fire late in the evening."
3. "And in the yards, in all mansions, to order to protect from fire time, put measuring cups and large cadies with water and broom."
4. "To order all sorts of ranks to people to clean the pipes, so that the ore (soot - V.T.) does not multiply in them, because that ore in the pipes lights up and there are many sparks and from that it is dangerous to the fire."
In the second half of the 17th century, the number of arson attacks on landowners' estates and peasant households increased sharply. The situation in the country became so complicated that on April 17, 1670, the tsar was forced to appeal to the population of Russia with an appeal to observe fire safety measures so that "... they would not heat their own and people's huts, and in the evenings they would not sit with fire late in the evenings ..." .
The fight against fire received a new development under Peter I. Initially, protection from fires in St. Petersburg was entrusted to urban residents. The exception was "persons of nobility", who put up instead of themselves courtyard people. Such a statement of the case was typical for the whole of Russia. Fire duty was carried even by the clergy. It was only in 1736, at the request of the Synod, that the clergy were exempted from being assigned to police night guards, “so that there would be no interruption in the church service,” but participation in extinguishing fires remained mandatory for them.
Establishing the order of the night guard, Peter I prescribed: “it is necessary for thieves to have some kind of gun, and for fires to have: buckets, axes, felt shields, wooden pipes (pumps - V.T.), and in some prefabricated places hooks and sails and large water pipes, and that the guards at night walked through the streets with rattles, as is usual in other countries.
The great fire of 1710, which destroyed in one night Gostiny Dvor, forced to speed up the construction of guardhouses with warehouses of water pipes in the city. To announce the fire, a squad of drummers was formed, which bypassed the streets closest to the fire and sounded the alarm.
With the creation of regular regiments in 1711 to replace the archery troops, the latter began to be involved in helping the population in extinguishing fires. This measure was enshrined in legislation by the decree of Peter I "On the strict arrival of troops to the fires." The necessary tools were allocated to equip the garrisons. The management of fire extinguishing was entrusted to the military commander. It is also known that Peter I personally took part in the fight against fire, and "his royal majesty is usually the first to arrive at fires." Prince Troekurov was appointed head of the entire fire department.
The navy was of particular interest to Peter. The king himself wrote decrees and orders related to fire protection ships. On November 13, 1718, a decree was issued on the construction of pontoons and the installation of pumps on them. Six pumps with sleeves were placed in the harbor ( latest design). According to the state, the shipyards were supposed to have five large and ten small hooks, the same number of pitchforks, seven canvases and fifty shields. Moreover, for the protection of shipyards and port facilities, a ladder and two barrels of water were installed every 40 m. All types of ships were supplied necessary tools. On two-deck ships, it was supposed to have 12 fire buckets, the same number of axes and mops, and on three-deck ships, 18 units of each item.

Fires in Russia have long been one of the most serious disasters. In the annals, they are also mentioned as one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against enemies. The cities of Yuryev, Vladimir, Suzdal, Novgorod burned out several times. In 1194, huge fires were noted in Ladoga and Russa. So it was not only in Russia. Eyewitness accounts, the works of historians tell about many devastating fires in Moscow. The city burned down completely in 1238, when the hordes of Batu Khan raged in Russia.

Fire hid many dangers when it was used in peacetime. There were no stoves then, the fire was lit in a pit right in the house, and the smoke went out through a hole made in the thatched roof. In the event of a fire, no one took measures to extinguish it - only children and property were saved. The fire spread from house to house and stopped only when everything around burned out.

feudal society, based on deep socio-economic contradictions, turned out to be completely incapable of fighting fires. The degree of social organization in this era was significantly lower than during the reign of the Roman Empire. There was no single structure that could withstand the fire. Therefore, as the statehood developed and strengthened, attempts were made to change the current situation. The result was the adoption of numerous fire regulations, with which government agencies wanted to influence the situation with fires, the observance by the population of fire precautions. In particular, liability for arson and careless handling of fire began to be introduced. A collection of laws published in the 11th century, known as "Russian Truth", established that the arsonist and members of his family were enslaved for their deeds, and their property went to the treasury. The code of law of 1497 strengthens the punishment for arson: "Do not give the igniter a stomach, execute him with the death penalty."

The organization of the fire service in Russia is associated with the name of the Grand Duke of Moscow and All Russia Ivan III (1440-1505). Moscow at that time was Big city. It had over 40 thousand wooden buildings. Even a small fire could lead to serious consequences. And there were enough reasons for the outbreak of fires: the presence of stoves without chimneys, the use of candles and lamps for lighting, the use of open fire by artisans near housing. From 1453 to 1493, Moscow was completely burned out ten times.

In 1504, after another devastating fire, fire regulations, which prohibit the heating of baths and huts in the summer unless absolutely necessary. It was also forbidden to light candles in the house at dusk. Blacksmiths and other artisans who used fire in their work were allowed to set up smelters and furnaces away from buildings and dwellings. If the collection of ancient Russian laws contained legislative measures only against arsonists, then Ivan III's measures against artisans were the first normative act fire safety in Russia. It follows from it that main reason most of the fires was the complete carelessness of the population when using fire.

At the beginning of the 16th century, by decree of Ivan III, it was created in Moscow. At the ends of city streets, special outposts are installed - "lattices-slingshots", which were locked at night. The outposts were on duty around the clock. The service here was headed by lattice clerks. To help them, one citizen stood out from every 10 households. The main equipment for fighting fire is buckets, axes, crowbars, reeds, horns, hooks, spades, hooks, ladders. The most important concern of every city was water supply. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the vast majority of cities were erected on the banks of rivers. A large number of water needed for firefighting purposes, forced people to look for ways to deliver it from the source to urban areas. In 1493, by decree of Ivan III, walls, hydraulic structures, and ponds were built around the Kremlin. And after 152 years they demolish everything wooden buildings at a distance of more than 200 m from the walls of the Kremlin.

There was another reason leading to devastating fires. It had to do with superstition. Despite the cruel punishments from the city authorities, a large number of citizens refused to put out the fire, considering the fire a punishment sent by God, which is a sin to resist.

The transformation of the fire department in Russia begins in the middle of the 16th century. The decrees and orders that were in force until that time were mostly of a prohibitive nature. In 1547, these measures were supplemented by the decree of Ivan the Terrible, obliging the inhabitants of Moscow to have vats of water on the roofs of houses and in the yards. This was, of course, a progressive decree, since the population could quickly eliminate small fires on their own. With the development of industry, crafts, population growth (the population in Moscow in the 16th century was 100 thousand people), fires became a brake on economic progress. This forced the authorities to look for effective measures to fight the fire. The created fire and watch guard could not seriously resist the fire. With the establishment in 1550 of the streltsy order, archers began to be sent to fires in Moscow. This, of course, was a significant step forward, which had a number of positive aspects. Firstly, it was a military organization, which was distinguished by a certain discipline, subordination to the commander, the habit of joint actions. Secondly, the basis of the weapons of the archers were reeds, axes, i.e. those tools that could be used in dismantling burning buildings. Thirdly, they were stationed in permanent places(in Moscow there were several streltsy settlements). They did not have to waste time preparing for an emergency, they immediately went to the place of the fire. In the initial period, their number was 3,000 people, which made it possible to send a sufficient number of archers to the fires.

Russia became the first country in the world to use military units to fight fire. This experience was later used in Japan and France.

The first fire brigade in Moscow was created in the twenties of the 17th century. Initially, the team was located in the Zemsky yard and consisted of 100 people. Since 1629, there have already been 200 people in it, and in the summer, an additional 100 people were hired. Responsible for extinguishing fires, the Zemsky order of 20 cab drivers collected taxes from the population for the maintenance of the team. Naturally, this team could not protect all of Moscow from fires. In 1649, two documents were adopted in Russia that were directly related to the fire business. The first of them, the "Instruction on City Deanery", issued on April 6, ordered all wealthy people to keep copper water pipes and wooden buckets in the yard. The second document is the Code of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. It also had a number of articles regulating the rules for handling fire. The Code criminalized arson and established a distinction between careless handling of fire and arson. In the event of a fire due to negligence, damages were recovered from the perpetrator in the amount "what the Sovereign indicates." For arson, the punishment was the most severe, incendiaries were ordered to be burned. After 15 years, this article was amended: burning at the stake was replaced by the gallows.

The fight against fire received a new development under Peter I. Initially, protection from fires in St. Petersburg was entrusted to urban residents. The exception was "persons of nobility", who put up instead of themselves courtyard people. Such a statement of the case was typical for the whole of Russia. Fire duty was carried even by the clergy. It was only in 1736, at the request of the Synod, that the clergy were exempted from being assigned to police night guards, “so that there would be no interruption in the church service,” but participation in extinguishing fires remained mandatory for them.

The grandiose fire of 1710, which destroyed the Gostiny Dvor in one night, forced the construction of guardhouses with warehouses of water pipes to be accelerated in the city. To announce the fire, a squad of drummers was formed, which bypassed the streets closest to the fire and sounded the alarm. With the creation of regular regiments in 1711 to replace the archery troops, the latter began to be involved in helping the population in extinguishing fires. This measure was enshrined in legislation by the decree of Peter I "On the strict arrival of troops to the fires."

The origins of the centralized management of fire protection originate with the formation of state institutions in Russia. Administrative and police functions in Moscow at the end of the 16th-beginning of the 17th century are performed by the Zemsky order. It was under him that the first fire brigade was created in Moscow at the beginning of the 17th century. To provide regiments fire fighting equipment the tools available in them were taken into account, and in 1740 the Senate approved their position. Each regiment was equipped with a large filling pipe, a water vat and canvas. The battalions had pitchforks, ladders, a large hook with a chain. The company was equipped with 25 axes, buckets, a shield, shovels, four hand pipes, two small hooks. Six horses were allocated to transport tools.

Fire safety requirements in construction were constantly supplemented. In particular, in 1736, norms for the construction of firewalls were introduced. Later, a decree was issued banning construction attic space. To establish supervision of new construction, development fire fighting measures in 1737 a special construction commission was established in St. Petersburg. Since 1722, fines were imposed for violation of fire safety rules in Moscow and St. Petersburg: "From noble people 16 altyns and 4 money", from the ignoble - half as much.

In 1765, fire carts were established in all provincial cities to ensure the delivery of equipment to the place of fire. As of 1775, there were 8,778 courtyards in Moscow (of which 1,209 were made of stone), 24 monasteries, and 256 churches. Ten years ago there were much more of them - the number of buildings was approaching 20 thousand. Only during five fires in 1748 in Moscow 6620 objects burned down, among which there were 519 chambers, 1924 courtyards, 32 churches, 3 monasteries.

Since 1772, the structure of fire brigades has changed. At all police units of St. Petersburg, a staff of ranks "with fire tools" was approved. Each of them included a fireman, 106 employees and 10 cab drivers. The teams were maintained by contractors from among military officials. Since 1792, fire brigades have been completely transferred to the police.

In the last decade of the 18th century, reorganization again takes place. The adopted "Charter of the city of Moscow" provided for the formation of a fire expedition under the chief police chief, headed by a fireman. The staff of the expedition included 20 fire-masters, 61 artisans. 1,500 people were assigned to the fire departments at the place of residence, i.е. 75 people per part. Three-shift duty was established in them, 25 people per shift. When a part of the fire broke out in the area, the first shift left, then the second shift joined it. The third shift arrived at the moving house for duty. Six years after the formation of a fire expedition in Moscow, a similar structure is being created in St. Petersburg. To manage the fire wagon train and monitor compliance with fire safety measures in the city, the post of fireman was introduced, and in each of the 11 police units - the post of fireman.

The beginning of the 19th century was a turning point in the organization of the construction of a fire department. The government decides to create fire brigades not only in the capitals, but in all cities of the empire. This event was preceded by a lot of work. An analysis of the state of the fire business led to the conclusion that it was completely inconsistent and inexpedient to use the population for these purposes.

By the Manifesto of September 8, 1802, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was created in Russia. In the capitals of St. Petersburg and Moscow, the chief policemen were at the head of the police, under the direct supervision of which were the Deanery Councils. There were similar councils in provincial towns. Their task was to centrally manage the fire department. The fire brigades, which were attached to the police units, were directly fighting the fire.

On November 29, 1802, a Decree was adopted on the organization in St. Petersburg at the congress yards of a permanent fire brigade of 786 soldiers of the internal guard. In the spring of 1803 the team was formed. By the decree of Alexander I of May 31, 1804, the population of the capital was exempted from the allocation of night watchmen, the maintenance of firefighters, and street lighting. At first, the fire brigade consisted of 11 units, and in 1811, in connection with the construction of new districts, the 12th unit was formed. The staff of the team was approved as follows: a fireman, 11 firemen, 11 assistant non-commissioned officers, 528 firefighters, a pump master, a locksmith, 2 blacksmiths, a chimney sweeper, 24 chimney sweeps and 137 coachmen. On May 31, 1804, a professional fire brigade was created in Moscow as well. In other cities, their organization was carried out on the basis of the "Regulations on the composition of the fire department of St. Petersburg and Moscow."

A large number of fires occurred due to violations during construction, which obliged specialists to constantly improve building codes. In 1809, in addition to the existing ones, rules were issued according to which wooden buildings with stove heating were to be erected at a distance of at least 25 m from each other. Construction of wooden two-storey houses was forbidden. The second floor was allowed to be made of wood only if the first floor was made of stone. Architects and builders were held accountable for construction miscalculations and the absence of fire barriers in newly constructed buildings. These and other measures to ensure fire safety, the accumulated experience of construction are reflected in the "Construction Charter" published in 1832.

By the beginning of 1812, the total strength of the fire department in Moscow was a little over 1,500 people, who had 96 large and small pumps. Before the invasion of Napoleon, 261884 people lived in the city, there were 464 factories and plants, 9151 residential buildings, of which only 2567 were stone. As a result of the fire of 1812, 6596 houses were destroyed.

Service in the fire brigades was regulated by the "Firemen's Charter", adopted in 1832. It consisted of 7 chapters and 150 articles. The main provisions of this document were published earlier, so it contained articles that often contradicted each other. To match this charter was the decision of 1837 on the recruitment of fire brigades from among those who had served their sentences. This led to the fact that criminals found shelter in a number of teams, who during fires were engaged in robbery.

The middle of the 19th century was a significant milestone in the development of fire protection construction in Russia. On March 17, 1853, the "Normal report card of the fire department in cities" was approved. In accordance with this document, the staffing of the teams for the first time began to be determined not by the "highest resolution", but depending on the population. All cities were divided into seven categories. The first included cities with a population of up to two thousand inhabitants, and the seventh - from 25 to 30 thousand. The number of firefighters in each category, starting from the first, was respectively 5; 12; 26; 39; 51; 63 and 75 people, led by a fire chief. State projects drawn up by city governors were approved by the Ministry of the Interior.

In 1853, the staffing was approved in 461 cities. In accordance with the state, the position was determined fire fighting equipment for each category, funds for its repair. In contrast to the decree of Catherine II of 1782, according to which the recruitment of teams was carried out by civilians, according to the new provision, people were selected from the military department. This order existed until 1873, when a decree was issued to stop the recruitment of firefighters by the military department. In connection with the introduction in Russia in 1874 of universal military service, for this year it was allowed to complete the teams with young soldiers. Persons accepted for service in the fire department were exempted from conscription into the army. The fire brigades were maintained at the expense of the city treasury, but the management of their actions was still the responsibility of the police.

In 1857, the "Fire Charter" was republished. It, in particular, provided for the formation of fire departments in urban areas. However, most of the requirements of this charter repeated previously issued provisions, in connection with which it was excluded from the Code of Laws in the codification procedure. Russian Empire and lost his power. Along with professional teams subordinate to the police, civilian teams belonging to the city government, community teams and voluntary fire brigades are being created.

Volunteer teams had a clear structure. In the most combat-ready there were several detachments. The activities of the society were multifaceted. Its tasks included "searching, developing measures to prevent and suppress fire disasters", helping firefighters and people affected by fires, improving fire water supply, publication of fire-technical literature, holding congresses, exhibitions, congresses. The main sources of funding for the council of the society and the network of local voluntary fire organizations were one-time contributions from honorary members, insurance companies, cash lotteries, sale of fire equipment, chimney sweeps, etc.

On March 1, 1892, the magazine "Fireman" began to be published in Russia for the first time. Its publisher is a well-known firefighter, Count A.D. Sheremetev. The editor was Alexander Chekhov, brother of the famous writer. On the initiative of the Main Council of the Russian Fire Society, since July 1894, the magazine "Fire Business" began to be published in St. Petersburg on a monthly basis. The journal was edited by Prince A.D. Lvov. The creators of the new printed organ were sure that the magazine "would be the best conductor for a lively exchange," the unification of all the thoughts and interests of the leaders of the firefighting business in Russia and would serve to further strengthen and develop it. It was on the pages of this magazine that a controversy unfolded about the creation of a Special Fire Presence, which would be entrusted with the function of preventing fires.

As of 1892, there were 590 permanent professional teams in Russia, 250 voluntary urban teams, 2026 rural teams, 127 factory teams, 13 military teams, 12 private teams, and 2 railway teams. The number of personnel in them was 84,241 people. The fire brigades were armed with 4,970 rulers, 169 steam pumps, 10,118 large fire pumps, 3,758 hand pumps and hydraulic panels, 35,390 barrels, 4,718 gaff passages, 19 infirmary vans. This information concerns 1624 settlements and territories, including Finland, the Caucasus, Turkestan, and Siberia. Apart from the capital cities and Warsaw, whose teams had modern equipment, all the rest experienced financial difficulties. In 1893, out of 687 cities in 61 provinces, 63 cities (9.1%) were not allocated for the maintenance of fire equipment.

In all cities of Russia in 1916-1917. Of the total number of public and private buildings, stone made up 14.8 percent, wooden - 63.9 percent, mixed - 3.6%, and other - 17.7 percent. In some cities, the percentage of wooden buildings exceeded the average. For example, in Moscow there were 72 percent of wooden buildings. 95.5 percent of peasant households were entirely wooden and only 2.5 percent were built from non-combustible materials.

According to calculations by Russian experts, the minimum water supply to successfully extinguish a fire should be 200 buckets per minute. Under unfavorable conditions, according to American data, 700 buckets of water per minute were required for these purposes (for example, 14 barrels with a water flow rate of 50 buckets per minute, etc.). What were the possibilities of the available pumps? A large hand pipe provided a supply of 20 buckets per minute, an average one - from 10 to 15 buckets at a jet height of 6-7 fathoms. All large pumps available in St. Petersburg, which late XIX century there were 5 pieces, they could supply only 100 buckets of water per minute. This, as you can see, is far from normal. The same picture was typical for many of the largest cities in the world. The best steam pumps provided from 100 to 250 buckets of water per minute. These data correspond to the case when the water source is located next to the pump. With a considerable distance of the water source from the place of the fire, the situation was significantly complicated.

Experts saw a way out of this situation in the construction of special fire-fighting water pipes, which in New York gave excellent results. There was no need to waste precious time deploying both hand and steam pumps and delivering water to them. Time savings were also achieved due to the departure of fire brigades without a full convoy. Despite the obvious advantage of fire water pipelines, their construction in Europe encountered a number of difficulties. One of them is the widespread construction of water pipelines designed for household needs. The construction of water pipelines, designed both for household needs and for the needs of firefighters, required a lot of money. The economic water supply of Russia in the 19th century was also not able to provide required amount water to extinguish fires. On average, a city dweller had 5 buckets of water per day (60 liters). For a city with 100 thousand people - 500 thousand buckets, which was only half of the norm that could be required to extinguish one fire in the city (42 thousand buckets per hour).

The problem of fire water supply based on the existing water supply network was brilliantly solved by the Russian engineer N.P. Zimin. The originality of the water pipes of the Zimin system consisted in the use of special valves (valves), through which, when the pressure in the network increased, household water consumption was automatically turned off and the entire water flow could be used to fight fire. The hose connected to the fire hydrant could supply up to 300 buckets of water per minute.

Russia has a priority in the creation of a number of new and fire equipment. In 1770, the mining officer K. D. Frolov developed the principle of protection industrial premises automatic settings fire extinguishers, which are successfully used today.

In the 19th - early 20th centuries, fundamentally new compositions were created, far superior in efficiency to water. The Russian scientist S.P-Vlasov developed three such compositions in 1815. This became possible primarily due to his advanced views on the combustion process and, as a result, the correct formulation of the problem: to prevent or hinder the access of oxygen to the burning body. Sulphurous salts of iron and alkali metals, first proposed by scientists, are used in quenching as constituent parts fire extinguishing mixtures in our days. In 1819, P. Shumlyansky for the first time formulated the idea of ​​extinguishing with the help of inert gases. 70 years after his experiments, another Russian scientist M. Kolesnik-Kulevich gives scientific rationale this method. The scientific justification for the use of powder formulations is also associated with his name.

Firefighters were particularly concerned about oil fires. People were powerless in the face of the sea of ​​fire that formed and tried to protect only neighboring oil reservoirs. There was nothing to extinguish such fires. In 1899, he began to solve this problem, who, after five years of hard work, was able to say: "My invention, extinguishing a fire with foam, has two applications: extinguishing ordinary fires and extinguishing combustible liquids contained in storage facilities." Laurent's discovery was of great importance for the whole world. Wide use chemical and air-chemical foam became possible thanks to the invention of our compatriot.

In 1876, the Committee on the Arrangement of Fire Tools was formed in St. Petersburg, headed by N.N. Bozheryanov. One of the committee's first activities was comparative testing of fire pumps. To carry out these studies, Bozheryanov develops measurement methods, evaluation rules. In his opinion, the pump had to meet the following requirements: to have the highest performance with minimal maintenance time, lower cost and weight, and have high strength. In addition, factors such as ease of use, simplicity of design, etc. were taken into account. The next step in this direction was the creation in 1896 of the Technical Committee under the Main Council of the United Fire Society, headed by P. Syuzor. The committee's mandate is to consider inventions, standardize fire fighting equipment. With the approval of the committee, the fire department received foam fire extinguishers, sprayers, foam generators and other equipment. For the protection of industrial enterprises - sprinkler equipment, alarm systems, etc. The role of these laboratories, stations, and committees in the development of fire fighting can hardly be overestimated. With their organization at the end of the 19th century, the fight against fire becomes scientific basis. Several more decades will pass when a specialized institution will be created in Russia. So far, individual issues have been resolved in a purely practical way, as needed.

The transition of the fire brigade of St. Petersburg to automobile traction was hampered by the existing law, which required the city to keep over 300 horses in parts. Even if the units found sources of funding for the purchase of cars, the city would still have to include the cost of maintaining horses in the estimate. After wildfires, city governments tried to completely subjugate the fire brigades. However, the decisions of the Senate on this issue gave a variety of interpretations. Some decrees determined the difference between police and public fire brigades by the procedure for approving their states, others - by the order of recruitment. All this exacerbated the uncertainty of the attitudes of city administrations towards the fire department. In many cases, cities viewed the cost of fire protection as optional, like maintaining prisons, renting apartments for the troops, and sought to finance them from the staffing table.

December 2, 1910 at a joint meeting of members III State The Duma and the Council of the Imperial Russian Fire Society considered the need to prepare a draft law on fire and construction issues. The participants of the meeting agreed that it is necessary to establish legislatively general principles, which the fire department in cities and villages must satisfy, and in view of the general state significance of this issue, to find cash to finance fire protection measures. The commission of the III State Duma has prepared four legislative proposals during its work.

The proposal to change the procedure for spending the notary fee on fire measures found a response, and the corresponding law was passed on April 23, 1911. Three others, concerning the organization of fire protection, control over insurance estimates, and the creation of pension funds, required more detailed development, and it was decided to submit them for consideration by the Fourth Duma. According to the second proposal, it was proposed to form a fire department in each settlement with at least 100 houses or yards, which, in its composition and technical equipment could perform the following tasks: arrival at the fire site no later than 10 minutes from the moment of ignition; water supply by several trunks; rescuing people in danger. The solution to this issue was great importance, because if there were 600 thousand settlements in Russia at that moment, the number of voluntary fire associations and squads did not exceed 5 thousand.

In 1913, the Russian government found it necessary to develop a new fire regulations. To prepare a bill on this issue, the Council of the Imperial Russian Fire Society approved a commission chaired by Senator M.A. Ostrogradsky. By 1914, the commission had submitted two documents: "On the fire charter" and on changes to some articles of the code relating to the fight against fires and arson. However, further work was temporarily suspended due to the outbreak of the First World War. The agenda was not urgent; ensuring fire safety of factories and plants working for defense, fire protection of institutions and warehouses of the Northern Front; providing conscription benefits to members of voluntary fire societies located in cities that do not have professional teams.

On August 6, 1916, Russia adopted a law "On the fire protection of factories and factories that manufacture items for the army in the field." The Minister of the Interior was empowered to issue general rules on fire protection of enterprises working for defense. Fire protection specialists were also included in the commissions to supervise the observance of fire safety measures.

With the establishment in 1894 within the Ministry of the Interior of an insurance committee and department, and then in 1904 of a council and the General Directorate of Local Economy, the management of the fire department was entrusted to the Special Presence for Insurance and Fire Measures of the Council and the Division of Insurance and Fire Measures of the Chief management. Lacking sufficient staff (there were 2 employees in the fire department), accurate information about the situation with fires on the ground, the department was deprived of the opportunity to carry out the functions assigned to it. This prompted the ministry in November 1916 to strengthen the personnel of the department of insurance and fire measures.

Service in professional teams was one-shift. The working day lasted for 15-16 hours. The fact that the work of firefighters is difficult, exhausting, accompanied by injuries, mutilations, and death is evidenced by the very conditions of their work. From 1901 to 1914 in Russia, 2,300 firefighters received injuries of varying severity, of which about 10 percent became disabled, and 24 percent died.

The issues of the Fire Protection were raised to the level of state tasks after the establishment Soviet power. On April 17, 1918, V. I. Lenin signed a decree "On the organization of state measures to combat fire." The decree noted the need for the correct and systematic implementation of fire prevention measures, drew attention to the importance of developing fire prevention, issuing rules and instructions, developing fire equipment, etc. The decree also provided for measures to training of fire fighting specialists, opening fire-technical schools, schools and courses, publishing special magazines and brochures, organizing exhibitions. The main task of the fire brigade was determined - the prevention of fires. In 1924, a fire technical school was opened in Leningrad. In 1925, the magazine "Fire Business" began to appear.

With the growth of the industrialization of the country, the fire departments of cities were equipped with domestically produced fire trucks. Industrial enterprises equipped and introduced fireproof materials.Along with the development of technology, the search for the most appropriate forms of fire protection management continued. At the end of 1918, the leadership of the fire and insurance business was entrusted to the Supreme Council. National economy(VSNKh). In 1920, the fire department was separated from the insurance business and transferred to the Main Directorate of Communal Services of the NKVD of the RSFSR, under which the Central Fire Department was created. In 1926-27, the organization of the apparatus of the State Fire Supervision in the Union republics was completed.

In 1934, the Main Directorate of Fire Protection was organized as part of the NKVD of the USSR. For the protection of fire hazardous and especially important industrial facilities and large administrative centers, a paramilitary fire brigade of the NKVD was created.

The final stage in the formation of the country's fire protection was the resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of April 7, 1936 on the State Fire Supervision, which determines its functions and rights. Since 1966, the management of the work of the fire protection was carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR, which included the apparatus of the State Fire Supervision, organizing work on the prevention of fires in buildings and structures under construction and in operation, as well as units of paramilitary and professional fire protection, which were entrusted with extinguishing emerging fires in cities , at industrial and other objects of the national economy.

According to the book "Bodies and troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Russia. A Brief Historical Sketch", United Edition of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Moscow, 1996.

Fires in Russia have always been a terrible disaster. Thousands of people died every year in the fire, and immeasurable material damage was caused to the state. The villagers, who were completely defenseless against the fiery element, suffered especially. The fact that, until the 15th century, a fire was considered large only when several thousand households burned down, testifies to the magnitude of the consequences and the regularity of the fires that occurred. The chronicles did not even mention the fires that destroyed 100-200 households.

Historical annals note that many Russian cities have been subjected to devastating fires more than once. Cities burned out several times: Yuryev, Vladimir, Suzdal, Novgorod. Moscow burned down completely in 1238, when the hordes of Batu Khan raged in Russia. Historians note that there were devastating fires in Moscow in 1335 and 1337. The Moscow fire of 1356 in two hours destroyed almost the entire city, including the Kremlin and the suburbs.

With the growth of cities, the development of means of production, the losses from fires became more and more significant. The need to create a nationwide system of measures aimed at preventing and extinguishing fires was felt more and more acutely. It was necessary to change the attitude of the population to the problem of fire safety. During the formation of Russian statehood, the central government had to solve, along with many other problems, the problem of fires.

After the death of Yaroslav the Wise (1054), his three eldest sons - Izyaslav, Svyatoslav and Vsevolod enter into an alliance for joint action to solve political and military problems. One of the first mentions in the official codes of laws of measures to combat fires dates back to the time of the existence of this union. The sons of Yaroslav compiled the so-called “Pravda of the Yaroslavichs” - a document in accordance with which punishments for various crimes were determined. In article No. 32 of Pravda Yaroslavichi, in particular, it was said about the punishment for setting fire to the princely board.

After repeated invasions of Polovtsian hordes into Russia, half a century of fragmentation of the state, which broke up into feudal principalities, wars and upheavals, Vladimir Monomakh came to power in 1113. During the reign of Vladimir and his son Mstislav, Kyiv again became the center of a large state for several years. The laws establishing penalties for acts related to fires have been supplemented with several articles.

Under the Grand Duke of Moscow and All Russia Ivan III (1440 - 1505), attention to the "fire" problem intensified. Ivan III, for the first time in Russia, gave legislative force to the fight against fires from domestic causes, recognizing them as the most common due to the complete carelessness of the population when handling fire. The Sudebnik of 1497 established the most severe punishment for arson (an arsonist, along with other, most dangerous criminals, was to be executed by the “death penalty”).

The punitive measures applied to arsonists remained the same in subsequent sets of judicial laws. And in the judicial record of Tsar Ivan IV (the Terrible) of 1550, and in the judicial record of the tsar and Grand Duke Fyodor Ivanovich of 1589, the punishment for arson remained just as severe: “do not give the belly, execute the death penalty.”

long time the fire prevention system rested solely on punitive measures. The first effective measures aimed directly at preventing fires began to be carried out only in the Moscow state. After the “All Saints” fire (1365), Moscow Prince Dmitry Ivanovich decides to protect the city of the Kremlin from enemies and from fires with a new fire-resistant building material - white stone. As a result of the construction, the length of the Kremlin walls by 1367 reached 2 thousand meters. Since that time, Moscow began to be called "white-stone". However, the main part of the residential buildings on both sides of the Kremlin wall was still wooden, and fires continued to periodically devastate the capital.

In 1434 Grand Duke Basil II ordered not only to be careful with fire, but also determined the conditions for the use of fire in the most dangerous crafts and in everyday life. When a fire nevertheless arose, and this happened in Russia, unfortunately, often, the main effective force in extinguishing fires, like many centuries before, remained the people armed with hooks, picks and buckets.

In 1493, the Moscow white-stone Kremlin blazed twice due to the burning of numerous wooden buildings that came close to its walls. After these fires, the Grand Duke of Moscow and All Russia Ivan III issued an order to demolish all houses, shops and other buildings located at a distance of less than one hundred and ten sazhens (about 235 meters) from the Kremlin walls. Subsequently, the Kremlin is surrounded by a deep ditch, through which water is let in from nearby streams. This moat and wasteland around the Kremlin walls served both fire-fighting and defensive functions.

The first fire rules for the population were published in 1504. They prescribed: do not heat huts and baths in the summer without extreme necessity, do not keep fire in the houses in the evenings (torches, lamps, candles); blacksmiths, potters, gunsmiths to carry out their work away from buildings. It was forbidden to engage in glass production within the city, which was considered very flammable, tobacco smoking was strictly prosecuted.

At the beginning of the XVI century. By decree of Ivan III, a fire and watch guard was organized in Moscow. On the streets of the city, special outposts with lattice gates were installed, which were closed at night. The outposts were on duty around the clock. Citizens were involved as watchmen, one from every ten households, headed by lattice clerks. The duty of the watchmen was charged with monitoring the fact: “so that there is no theft in battle, robbery, taverns and tobacco, so that thieves do not light anywhere, do not throw fire, do not throw either from the yard or from the streets.” The service at the outposts was controlled by the appointed officials from the nobility, the so-called "go round heads". Also, tenth, sotsky and thousandth residents were appointed to help the "circumventing heads" from the inhabitants, who, in the event of a fire, drove the people to extinguish it. Those who refused to put out the fire were beaten with batogs and dragged to the fire by force.

In 1547, after a devastating fire in Moscow, Ivan IV (the Terrible) issued a decree forbidding Muscovites to heat stoves in their houses in summer. To prevent anyone from breaking this law, wax seals were placed on the stoves. The same decree obliged the inhabitants of Moscow to have vats of water on the roofs of houses and in the yards. This allowed residents to quickly extinguish the fire in the initial stage on their own, without wasting time on delivering water from the nearest well.

In 1550, a streltsy army was established in Russia. According to the royal decree, the archers were obliged to come to the fires and take part in the extinguishing. This was undoubtedly a step forward in the prevention and suppression of fires. The archers, who were subject to strict military discipline, could be organized much faster to extinguish the fire than the motley urban population, and there was more benefit from them when extinguishing. Russia became the first country in the world to use military formations to fight fire.

After the abolition of the archery troops in 1698 and the creation of regular regiments, the troops were still involved in extinguishing fires. In 1711, Peter I issued a decree “On the strict arrival of troops for fires,” the title of which spoke for itself. However, along with the troops, to oversee fire condition cities and extinguishing emerging fires, the urban population was still involved.

Due to poor development technical means extinguishing fires with one of essential methods fire control remained to prevent the occurrence of fires.

In 1649, two documents were published related to measures to prevent fires. The first document - "Cathedral Code", introduced criminal liability not only for arson, as it was before, but also for careless handling of fire, which entailed significant losses. The law established special liability for the theft of property during a fire. In April 1649, the second document was issued - “Order on the City Deanery”, which basically repeated the previously adopted rules for handling fire in everyday life: it ordered all residents to have buckets and a supply of water in their houses, and to follow the rules for using stoves. Along with this, the Order for the first time established the responsibility of officials for the implementation of fire safety rules.

It should be noted that most of the ongoing efforts to combat the "fire" in Russia did not have a special positive effect. To change the approach to this issue, it was necessary to create a professional fire department. And these were not just people who were organized and subject to strict discipline, but professionals well trained in extinguishing fires, united in special, permanent units - fire brigades. And it should be noted that attempts to organize such teams were made more than once in Moscow and St. Petersburg during the 16th - 17th centuries.

In 1624, the first fire brigade was organized in Moscow at the Zemsky Court. It consisted of 100 people from the "yaryzhny" (police officers of the lower ranks), who switched to the maintenance of the state. By 1629, the number of this team was already 200 people, and an additional 100 people were hired in the summer. The team was equipped with barrels of water, water pipes, buckets, hooks, shields and other property allocated by the treasury. At the Zemsky Court, 20 horse-drawn cab drivers were constantly on duty, ready to deliver firefighters with their tools to the fire site at the first alarm. The Zemsky Prikaz, responsible for extinguishing fires, collected taxes from the population for the maintenance of the team.

The beginning of the 18th century was characterized for Russia by an upswing in all areas of state building, rapprochement with the advanced powers, and an active desire to participate in the process of “great European politics". In this situation, it was no longer possible to endure the impotence of the authorities and the people in the face of the inevitability of the outbreak of large fires, which, like many centuries ago, continued to rage almost unhindered throughout Russia.

Peter I made a great contribution to the development of the fire business. He understood perfectly well that the government was obliged to take care of the organization of the fire department and to eliminate the causes of fires, therefore Special attention devoted to the development of measures to prevent fires. During his reign, new fire safety rules were introduced, borrowed from Holland. In 1701, a decree was issued in which it was ordered in all cities of Russia “not to build a wooden structure at all, but to build stone houses, or at least huts, and build not among courtyards, as happened in the old days, but linearly along the streets and alleys ". Gradually, stone construction became mandatory. Failure to comply with fire safety requirements entailed punishment and penalties. For violation of fire safety rules in Moscow and St. Petersburg since 1722, the following fines were established: “From noble people 16 altyns and 4 money”, from the ignoble - half as much.

Construction in St. Petersburg wooden houses It was forbidden since 1712. In addition to stone houses, only adobe houses were allowed to be built. The buildings were ordered to be erected in one row, and the distances between the buildings were to be at least 13 m. To avoid fires, all wooden buildings near important and fire hazardous objects were demolished.

Fire safety requirements in construction were constantly supplemented. In 1736, construction standards were introduced fire walls(firewalls). Decrees have been issued aimed at protecting forests from fires, as well as regulations regarding construction in villages and villages.

After the death of Peter I, attention to the issues of fire prevention weakened. Separate decrees and resolutions adopted during this period only duplicated the normative acts developed under Peter. At the same time, more and more attention is being paid to the formation of forces and means of fire extinguishing.

In 1722, a specialized fire brigade of workers was created at the Admiralty in St. Petersburg. In 1741, fire brigades were organized to protect the Winter Palace and summer residences in Tsarskoye Selo.

In 1763, in St. Petersburg and Moscow, “fire offices” were established as part of the police, and the staff of officials with fire tools was also determined. However, as before, to extinguish fires, in the order of fire service, the untrained urban population was involved. Mandatory fire duty distracted from the main occupations, so the townspeople, determined for duty, did their best to evade the burdensome duty.

In 1798 - 1799. “Fire offices” are renamed “Fire Expeditions”. However, this did not affect the improvement of the fire fighting organization. There is a need to radically change the approach to solving the issue of fighting fires. It was necessary to abolish the fire duty of the urban population, which did not meet the tasks assigned to it, and begin organizing a truly professional fire service. The turning point in the solution of this sore point was the beginning of the 19th century.

The Manifesto of September 8, 1802 created the Ministry of the Interior in Russia. The structure of the Ministry included the “Deanery Administration”, which was led by chief police chiefs, who were at the head of the police in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Similar councils were organized in provincial towns. The task of the boards was to centrally manage the fire department in cities, and they can be considered the prototype of today's fire departments in the country.

On November 29, 1802, the Decree of Alexander I “On the establishment of a special fire brigade under the police” was issued: “To relieve the inhabitants of the local Capital from the supply of firefighters in kind, I ordered to establish a special one under the Police to correct this duty, as well as to maintain a night guard team, consisting of 1602 people, consisting of soldiers incapable of front-line service ... ”.

Almost immediately after this fire brigade began to work, by the Decree of Alexander I of June 24, 1803, the population of the capital was exempted from fire duty: the allocation of night watchmen, the maintenance of firefighters, and street lighting. From now on, the maintenance of fire brigades was completely taken over by the state.

On May 31, 1804, a similar fire brigade was created in Moscow, and later in other cities of Russia.

Subsequently, the order of service in the fire brigades began to be determined in accordance with the "Charter of the Fireman", adopted in 1832.

The next significant step in the development of the fire department was the approval on March 17, 1853 of the “Normal report card for the composition of the fire department in cities”. According to this document, in order to create an orderly structure of the fire department, all cities of Russia, except for the capitals, were divided into seven groups according to the number of inhabitants. For each group, the staffing, the number of fire equipment and the funds allocated for their repair were provided. The first category included cities with a population of up to two thousand inhabitants, and the seventh - from 25 to 30 thousand. The number of firefighters in each category, starting from the first, was respectively 5; 12; 26; 39; 51; 63 and 75 people, led by a fire chief. State projects were approved by the Ministry of the Interior.

A new page in the prevention of fires and the fight against them can be considered the appearance in Russia in the middle of the 19th century. voluntary fire brigades, which were organized by the inhabitants of cities and other villages. The need for volunteer teams arose due to the fact that professional firefighters were not able to fully control the situation with fires in the state. Volunteer firefighters did not need to be urged to handle fires carefully. They themselves stood guard over the property and lives of their loved ones and were the best promoters of fire safety measures.

In 1892, the Russian Fire Society was formed, which united around itself almost all the voluntary fire forces in the country.

After the October Revolution of 1917, on the proposal of the Council of the All-Russian Fire Society, the All-Russian Council of the National Economy (VSNKh) formed a commission that sent to the Council People's Commissars(SNK) "The project of reorganization of the fire business in Russia". This document became the basis of the Decree "On the Organization of State Fire Fighting Measures" adopted by the Council of People's Commissars on April 17, 1918, which marked the beginning of the creation of a fire safety system in Russia.

The Fire Council was established to protect the property of the Republic from fires, to guide, unite and develop measures to combat fire. The council included 23 people from various commissariats, which enabled the Council to quickly resolve organizational issues.

On July 12, 1920, the Council of People's Commissars, by its resolution, transferred the fire department to the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD).

Despite the acute shortage of equipment, firefighters heroically fought the fire, saving people and people's property. For courage and selflessness, the fire brigades of Borisoglebsk, Krasnodar and Moscow in 1923-1925. were awarded the Orders of Labor Russian Federation(Order of the Red Banner of Labor - the highest government award of that time).

The approval in July 1924 of the charter of voluntary fire organizations allowed for legal basis expand the construction of voluntary fire brigades.

On July 10, 1934, the NKVD of the USSR was formed by decree of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR. It also included the newly created Main Directorate of Fire Protection (GUPO).

An important step in the development of fire prevention was the adoption on April 7, 1936 of the "Regulations on the State Fire Supervision". In preventive work, emphasis was placed on the involvement of the population. In workshops, enterprises, and the residential sector, special cells are being created to prevent and fight fires.

In 1940, the Combat Charter of the Fire Guard, the Charter of the Internal Service and a number of other documents regulating the activities of the fire guard were put into effect. At the end of 1940, the GUPO organizes the training of the population in the rules of fire safety, methods and tactics of dealing with incendiary bombs.

On the eve of the Great Patriotic War The country's fire brigade was an organized force. It was centrally provided with personnel and the necessary equipment. All combat and preventive work was built according to uniform charters and instructions.

During the Great Patriotic War, the fire departments, detachments and fire brigades of the NKVD entered the system of local fire defense (MPVO), but were operationally subordinate to the GUPO. When eliminating fires arising from air strikes, they acted independently. It was the militarized and professional fire brigades of the NKVD. Moscow, Leningrad, Stalingrad, Smolensk, Novorossiysk, Murmansk, Tula, Voronezh, Astrakhan, Tuapse, Rostov-on-Don, Yaroslavl and other cities located in the zone of enemy aviation, took upon themselves the entire burden of extinguishing fires that arose as a result of barbaric bombings.

IN post-war years the efforts of the GUPO were aimed at improving the combat training of command and control bodies and fire departments, restoring and developing their material and technical base.

In 1956 in major cities The country's fire department was reorganized. The functions of warning and extinguishing fires were combined in one unit.

In 1956, international cooperation in the field of fire protection also noticeably revived. Delegations from the fire departments of Bulgaria and Hungary visited the USSR. A delegation of Soviet firefighters visited Czechoslovakia. In September 1957, an international congress was held in Warsaw under the auspices of the Technical Committee for the Prevention and Suppression of Fires (CTIF), in which Soviet firefighters took part as observers. And a year later, at the next congress, the Soviet fire brigade was presented as a full-fledged member of CTIF.

The work of advanced voluntary fire brigades during these years showed that these units successfully guard not only rural areas, but also cities. The development of volunteering was held back by fragmentation, the lack of a unified leadership. On July 14, 1960, the All-Russian Volunteer Fire Society (VDPO) was organized by Decree of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR No. 1074. With the creation of the VDPO, these problems were solved.

1966 marked a new stage in the development and strengthening of the fire department. With the re-establishment of the Union-Republican Ministry of Defense public order the centralized management of the fire brigade was restored. The professional fire protection of cities, other settlements and facility fire departments were transferred to the system of the ministry.

A large and responsible task faced the fire brigade during the preparation and conduct of the XXII Olympic Games in Moscow. As a result of the actions taken by the fire department preventive measures in places associated with the "Olympics - 80" and the cultural program, fires were avoided.

On the night of April 26, 1986, an explosion occurred at the fourth block of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The firefighters who arrived on alert did their duty to the end. There were 28 of them - the first to take on the heat of the flame and the deadly breath of the reactor.

In the early 90s, as a result of the collapse of the USSR and the formation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, a number of issues related to the organization and improvement of the structure of fire departments were transferred to the field.

On August 23, 1993, the Council of Ministers of the Russian Federation transformed the Fire and Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation into the State Fire Service (SFS) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

December 21, 1994 was signed the federal law"About fire safety". The problem of fire safety has ceased to be a problem only of the fire service. According to the law, ensuring fire safety is one of the most important functions of the state. The Law comprehensively addresses the issues of ensuring fire safety; the status of the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia (since 2002, the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia) was determined as the main type of fire protection; the powers of the bodies state power, enterprises, officials, citizens.

The history of fire fighting in Russia has not only state milestones. It is filled with feats, glorious deeds, enthusiasm and outwardly invisible work of more than one generation of firefighters. In many cities, settlements remember their heroes. You can learn about the development of fire protection in your city (region) when visiting local fire departments, from conversations with fire fighting veterans, as well as in the Fire Promotion and Public Relations Centers, which are available in all Directorates and Departments of the State Fire Service of the constituent entities of Russia.

Introduction.

Fires in Russia have long been one of the most serious disasters. In the annals, they are also mentioned as one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against enemies. The cities of Yuryev, Vladimir, Suzdal, Novgorod burned out several times. In 1194, huge fires were noted in Ladoga and Russa. So it was not only in Russia. During the first period of the Middle Ages, fires blazed across a large part of Europe due to constant wars. Their rapid spread was also facilitated by the fact that easily combustible materials were used in the construction of houses: wood, straw, reeds. In addition, they were built very closely. The testimonies of chroniclers, the works of historians tell about many devastating fires in Moscow. The city burned down completely in 1233, when the hordes of Batu Khan raged in Russia.

Fire hid many dangers when it was used in peacetime. There were no stoves then, the fire was lit in a pit right in the house, moreover, the smoke came out through a hole made in the thatched roof. In the event of a fire, no one took measures to extinguish it - only children and property were saved. The fire spread from house to house and stopped only when everything around burned out. During such fires, the inhabitants of the surviving houses preferred to leave them to the mercy of fate and settle outside the city under open sky. In Moscow, for example, fires were such a common occurrence that residents treated them calmly. Up to the XV century. a fire was considered large if several thousand households were destroyed by fire. If 100 - 200 houses burned down, then they did not talk about such a fire. The ease of construction of buildings, the presence of wood made it possible to quickly restore burned-out housing, but this, due to the close construction, contributed to new devastation when sunbathing.

The development of large cities has led to an increase in their population, the construction of new buildings. The fires have also increased. In 1212 fire destroyed 4,300 out of 50,00 households in Novgorod. Moscow was no exception. The fire of 1356 in 2 hours destroyed almost all of Moscow, including the Kremlin and suburbs. Large fires have left their mark on the history of many cities. The city of Worms (Germany) burned out in 1221 from a fire that broke out in a residential building. In 1376 and 1380. the cities of Cologne - on - the Spree and Berlin, Strasbourg completely burned down in the XIV century. burned eight times. The city of Lübeck burned repeatedly.

Low level public organization And technical culture rendered Negative influence on the catastrophic consequences of emerging fires. The feudal society, based on deep socio-economic contradictions, turned out to be completely incapable of fighting fires. The degree of social organization in this era was significantly lower than during the reign of the Roman Empire. There was no single social or state structure that could withstand the fire. Therefore, as the statehood developed and strengthened, attempts were made to change the current situation. The result was the adoption of numerous fire regulations, with which government agencies wanted to influence the situation with fires, the observance by the population of fire precautions. In particular, responsibility for arson, careless, began to be introduced. fire handling. Released in the 11th century. a collection of laws known as "Russian Truth" established that the arsonist and members of his family were enslaved for their deeds, and their property went to the treasury.

1. The beginning of the fight against fire in Russia

At the beginning of the development of ancient Russian culture, the strongest engine of which was fire, it created a great danger to man. Realizing this, people began to build their first settlements on the Great Russian Plain near rivers and lakes. They already knew the intransigence of water and fire, they learned how to put out small fires, and from the rampant fire element they could always escape in the water.

During the construction of villages and villages, protective measures against devastating fires began to be taken. During the excavations of the ancient Russian settlement, scientists restored the architectural appearance of the dwelling of that time. It was a wooden frame-type semi-dugout, plastered with clay. In the center there is a hole in the adobe floor, for breeding a hearth, in the roof, probably thatched, a hole for smoke removal.

In a dugout dwelling more early period, excavated by archaeologists in 1999, 42 km from Moscow, on the shore of a lake near the river. Klyazma, the hearth was located on the floor without deepening near the combustible pillars on which the roof was attached. Two pillars, located in the immediate vicinity of the hearth, have traces of charring. Consequently, they caught fire, but were flooded with water.

Clay coating wooden structures, in addition to insulation, was also a measure to protect them from fire. Centuries passed, settlements grew, cities appeared, where everywhere there was plentiful food for the fire. Old Russian craftsmen of the north-eastern part of Russia with one ax created pagan temples, huts and fortresses from wood, using neither stone nor a nail. But many of these creations of Russian architecture were not destined to live even decades! The greedy tongues of the burning flame did not spare either a simple hut or an amazing carved temple, making real devastation from time to time.

Even before the advent of writing, the horror, grief and pain of fiery devastation gave rise to many images in epics, songs, and fairy tales. At that time, preventive measures, albeit often primitive ones, were prevailing in “Rus of the Dnieper, city, trade”.

Particular attention was paid to the careful handling of fire. Researchers of ancient Russian life note the existing among Eastern Slavs a prohibition against giving neighbors or other strangers embers from one's hearth after sunset. Night time is the most dangerous for a person, at night the inhabitants of the house most need protection.

Giving to a stranger, after dark, even a small piece of coal, the person at the same time, as it were, gave away a particle of protection, putting himself in a more dangerous position. Hearths in ground buildings were enclosed in stoves, where the outlet for smoke was no longer made in the ceiling and roof, as was the case in the dugout and semi-dugouts from open hearths, but always in the wall adjacent to the stone stove, or in one of side walls, above the entrance to the building. This, undoubtedly, was predetermined by a protective measure against fire: the wall is more massive than the ceiling and roof structures, and did not immediately succumb to sparks flying out of the furnace along with smoke, and if this happened, it was easier to detect the fire of the wall and take timely measures to prevent misfortune .

Although dwellings and outbuildings initially, they were randomly located, but at the same time, there was a rather significant distance between the courtyards. Later they wrote about such settlements: "Yards apart." At that time, the warning of fiery disasters did not yet have legislative force: the ancient legal customs were strong, which were guided in judicial practice prince and his judges. At the same time, even the deliberate destruction of individual settlements by fire for them had the meaning of simple damage to property, and the punishment for it was intended only to satisfy the victim.

It was a tradition to maintain order in one's home-principality, home-state on your own and the whole world. The fight against fire is carried out by the population in the order of mutual assistance in case of misfortune, and then in the order of "natural service". Night guard duty is established in cities and villages. For emergency signaling of an impending fire disaster, the guards had wooden or metal boards - beats. At the first alarming sound, the inhabitants had to run with their household equipment to the place of the misfortune that had befallen them, and whoever could, put out the fire (with water, earth, sand), dismantled the burning buildings and neighboring buildings. In the cities and towns where the prince settled, he and his retinue also came to the aid of the inhabitants. The prince or his deputies supervised all actions to tame the fire. With the development and strengthening of state formations, their social system grew and developed, accompanied by a process of social stratification and demarcation. This process, justified by nature and objective need, was complicated and intensified over the centuries by the growth of antagonistic contradictions.

Under these conditions, the maintenance of internal order in the state began to increasingly acquire a public character, a form public relations requiring certain legal regulation, including in the field of fire fighting. It is no coincidence that almost simultaneously with the state, literally on its shoulders, law began to grow and develop, a certain system of legal relations arose. Now the concept of "public order" has received legal formalization and legal regulation, the source of which at the first stage was customs, traditions, ritual rites.

As soon as the first state formations appeared, that is, the cohabitation of a large number of people in a relatively limited area, the need to maintain an elementary internal order simultaneously arose. It was necessary not only in the interests of the authorities, but also corresponded to many customs, traditions and rules established in society for living together, fighting fire, which arose and justified itself in the era of the tribal community and tribal unions.

The first stone buildings in Russia began to be built no earlier than the 10th century, from the time of the spread of Christianity. However, masons were only invited to build churches. Separate buildings erected for the nobility did not change general appearance"wooden power of the Rurikovich", very vulnerable to fire. Traditions of attitude to the fiery element, which have evolved over the centuries, have become the basis for many legislative acts with a strict certain value. Separate articles of the first legal regulations began to regulate safety in housing, introduced liability for "burning" and careless handling of fire. So, published at the beginning of the XI century. "The Judicial Law of the People" contained an article in which "ignition" is already interpreted as an act especially dangerous for persons and property and is punishable by death. You can read about this in the work of I.D. Belyaev "History of Russian legislation" (St. Petersburg: "Lan" 1999).

In the famous "Russian Truth", which became the first official code of laws ancient Russian state, included a similar but more specific article enclosing mansions, houses and outbuildings, growing bread and harvested crop from malicious intent: “Ozhe will light someone in the threshing floor, then on the stream and on the robbery of his house, having paid the damage before, but sharpen it as a percentage of the prince and also if someone will light the yard.” Translated into modern language this means that whoever set fire to someone's yard or threshing floor, together with his family, was deprived of his freedom, his property was confiscated. The culprit and his family could be expelled from this settlement. The same punishment was due for setting fire to stacks of bread on the land of the owner.

"Russian Truth" until the 15th century. remained the general law for Russia. The punishments of the "lighters" according to Russkaya Pravda and the good wishes for the careful handling of fire in Vladimir Monomakh's "Instructions" did little to protect against fire. The specific principalities are taking more stringent measures. Thus, the Pskov veche republic used its own legal document - the Pskov judicial charter, adopted at the veche in 1462, according to which arson with malicious intent was considered the most serious crime. For this, as in the time of Vladimir I, the igniter is subjected to the most harsh measure punishments: "they were executed with a whip at the veche", and then "they were burned without any regret." The same punishment is prescribed in the new national legal monument of the 15th century. - "Sudebnik" (1497) of Ivan III of the Sovereign of All Russia: "Do not give the lighter a stomach, execute him with the death penalty." For the free handling of fire, contrary to the promulgated rules, the violators were waited for by the "trading" caravan - beating with a whip. Output:

As shown by the coverage of the state of affairs in maintaining fire safety measures in the era of Kievan and specific Russia (IX - XV centuries), neither the state authorities nor the ancient Russian society in the person of city assemblies of veche and rural gatherings took consistent measures to create a fire safety system. The main measures were advisory in nature or assumed cruel punitive measures against the perpetrators of the fires.

The rudimentary state of the fire service was explained, first of all, by the underdevelopment of ancient Russian society, which was in the stage of a long transition from tribal to feudal relations. At the same time, periodic weakening of state power occurred, which was objectively due to an increase in the size of the country and the need to maintain military-political unity. The main measures to create a fire service began to be carried out only in connection with the formation of the Russian centralized state, which took place for a rather long period - during the XIV - XVII centuries.

2. Establishment of the state fire protection in Moscow Russia.

The organization of the fire service in Russia is associated with the name of the Grand Duke of Moscow and All Russia Ivan III (1462-1505). But in his activities to create a new state, he relied on the experience of his predecessors, in particular his father, the Grand Duke of Moscow Violence II. In 1434, Grand Duke Vasily II in his decrees for the first time provides for measures that limit the use of open fire in everyday life and when practicing various crafts . Moscow at that time was a big city. It had over 40 thousand wooden buildings. Even a small fire could lead to serious consequences. And there were enough reasons for the outbreak of fires: the presence of stoves without chimneys, the use of candles and lamps for lighting, the use of open fire by artisans near housing. From 1453 to 1493 Moscow burned out completely ten times. In total during the XV century. Moscow burned 18 times.

In 1472, the Old Russian chronicle conveys the first mention of normative acts in the field of fighting fire. Grand Duke Ivan III ordered the construction of stone chambers for himself and indicated that henceforth, in the capital city, stone and brick should be used, if possible, for buildings, and the buildings should be placed at a sufficient distance from each other so that fire could not easily spread from one house to another. In the meantime, manufactories for the production of "burned" (burnt) bricks were being built, the Grand Duke orders the installation of a night, so-called "slingshot protection against fire and all theft" in Moscow. For this purpose, slingshots were set up at the ends of the main streets, which were locked up if they could. Near them, in the booths, guards were serving, “dressed up without distinction of rank, one person from ten houses and from malls but one man from ten shops.”

In 1493, Ivan III issued a decree to demolish all houses, shops and buildings around the Kremlin, located at a distance closer than 110 sazhens (about 235 m) from the walls, which had not yet been completed by the reconstruction begun in 1485. The resulting wasteland is filled with ponds, water ditches and hydraulic structures. By the end of the XV century. The Kremlin is framed by walls made of fire-resistant material, and Moscow's streets are being widened. The Supreme Decree introduced restrictions on the use of fire in everyday life and at work.

In 1504, after another devastating fire, fire regulations were issued, which prohibited the heating of baths and huts in the summer unless absolutely necessary. It was also forbidden to light candles in the house at dusk. Blacksmiths and other artisans who used fire in their work were allowed to set up smelters and furnaces away from buildings and dwellings. If the collection of ancient Russian laws contained legislative measures only against arsonists, then Ivan III's measures against artisans were the first normative act of fire safety in Russia. It follows from this that the main cause of most fires was the complete carelessness of the population when using fire.

Decrees of this kind were adopted by many cities in Europe. Considering the degree of socio-economic development of the states of that time, there are sufficient grounds to consider these documents as norms of law, although they were of a declarative nature, their practical value was not great. The fires were still blazing. It was necessary not only to prevent the occurrence of fires, but also to create conditions under which it would be possible to fight them. By that time, experience in fighting fires had already been accumulated in a number of states. In France, for example, there were both royal guards, whose duty it was to put out fires, and guards made up of artisans. The term of duty of citizens in it was 2 months. In England, fighting fires until the 13th century. was entrusted entirely to the inhabitants, who, in accordance with the law, kept fire-fighting tools in their homes. Despite some differences, there was one thing in common - the fight against fires at this stage of the development of civilization abroad was mainly assigned to artisans, townspeople and guild organizations, who did not have the ability for joint organized actions.

At the beginning of the 16th century, in 1504, by decree of Ivan III, a fire-guard guard was created in Moscow. But the prerequisites for its formation can be traced somewhat earlier. A foreign diplomat Ambrose Contarini, who was with an embassy in Moscow in 1476, wrote that "... all city streets are locked with slingshots, and walking at night is allowed only if absolutely necessary ...". At the ends of the city streets, special outposts were installed - "lattices-slingshots", which were locked at night. At the outposts, round-the-clock duty was established. The service here was headed by lattice clerks. To help them, one citizen stood out from every 10 households. Thus, the entire urban population was involved in guard duty, and on average 3 rals per month, each adult resident of Moscow was obliged to carry out night duty.

The city was divided into sections, and at the ends of the main streets, not slingshots were built, as it was in 1476, but lattice gates (gates), which were also locked at night. At the threshold around the clock they served as a watchman from the townspeople or townsfolk (as they were then called) all from the same calculation - one from every ten yards, which in the end amounted to 1100 people. All of them were obliged to go around and carry guards at the outposts "with weapons and tools." The townsfolk themselves chose their own boss - the "lattice clerk", who led a group of watchmen and watched them. “so that there is no theft (in the era of Muscovite Russia, any crime was called theft) in battle, robbery of a tavern and tobacco, so that norms are not lit anywhere, they are not thrown on fire, they are not thrown either from the yard or from the street.” Subsequently, the lattice clerks were included in the staff of the Zemsky order, which was in charge of police affairs. The service of the townsfolk was controlled by special officials - "circular heads", appointed from persons of noble origin. This term comes from the words of the Decree, which said: "to be on the detour." The bypass heads were placed in the moving yards, which later became the centers of the police and fire service in certain parts of the city. The duties of the bypassing heads included detours of the city along with horse guards, supervision of the residents' compliance with decrees on fire precautions, catching arsonists, and directing fire extinguishing.

To help the bypassing heads, tenth, sotsky and thousandth residents were appointed, whose duty it was to round up the people to extinguish fires, the lattice clerks had to do the same. In the event of a fire, the grate clerks dragged people surrounded on all sides with a rope to the place of fire. Those citizens who refused to put out the fire were beaten with batogs. Moreover, the punishments concerned not only ordinary artisans, but also service people. Refusals were most often associated with superstition. Despite harsh punishments big number the townspeople still refused to put out the fire, considering the fire a punishment sent by God, which is a sin to resist.

The main task of the lattice clerks was to ensure that “... so that combat (fight), robbery, taverns (drunkenness) and tobacco (smoking was prohibited in Russia until the reign of Peter I), there was no theft (crime), so that thieves (criminals) didn’t light it anywhere, didn’t throw it on fire, didn’t throw it on either from the yard or from the streets.” The service of grating clerks was controlled by officials from the nobility, the so-called "going round heads" (an analogue of modern inspectors of the state fire supervision). Together with the horse guards, they circled the city, monitored the implementation of the royal decrees by the inhabitants on the use of fire, caught arsonists, and leaders of extinguishing fires. Appointed to help the detour heads from the inhabitants, the "ten, sotsk and thousand" mobilized the population in case of fire and led them in the fight against fire.

3. The development of fire fighting in Russia in the 16th century.

With the development of industry, crafts, and population growth (the population in Moscow in the 16th century was 100 thousand people), fires became a brake on economic progress. This forced the authorities to look for effective measures to fight the fire. At first, people clumsily and unsystematically took up the organization of the fire department. The created fire and watch guard could not seriously resist the fire. This state of affairs predetermined the use of fire-fighting units with a clearer structure, along with the fire and guard guards.

The transformation of the fire department in Russia continues in the middle of the 16th century. The decrees and orders that were in force until that time were mostly of a prohibitive nature. In 1547, these measures were supplemented by the decree of Ivan the Terrible, obliging the inhabitants of Moscow to have vats of water on the roofs of houses and in the yards and a broom for spraying water on the roofs. For cooking, it was prescribed to build stoves and hearths in vegetable gardens and wastelands away from residential premises. This was, of course, a progressive decree, since the population could quickly eliminate small fires on their own. For those 10 - 15 minutes that the residents needed to deliver water from the nearest well to the house, it was already impossible to stop the fire that had begun. Now it was possible to start extinguishing immediately, preventing the development of a fire.

Issues of fighting fires come under the jurisdiction of orders. These bodies appeared as a result of the reforms of the Chosen Rada in the 1550s. The discharge order divided Moscow into 17 sections and assigned "circular heads" to each of them. It was a special position for monitoring the fire-fighting condition of Moscow: "to save from fire and any theft." The discharge order was in charge of the issues of mobilizing the noble militia in case of war, and at the same time performed the functions of mobilizing the population to extinguish large fires.

With the establishment in 1550 of the streltsy order, archers began to be sent to fires in Moscow. This, of course, was a significant step forward, which had a number of positive aspects.

Firstly, it was a military organization, which was distinguished by a certain discipline, subordination to the commander, the habit of joint actions.

Secondly, the basis of the weapons of the archers were reeds, axes, i.e. those tools that could be used in dismantling burning buildings.

Thirdly, they were stationed in permanent places (in Moscow there were no streltsy settlements). They did not have to waste time preparing for an emergency, they immediately went to the place of the fire. And the initial period, their number was 3000 people, which made it possible to send a sufficient number of archers to the fires. Russia became the first country in the world to use military units to fight fire. This experience was later used in Japan and France.

In 1571, after the troops of the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey burned Moscow, and more than 120 thousand people died in the fire, a police order was issued prohibiting access to the fire site for unauthorized persons who did not take part in extinguishing it. It was the first government law that defined the elementary procedure for extinguishing fires.

The testimony of Adam Olearius about the fight against fire has been preserved: “In such misfortunes, archers and special guards are equipped to act against the fire, but the fire there is never extinguished with water, but stop spreading it by breaking nearby buildings so that the fire is lost strength, extinguished by itself. For the same purpose, every soldier and night watchman must carry an ax with him. However, exceptions to the rule were also allowed, as evidenced by the secretary of the Roman embassy Lisek: “In order to prevent the fire from spreading, they break houses around, and if someone pays to save the house, then the archers put up shields made of bull skin, continuously poured water over them, and thus protect the house from fire.

In 1532, the fire safety rules in force on the territory of Moscow were extended beyond its borders. To control compliance with the rules, Tsar Boris Godunov in 1603 divided the capital into 11 districts, appointing in each of them a member of the Boyar Duma responsible for "protection from fire". The very fact that among them were such well-known people in Russia as N.R. Trubetskoy, I.F. Basmanov, V.V. Golitsyn to others, says that the tsar paid serious attention to the prevention of fires. Moreover, he ordered the newly appointed persons to use any measures in order to prevent major fires in Moscow.

1. Equipping the fire and watch service in the era of Muscovite Russia

The main technique for fighting fire in the era of Muscovite Russia was very primitive. These are buckets, axes, crowbars, reeds, spears, hooks, spades, hooks, ladders. The most important concern of every city was water supply. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the vast majority of cities were erected on the banks of rivers. The large amount of water needed for firefighting purposes forced people to look for ways to deliver it from the source to urban areas.

In Russia, gravity (operated under the pressure of the river) water pipes appear in the XI - XII centuries. (Novgorod), in countries Western Europe- in the XII - XIII centuries. Hydraulic structures, with the help of which water was supplied to cities, are also widely used. Up to the XIV century. the capitals of European states outwardly resembled large overpopulated villages. The roofs of houses were usually covered with straw or wood chips. Contemporaries noted that the density of buildings, especially in rural areas, was such that in some settlements it was possible to walk along the roofs from one side to the other. All this led the authorities to the idea of ​​introducing a law on the construction of buildings made of stone.

In Moscow Russia, the first stone buildings began to be built after a fire in Moscow in 1382. Although the Moscow Kremlin, built of limestone or buta, a softly porous stone, should be considered the first large stone building white color in 1367 after a fire in 1366 (hence one of the names of Moscow - Belokamennaya), but it was a defense building. Starting from 1382, not only the Moscow Kremlin was restored, but also religious and civil buildings began to be erected.

Before the 10th century (in Kyiv it is the Cathedral of St. Sophia) there is no information about such buildings. Since the spread of Christianity, masons have been invited exclusively to build temples. Separate buildings erected for the nobility did not change the overall picture. Royal decrees on the severe punishment of the perpetrators of fires alternated with requirements to use stone in construction. By the end of the XV century. in Moscow, the streets are being widened, the city walls are being built from fire-resistant material.

And yet the fire business in the Middle Ages developed slowly. And the period of widespread use as building material wood, the resulting fires had catastrophic consequences. () the fire of 1356, during which the Kremlin and Zamoskvorechye burned down, the chronicler left the following evidence: “... in one or two hours the whole city burned down without a trace. There was then a severe drought and the storm was also strong, throwing firebrands and logs with fire over 10 yards, and it was impossible to put out ... ". The documents of that time also mention other fires, the strength of which, centuries later, was brought to us by information about the fire of 1485: “The city of Moscow burned down, the whole Kremlin ... iron melted like tin, molten copper flowed like water.”

The main method of fighting the fire was the demolition of the buildings closest to the fire. To save buildings that did not catch fire, they were covered with felt or tarpaulin shields, which were poured with water. By this time, i.e. by the middle of the 16th century. is the first mention of hand pumps, which were used to extinguish fires. They were then called water pipes or filler pipes.

Medieval documents contained rules regarding the use of open fires, covering roofs, providing water, as well as severe penalties for careless use of fire. Often, neglecting the rules, the owners of houses erected new ones on the site of burnt buildings. At the same time, the density of buildings remained at the same level, the same risk of fires persisted.

The spread of fire during fires in cities was also facilitated by the fact that, according to a strengthened European tradition, sidewalks on the streets were made of wood, and on holidays they were decorated with branches and grass. Wooden decks laid also in Moscow. German traveler, scientist and diplomat Adam Olearius, who visited Moscow four times in 30-40. 17th century wrote that “residential city houses (with the exception of boyars, wealthy merchants, clergy) were built of wood. Roofs are made of board, which is why there are frequent fires, so that not only a month, but even a week does not pass, so that several houses do not burn down, and sometimes strong wind, entire streets. Patriarch Macarius of Antioch, who visited Moscow at about the same time, also testifies to this: "... Muscovites build houses throughout the country from spruce logs ... They constantly have fires ...".

Conclusion

Measures of state power during the XVI century. made it possible to create the foundations of the state fire service, which was able to prevent many fires, created systems for the interaction of the urban population with government officials and provided sufficient high level(relative to previous historical period) organization of fire extinguishing. At the same time. streltsy formations in combination with lattice clerks and bypass heads could not guarantee the safety of Moscow and other cities of Russia, since the entire fire and guard service was not of a regular nature and was not provided by professional firefighters. State capacity to mobilize the population to fight fires was very limited. The authorities needed tighter control over the behavior of the population, as a result of which, by the end of the 16th century. serfdom was established in Russia.