Introducing National Fire Protection Month

The Great Fire of London, depicted here in a painting by Dutch artist Lieve Verschuier, caused almost £2 billion damage in today's money, and led to a revolution in fire protection.

This September—the 356th anniversary of the Great Fire of London—will see the inaugural National Fire Protection Month take place. This series of events will recognise and celebrate fire protection and its role in keeping people and property safe from the effects of fire.

PAUL WATERHOUSE

FPA Australia

Shortly after midnight on Sunday 2 September 1666, a fire broke out in a bakery in Pudding Lane, in the medieval part of the City of London.

Over the next five days, the Great Fire of London gutted large parts of the northern bank of the city, causing an estimated £10,000,000 worth of damage (£1.72 billion in today’s terms) and displacing as many as 200,000 people.

A long, hot summer dried out the closely packed, largely wood and thatch buildings, and depleted the water supplies needed to fight the flames.

The blaze was fanned into a firestorm by high winds, and the exodus of people from the city clogged the streets and indecision by authorities restricted efforts to contain it.

By Thursday 6 September, the strong east wind dropped and the garrison from the Tower of London created effective firebreaks using gunpowder, allowing them to halt the spread and extinguish the fire.

Few buildings were spared as the conflagration ripped through the city, destroying a variety of buildings, including: „ 13,500 houses (15% of the city’s housing) „ 87 parish churches „ 44 company halls „ the Royal Exchange „ the Custom House „ St Paul’s Cathedral „ Bridewell Prison and other city prisons „ the General Letter Office „ the three western city gates—

Ludgate, Newgate and Aldersgate.

From this seminal event has come much of what we recognise today as fire protection, from building regulations and passive fire protection to organised fire brigades and even insurance.

Recognising and celebrating fire protection

To recognise the pivotal role that our sector plays to protect people and property, this September FPA Australia is launching the inaugural National Fire Protection Month.

This series of events across the country will recognise and celebrate fire protection and its role in keeping people and property safe.

It will show how the sector and the community have learned the lessons of the Great Fire of London to reduce the incidence and risk posed by fires.

Through a mix of in-person seminars, webinars, articles and community engagement, we will demonstrate the importance of our industry and celebrate those who help to protect the community.

PHOTOS: FPA AUSTRALIA

His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), GovernorGeneral of Australia.

The month will be launched by our Patron, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), Governor-General of Australia, kicking off 30 days of locally based activity, tailored both for the industry and the community.

Fire protection is often overlooked and taken for granted. Most people do not pay attention to sprinklers or hydrants, detection systems and passive fire features. In fact, the most engagement that many have with fire safety is an annual emergency evacuation drill.

The National Fire Protection Month will bring the important work of our sector out into the open, revealing the risks faced by building occupants and how they are mitigated, highlighting some of the strategies used to keep people safe and showcasing possible career pathways for new entrants.

FPA Australia’s state and territory committees are developing a program of events of interest to both practitioners and the community, which can be found on the event website www.nationalfpmonth.com.au.

For more information, contact us at engagement@fpaa.com.au.

Today's fire protection strategies and building codes are significantly influenced by the impacts of the Great Fire.