Russian Fire Society

Categories / City Services/Fire Safety
RUSSIAN FIRE SOCIETY (since 1901, Imperial Fire Society). Established in St. Petersburg at the First Russian Firefighters Conference in 1892 with the objective of developing fire prevention measures, assisting firefighters and civilians who have suffered from fires, improving firefighting water supply, publishing technical firefighting literature, holding conferences, and organising exhibitions. Count A.D. Sheremetev was elected as chairman (succeeded in 1894 by Prince A.D. Lvov). The society's funds cam from dues and income from sale of firefighting equipment. The society's volunteer members taught safety measures at workshops, factories, and peasant farms. In 1892-94, by the initiative of the society's main council, the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued the magazine Pozharny (publisher, Count A.D. Sheremetev). In 1894, the magazine Pozharnoe Delo first appeared (its publications continues to this day). The public promoted the idea of creating a Special Fire Department (which was implemented in 1924 with the establishment of the State Fire Inspectorates system). In 1913-14, the society council took part in the working out of new fire regulations. The society office was located at 39 Bolshaya Morskaya Street, which also housed the Firefighting Equipment Collection and a library. After October 1917, the society ceased to exist.

References: Рудницкий В. С. Пожарное дело в С.-Петербурге: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1903; Струков Д. П. Десятилетие Российского пожарного общества, 1893-1903: Ист. обзор. СПб., 1903.

Y. N. Kruzhnov. Lvov Alexander Dmitrievich, Duke
Sheremetev Alexander Dmitrievich, Count
Bolshaya Morskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 39
Струков Д.П. Десятилетие Российского пожарного общества, 1893 - 1903: Ист. обзор. СПб., 1903
Рудницкий В. С. Пожарное дело в С.-Петербурге: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1903