Benjamin Franklin “The Fireman” By Charles Washington Wright 1850
Benjamin Franklin Fireman
On a visit to Boston, Benjamin Franklin noted that the inhabitants of his native city were far better prepared to fight fires than the natives of his adopted city, Philadelphia. Upon returning home, he consulted the Junto, a benevolent group dedicated to civic and self-improvement, and asked for their suggestions on better ways to combat fires.
Franklin also sought to raise public awareness about the city's dire need to improve fire-fighting techniques. In a Pennsylvania Gazette article of 1733 Franklin noted how fires were being fought in Philadelphia. "Soon after it [a fire] is seen and cry'd out, the Place is crowded by active Men of different Ages, Professions and Titles who, as of one Mind and Rank, apply themselves with all Vigilance and Resolution, according to their Abilities, to the hard Work of conquering the increasing fire."
Goodwill and amateur firefighters were not enough, though. Franklin suggested a "Club or Society of active Men belonging to each Fire Engine; whose Business is to attend all Fires with it whenever they happen."
For the February 4, 1735 issue of The Pennsylvania Gazette, Franklin sent an anonymous letter to his own newspaper entitled Protection of Towns from Fire. Writing as an "old citizen" he admonished:
In the first Place, as an Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound of Cure, I would advise 'em to take care how they suffer living Coals in a full Shovel, to be carried out of one Room into another, or up or down Stairs, unless in a Warmingpan shut; for Scraps of Fire may fall into Chinks and make no Appearance until Midnight; when your Stairs being in Flames, you may be forced, (as I once was) to leap out of your Windows, and hazard your Necks to avoid being oven-roasted.
He further urged that chimney sweeps should be licensed by the city and be held responsible for their work. He noted that a neighboring city (Boston), "a club or society of active men belonging to each fie engine, whose business is to attend all fires with it whenever they happen." He noted that via practice and regular meetings, the firefighters' skills improved.
Under Franklin's goading, a group of thirty men came together to form the Union Fire Company on December 7, 1736. Their equipment included "leather buckets, with strong bags and baskets (for packing and transporting goods), which were to be brought to every fire. The blaze battlers met monthly to talk about fire prevention and fire-fighting methods. Homeowner's were mandated to have leather fire-fighting buckets in their houses.
Other men were desirous of joining the Union, but were urged to form their own companies so the city would be better protected.
Within a short span of time, Philadelphians witnessed the birth of the Heart-in-Hand, the Britannia, the Fellowship, as well as several other fire companies.
Thanks to the matchless leadership of Benjamin Franklin, the dire fear of fires expired in Philadelphia which became one of safest city's in the world in terms of fire damage.
HISTORY OF THE LEATHER HELMET
It is doubtful brother Ben Franklin wore the helmet pictured in Charles Washington Wrights painting of Ben Franklin "The Fireman" in 1850. Benjamin Franklin founded the Union Fire Company in 1736. But what the painting does represent is that by 1850 the helmet we know as a traditional style (New Yorker) was the American image of the Fireman.
The Tradition of Helmets
In the last century, the leather firefighter's helmet was common. The helmet's long rear brim and curled up side brims helped prevent water from running down the firefighter's neck and into his coat. The earliest leather helmets featured four combs, which are ridges of leather marking stitched seams. Theoretically, the more combs a helmet had, the stronger it was, so later helmets came equipped with eight, 12, or 16 combs.
At the turn of the century, aluminum helmets began to be popular. Though they were molded to look like leather helmets, they were cheaper. However, fire fighters quickly learned that these helmets had problems of their own. They not only conducted heat but electricity. As a result, a move back to leather helmets became inevitable. Strong enough to provide protection from falling objects, the leather helmet of the early 20th century shed water effectively and prevented objects from dropping down the back of the fire fighter's neck.
Pete Lamb at petelamb.com in his article The Fire Helmet wrote:
If you gave each retiring jake the opportunity to take one piece of equipment with him into retirement, he would choose his helmet. There is no greater symbol of the American fire service than the traditional fire helmet. People wear helmets every day for a variety of reasons; construction workers, motorcycle riders, football and baseball players, and they all share a very similar type of helmet. None of these remotely resembles the fire helmet.
The helmet worn by the earliest American firefighters was indeed made of leather, but its similarity with the traditional helmet ends there. The first firefighter helmets were stove pipe type helmets similar to the hat made famous by President Lincoln. This helmet was made of rigid leather. The front of the helmet was painted with the name of the company the wearer belonged to. It did afford the wearer with some protection, but it was sadly lacking in several areas. The fire service lumbered along with this stove pipe type helmet until 1836. A New York City Firefighter by the name of Henry Gratacap, who had been a hat maker by trade, changed the whole design. In doing so, he invented what we refer to as the traditional American fire helmet. Gratacap designed this helmet to be absolutely functional. The reinforced conical dome was to protect the head from falling objects, the tall front shield was designed to break windows, the strange brim design was to capture water and redirect it to the rear of the helmet where it could cascade harmlessly off the back of the coat and not down the collar. This long rear brim could also be used to protect the wearer from intense heat. The helmet would be worn backwards and the firefighter would place his chin on his chest and the heat would be deflected away from the face. Old tillermen often wore the helmet like this when responding in heavy rain or snow to give their face a little protection from the elements. This helmet was snapped up by firefighters as soon as it hit the market. You were not doing the job if you didn't wear a CAP.
Innovations to the original design have been relatively slight. A suspension system was added, a liner to protect the neck and ears and eye shields are about the only changes. Manufacturers have tried aluminum, plastic and even rubber, but if you ask the average jake what kind of helmet he prefers, he will most likely answer the leather. One hundred and sixty one years after its invention. the Gratacap is still the helmet of choice for American firefighters.
The helmet worn by the earliest American firefighters was indeed made of leather, but its similarity with the traditional helmet ends there. The first firefighter helmets were stove pipe type helmets similar to the hat made famous by President Lincoln. This helmet was made of rigid leather. The front of the helmet was painted with the name of the company the wearer belonged to. It did afford the wearer with some protection, but it was sadly lacking in several areas. The fire service lumbered along with this stove pipe type helmet until 1836. A New York City Firefighter by the name of Henry Gratacap, who had been a hat maker by trade, changed the whole design. In doing so, he invented what we refer to as the traditional American fire helmet. Gratacap designed this helmet to be absolutely functional. The reinforced conical dome was to protect the head from falling objects, the tall front shield was designed to break windows, the strange brim design was to capture water and redirect it to the rear of the helmet where it could cascade harmlessly off the back of the coat and not down the collar. This long rear brim could also be used to protect the wearer from intense heat. The helmet would be worn backwards and the firefighter would place his chin on his chest and the heat would be deflected away from the face. Old tillermen often wore the helmet like this when responding in heavy rain or snow to give their face a little protection from the elements. This helmet was snapped up by firefighters as soon as it hit the market. You were not doing the job if you didn't wear a CAP.
Innovations to the original design have been relatively slight. A suspension system was added, a liner to protect the neck and ears and eye shields are about the only changes. Manufacturers have tried aluminum, plastic and even rubber, but if you ask the average jake what kind of helmet he prefers, he will most likely answer the leather. One hundred and sixty one years after its invention. the Gratacap is still the helmet of choice for American firefighters.
The Brief History of the Traditional Style Fire Helmet
Jacobus Turck of New York City is credited with inventing the first fire cap around 1740. It was round with a high crown and narrow rim and was made of leather. Improvements on his design were made by Mathew DuBois, who sewed iron wire in to the edge of the brim to give the helmet shape and strength, and provide resistance to heat, moisture, and warping. The leather helmet as it is known today came from a very modest and non-fire related beginning. Although the year the traditional fire helmet was invented is mired in speculation and debate, it is generally agreed upon as sometime between 1821 and 1836. The gentleman credited with its founding was named Henry T. Gratacap. Gratacap was a volunteer fireman in New York City, but made his living as a luggage maker. He had made quite a name for himself because of his innovative luggage specifically designed for ocean transit. It was made of leather that was specially treated, which offered unparalleled durability and withstood wetness without rotting. These qualities were very desirable in a fire helmet as well and Gratacap designed the first “eight comb” (a design composed of eight segments) fire helmet. It was named the “New Yorker” and originally adopted by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in the late 1800s.
The New Yorker helmet has remained virtually unchanged through approximately 168 years of faithful and steadfast service. The New Yorker helmet retains the same look and quality that generations after generations of firefighters have relied upon. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown. The long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear, is to keep water from running down firemen's necks. Originally, these helmets were sometimes worn backwards so the beavertail would protect its wearer from the intense heat of firefighting. Additionally, some tillermen (a name for the driver of the rear section of a tractor drawn aerial truck) would also wear them backwards to protect their faces from rain and snow.
During this time, two brothers named Cairns were operating a metal badge button and insignia business in New York City. The Cairns Brothers are credited with the idea of mounting an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets; today these are known as front pieces.
The two companies operated cooperatively until Gratacap’s retirement sometime in the 1850s, when the Cairns & Brother legacy was born; Cairns & Brother has pioneered firefighter helmet technology ever since.
The Leatherhead is a term used for a firefighter who uses the leather helmet for protection from the hazards we face everyday on the streets. The Leather Helmet is an international sign of a Firefighter, a symbol that is significant in not only tradition from the early years of firefighting, but one of bravery, integrity, honor and pride. This helmet is a sign of who we are, not what we are.
While brother Ben Franklin never wore the helmet pictured. Benjamin Franklin is credited with founding the Union Fire Company in 1736 among his other great accomplishments and inventions. And for Charles Washington Wright to chose Benjamin Franklin and the traditional style helmet shows that both where established American icons of the fire service.
Bravery of Eagles
An article that appeared in The New Yorker on June 14, 1930 describes how the adornment of the Eagle has added to the traditionalism of the classic style of the traditional helmet.
In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning a fireman’s helmet meant something special—the spirit of American enterprise, maybe, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long, ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and, on his hat, an eagle. Now, nobody was wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor’s part, but as soon as the firemen saw it they thought it was a splendid idea, and since every fire company in those days designed its own uniforms, it was widely adopted at once. It has remained on firemen’s hats ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but the firemen always refuse.
We learned all this about firemen’s hats in the course of a little talk we had the other day with Mr. John Arthur Olson, of 183 Grand Street. Mr. Olson’s father started making hats for firemen in 1867, and Mr. Olson himself has been at it all his life. Recently, he amalgamated with his only rivals, Cairns & Brothers, a few doors down the street; they comprise now the only firm in America in the business. Foreign firemen wear a metal helmet which weighs five pounds, but our fire laddies’ hats weigh only thirty ounces. Despite this they give even better protection against falling bricks than the European ones do. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, hand-sewed, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown, padded with felt. The long duckbill, or beavertail, effect which sticks out at the rear is to keep water from running down firemen’s necks. Hats for battalion chiefs and higher officers, are white, everyone else’s black. Hook-and-ladder companies have red leather shields (attached just under the eagle), engine companies black with white numerals, the rescue squad blue.
According to Mr. Olson, there isn’t much money in making firemen’s hats. They sell for eight dollars and seventy-five cents, and as it is all handwork the profit is small. Besides, they last so long—about ten years, on the average. Matter of fact, the only thing that keeps the shop busy is the business of repairing the eagles, which are always coming in for regilding, refurbishing. For fixing eagles, the standard rate is one dollar, and has been for generations.
So you ask why do you wear a leather helmet? Simple... it is a gift from a very special person in my life. She gave it to me to protect me from harm. She has watched me and my brothers cry when we have lost our brothers and she understands how important never forgetting is to our brotherhood. She has seen that honor, integrity, selflessness, courage and valor are a way of life to my brothers.
I don't wear just a leather helmet; I wear the leather helmet she gave me. Each time I wear the helmet I will remember those that wore the leather before me, what they sacrificed, I will carry her love with me and hope that I carry myself in a manner that will make her and my brothers proud.
Edited with commentary by Steve Schreck
References:
San Francisco Firefighters’ Helmets
San Francisco firefighters wear the traditional Cairns and Bro. “New Yorker” helmet modified to meet Federal safety requirements. For a time in the 1980s the San Francisco Fire Department switched to a dark plastic “Darth Vader” helmet, unfavorably reminiscent of those worn by the German Army during WWII. They were not popular with the firefighters, and some of the helmets actually melted in fires. In the late 1980s the Department switched back to the traditional leather helmet.
This 1930 New Yorker magazine article gives the history of the Cairns and Bro. leather helmets.
The Eagle on the Helmet
In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning a fireman’s helmet meant something special—the spirit of American enterprise, maybe, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long, ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and, on his hat, an eagle. Now, nobody was wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor’s part, but as soon as the firemen saw it they thought it was a splendid idea, and since every fire company in those days designed its own uniforms, it was widely adopted at once. It has remained on firemen’s hats ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but the firemen always refuse.
We learned all this about firemen’s hats in the course of a little talk we had the other day with Mr. John Arthur Olson, of 183 Grand Street. Mr. Olson’s father started making hats for firemen in 1867, and Mr. Olson himself has been at it all his life. Recently, he amalgamated with his only rivals, Cairns & Brothers, a fewdoors down the street; they comprise now the only firm in America in the business. Foreign firemen wear a metal helmet which weighs five pounds, but our fire laddies’ hats weigh only thirty ounces. Despite this they give even better protection against falling bricks than the European ones do. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, hand-sewed, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown, padded with felt. The long duckbill, or beavertail, effect which sticks out at the rear is to keep water from running down firemen’s necks. Hats for battalion chiefs and higher officers, are white, everyone else’s black. Hook-and-ladder companies have red leather shields (attached just under the eagle), engine companies black with white numerals, the rescue squad blue.
According to Mr. Olson, there isn’t much money in making firemen’s hats. They sell for eight dollars and seventy-five cents, and as it is all handwork the profit is small. Besides, they last so long—about ten years, on the average. Matter of fact, the only thing that keeps the shop busy is the business of repairing the eagles, which are always coming in for regilding, refurbishing. For fixing eagles, the standard rate is one dollar, and has been for generations.
The New Yorker
June 14, 1930
June 14, 1930
Helmets from pbs.org
At the turn of the century, aluminum helmets began to be popular. Though they were molded to look like leather helmets, they were cheaper. However, fire fighters quickly learned that these helmets had problems of their own. They not only conducted heat but electricity. As a result, a move back to leather helmets became inevitable. Strong enough to provide protection from falling objects, the leather helmet of the early 20th century shed water effectively and prevented objects from dropping down the back of the fire fighter's neck.
Helmet design really took off after World War II. By 1979, when NFPA issued its Standard on Structural Fire Fighter's Helmets, designers were taking into consideration a mind-boggling array of factors, including impact force and acceleration; penetration, heat, and flame resistance; resistance to electrical current; effectiveness of chin strap and suspension system; flammability and resistance of ear covers; resistance of the face shield to heat and flame; and brightness and surface area of fluorescent markings.
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Beginning in the 1970s, high-tech plastic and composite material helmets came into vogue. These featured a suspension system and energy-absorbing foam impact liners; a face shield for partial eye and face protection from heat, sparks, liquids, and flying debris; flame-resistant flaps to protect the ears and neck; and a lighweight-fabric protective hood. back to top
The Fire Helmet
petelamb.com
If you gave each retiring jake the opportunity to take one piece of equipment with him into retirement, he would choose his helmet. There is no greater symbol of the American fire service than the traditional fire helmet. People wear helmets every day for a variety of reasons; construction workers, motorcycle riders, football and baseball players, and they all share a very similar type of helmet. None of these remotely resembles the fire helmet.
The helmet worn by the earliest American firefighters was indeed made of leather, but its similarity with the traditional helmet ends there. The first firefighter helmets were stove pipe type helmets similar to the hat made famous by President Lincoln. This helmet was made of rigid leather. The front of the helmet was painted with the name of the company the wearer belonged to. It did afford the wearer with some protection, but it was sadly lacking in several areas. The fire service lumbered along with this stove pipe type helmet until 1836. A New York City Firefighter by the name of Henry Gratacap, who had been a hat maker by trade, changed the whole design. In doing so, he invented what we refer to as the traditional American fire helmet. Gratacap designed this helmet to be absolutely functional. The reinforced conical dome was to protect the head from falling objects, the tall front shield was designed to break windows, the strange brim design was to capture water and redirect it to the rear of the helmet where it could cascade harmlessly off the back of the coat and not down the collar. This long rear brim could also be used to protect the wearer from intense heat. The helmet would be worn backwards and the firefighter would place his chin on his chest and the heat would be deflected away from the face. Old tillermen often wore the helmet like this when responding in heavy rain or snow to give their face a little protection from the elements. This helmet was snapped up by firefighters as soon as it hit the market. You were not doing the job if you didn't wear a CAP.
Innovations to the original design have been relatively slight. A suspension system was added, a liner to protect the neck and ears and eye shields are about the only changes. Manufacturers have tried aluminum, plastic and even rubber, but if you ask the average jake what kind of helmet lie prefers, he will most likely answer the leather. One hundred and sixty one years after its invention. the Gratacap is still the helmet of choice for American firefighters.
The helmet worn by the earliest American firefighters was indeed made of leather, but its similarity with the traditional helmet ends there. The first firefighter helmets were stove pipe type helmets similar to the hat made famous by President Lincoln. This helmet was made of rigid leather. The front of the helmet was painted with the name of the company the wearer belonged to. It did afford the wearer with some protection, but it was sadly lacking in several areas. The fire service lumbered along with this stove pipe type helmet until 1836. A New York City Firefighter by the name of Henry Gratacap, who had been a hat maker by trade, changed the whole design. In doing so, he invented what we refer to as the traditional American fire helmet. Gratacap designed this helmet to be absolutely functional. The reinforced conical dome was to protect the head from falling objects, the tall front shield was designed to break windows, the strange brim design was to capture water and redirect it to the rear of the helmet where it could cascade harmlessly off the back of the coat and not down the collar. This long rear brim could also be used to protect the wearer from intense heat. The helmet would be worn backwards and the firefighter would place his chin on his chest and the heat would be deflected away from the face. Old tillermen often wore the helmet like this when responding in heavy rain or snow to give their face a little protection from the elements. This helmet was snapped up by firefighters as soon as it hit the market. You were not doing the job if you didn't wear a CAP.
Innovations to the original design have been relatively slight. A suspension system was added, a liner to protect the neck and ears and eye shields are about the only changes. Manufacturers have tried aluminum, plastic and even rubber, but if you ask the average jake what kind of helmet lie prefers, he will most likely answer the leather. One hundred and sixty one years after its invention. the Gratacap is still the helmet of choice for American firefighters.
HISTORY OF THE LEATHER HELMET
By www.salisburyfools.com/helmet_history.html
Jacobus Turck of New York City is credited with inventing the first fire cap around 1740. It was round with a high crown and narrow rim and was made of leather. Improvements on his design were made by Mathew DuBois, who sewed iron wire in to the edge of the brim to give the helmet shape and strength, and provide resistance to heat, moisture, and warping. The leather helmet as it is known today came from a very modest and non-fire related beginning. Although the year the traditional fire helmet was invented is mired in speculation and debate, it is generally agreed upon as sometime between 1821 and 1836. The gentleman credited with its founding was named Henry T. Gratacap. Gratacap was a volunteer fireman in New York City, but made his living as a luggage maker. He had made quite a name for himself because of his innovative luggage specifically designed for ocean transit. It was made of leather that was specially treated, which offered unparalleled durability and withstood wetness without rotting. These qualities were very desirable in a fire helmet as well and Gratacap designed the first “eight comb” (a design composed of eight segments) fire helmet. It was named the “New Yorker” and originally adopted by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in the late 1800s.
The New Yorker helmet has remained virtually unchanged through approximately 168 years of faithful and steadfast service. The New Yorker helmet retains the same look and quality that generations after generations of firefighters have relied upon. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown. The long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear, is to keep water from running down firemen's necks. Originally, these helmets were sometimes worn backwards so the beavertail would protect its wearer from the intense heat of firefighting. Additionally, some tillermen (a name for the driver of the rear section of a tractor drawn aerial truck) would also wear them backwards to protect their faces from rain and snow.
During this time, two brothers named Cairns were operating a metal badge button and insignia business in New York City. The Cairns Brothers are credited with the idea of mounting an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets; today these are known as front pieces.
The two companies operated cooperatively until Gratacap’s retirement sometime in the 1850s, when the Cairns & Brother legacy was born; Cairns & Brother has pioneered firefighter helmet technology ever since. Cairns & Brother's commitment to protecting lives is evident in their "systems," where engineered components synergistically work together for unparalleled protection in harsh environments. The original OSHA compliant leather helmet, it is individually hand shaped, hand trimmed, and hand stitched to meet the strenuous demands of today’s most dangerous profession – firefighting.
The Leatherhead is a term used for a firefighter who uses the leather helmet for protection from the hazards we face everyday on the streets. The Leather Helmet is an international sign of a Firefighter, a symbol that is significant in not only tradition from the early years of firefighting, but one of bravery, integrity, honor and pride. This helmet is a sign of who we are, not what we are.
Although not a required component of the helmet, those of us who truly live the tradition wear a brass eagle adornment that graces the top of the helmet and secures its front piece. In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning our helmet meant something special, maybe the spirit of American enterprise, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and on his helmet, an eagle. Firefighters were not wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor's part. But as soon as the firemen saw it, they thought it was a splendid idea and it was widely adopted. It has remained on firemen's helmets ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but we who live the tradition always refuse.
Jacobus Turck of New York City is credited with inventing the first fire cap around 1740. It was round with a high crown and narrow rim and was made of leather. Improvements on his design were made by Mathew DuBois, who sewed iron wire in to the edge of the brim to give the helmet shape and strength, and provide resistance to heat, moisture, and warping. The leather helmet as it is known today came from a very modest and non-fire related beginning. Although the year the traditional fire helmet was invented is mired in speculation and debate, it is generally agreed upon as sometime between 1821 and 1836. The gentleman credited with its founding was named Henry T. Gratacap. Gratacap was a volunteer fireman in New York City, but made his living as a luggage maker. He had made quite a name for himself because of his innovative luggage specifically designed for ocean transit. It was made of leather that was specially treated, which offered unparalleled durability and withstood wetness without rotting. These qualities were very desirable in a fire helmet as well and Gratacap designed the first “eight comb” (a design composed of eight segments) fire helmet. It was named the “New Yorker” and originally adopted by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in the late 1800s.
The New Yorker helmet has remained virtually unchanged through approximately 168 years of faithful and steadfast service. The New Yorker helmet retains the same look and quality that generations after generations of firefighters have relied upon. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown. The long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear, is to keep water from running down firemen's necks. Originally, these helmets were sometimes worn backwards so the beavertail would protect its wearer from the intense heat of firefighting. Additionally, some tillermen (a name for the driver of the rear section of a tractor drawn aerial truck) would also wear them backwards to protect their faces from rain and snow.
During this time, two brothers named Cairns were operating a metal badge button and insignia business in New York City. The Cairns Brothers are credited with the idea of mounting an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets; today these are known as front pieces.
The two companies operated cooperatively until Gratacap’s retirement sometime in the 1850s, when the Cairns & Brother legacy was born; Cairns & Brother has pioneered firefighter helmet technology ever since. Cairns & Brother's commitment to protecting lives is evident in their "systems," where engineered components synergistically work together for unparalleled protection in harsh environments. The original OSHA compliant leather helmet, it is individually hand shaped, hand trimmed, and hand stitched to meet the strenuous demands of today’s most dangerous profession – firefighting.
The Leatherhead is a term used for a firefighter who uses the leather helmet for protection from the hazards we face everyday on the streets. The Leather Helmet is an international sign of a Firefighter, a symbol that is significant in not only tradition from the early years of firefighting, but one of bravery, integrity, honor and pride. This helmet is a sign of who we are, not what we are.
Although not a required component of the helmet, those of us who truly live the tradition wear a brass eagle adornment that graces the top of the helmet and secures its front piece. In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning our helmet meant something special, maybe the spirit of American enterprise, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and on his helmet, an eagle. Firefighters were not wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor's part. But as soon as the firemen saw it, they thought it was a splendid idea and it was widely adopted. It has remained on firemen's helmets ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but we who live the tradition always refuse.
Leatherhead Name
Leatherheadtools.com
The Evolution of the Leatherhead Name: The Leather Helmet Story
No one knows exactly when the term Leatherhead began being applied to firefighters, but we do know why. It was born as a reference to the leather helmet worn by these heroes for protection from the hazards they faced everyday on the streets.
Over the years, the Leather Helmet has become the international sign of a firefighter, a symbol which has expanded in meaning from a traditional occupational icon to include abstract qualities such as courage, integrity, honor and pride.
Jacobus Turck of New York City is credited with inventing the first fire cap around 1740. It was round with a high crown and narrow rim and was made of leather. A man named Mathew DuBois improved the design by sewing iron wire into the edge of the brim to give the helmet shape and strength, and provide resistance to heat, moisture, and warping.
The more familiar “modern” helmet was developed between 1821 and 1836, by a gentleman named Henry T. Gratacap, a luggage maker by trade, and a volunteer firefighter by choice. He brought his professional skills to his volunteer duty, creating a helmet made of leather that was specially treated to provide unequalled durability and withstand wetness without rotting – many of the same qualities he’d built into his successful luggage designed for ocean travel.
Moreover, Gratacap designed the first “eight comb” (a design composed of eight segments) fire helmet. It was named the “New Yorker” and officially adopted by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in the late 1800s. Made of Western cowhide a quarter-inch thick, the peaked shape was reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown.
The Gratacap design also introduced the long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear. While the original purpose was to keep water from running down the firefighter’s neck, these helmets were sometimes worn backwards so the beavertail would protect its wearer from the searing heat encountered while fighting fire. Some early Tillermen would also wear them backwards to protect their faces from rain and snow, since they were exposed to the elements in their seat at the back of the aerial ladder trucks.
Later, the Cairns Brothers, who operated a metal badge, button and insignia company in New York City, offered a useful modification - mounting an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets. Sometime around 1825, a more ornamental touch was added, an eagle was mounted atop the crest. The idea for the eagle derived from a cemetery monument for a firefighter that had been created by a sculptor; there was no history or significance to it, but it captured the imagination and fancy of firefighters and so became part of the Leather Helmet story.
Gratacap and the Cairns Brothers worked together until Gratacap’s retirement in 1850, at which time a renamed Cairns & Brother took over the legacy and continued to lead the development of firefighter helmet technology.
Gratacap and the Cairns Brothers worked together until Gratacap’s retirement in 1850, at which time a renamed Cairns & Brother took over the legacy and continued to lead the development of firefighter helmet technology.
The original – and OSHA compliant -- leather helmet is individually hand shaped, hand trimmed, and hand stitched to meet the strenuous demands of one of civilization’s most dangerous professions – firefighting. Cairns & Brother never forgot their commitment to the brave individuals who wore their helmets – to provide unparalleled protection in harsh environments.
To show our respect for the brave men and women who wear the Leather Helmet, and to remind ourselves of the commitment shown by those who provided it for them, we adopted the name Leatherhead Tools.
About the Helmets
By uniforms.lovetoknow.com
The first fire cap was made of leather. Jacobus Turck created the first one in New York in 1740. The crown was high and the brim was thin. Ever since then, the cap has gone through periodic transitions to make it more effective. According to WaterlooFire.org, changes are as follows:
- Matthew DuBois added wire to the edges of the rim in order to give it shape and strength. The goal was also to protect against heat, moisture, and warping.
- The traditional fire helmet came onto the scene between 1821 and 1836, though experts can't agree on a specific date beyond that range of years. Henry T. Gratacap, a New York City volunteer fireman and luggage designer, is responsible for the helmets' durability and ability to resist rotting thanks to the treatment he had learned to use on leather luggage that was used on the ocean.
- Gratacap also designed the first fire helmet made of eight sections, also known as the "eight comb" or "New Yorker." It came about in the late 19th century.
Since then, the New Yorker has changed very little. It's made from stout tanned Western cowhide and reinforced with additional leather strips. There's a bill that angles down from the back of the helmet to keep the water off of the firefighter's necks. In the past, they have been worn backwards in order to protect the firefighter's faces from heat, snow, wind, and more.
The New Yorker is not, however, the only leather helmet style available.
The New Yorker
This helmet is OSHA approved. It is typically lighter weight and less expensive than the Houston (also called the Sam Houston). They are roughly the same in price as the Paul Conway model.
The Houston
This helmet is approved by OSHA and the NFPA. It's heavier than the New Yorker, though some firefighters claim that the weight difference isn't noticeable once it's on the head.
The Paul Conway
The Paul Conway (American Heritage) style isn't 100 percent leather, but it comes up time and time again in firefighting forums as a viable option for those who wish to purchase a leather helmet. This style features a patented Center of Gravity adjustment system. In addition, there are three height positions. The outer and inner layers of leather are bonded to a fiberglass composite.
One thing to keep in mind if you're interested in a leather firefighter helmet is that you should expect to pay more for one than you would for other styles. New Yorker and Houston styles can cost up to almost $600.00. Other styles can be purchased for around $200.00
HISTORY OF THE LEATHER HELMET
Waterloofire.org
Jacobus Turck of New York City is credited with inventing the first fire cap around 1740. It was round with a high crown and narrow rim and was made of leather. Improvements on his design were made by Mathew DuBois, who sewed iron wire in to the edge of the brim to give the helmet shape and strength, and provide resistance to heat, moisture, and warping. The leather helmet as it is known today came from a very modest and non-fire related beginning. Although the year the traditional fire helmet was invented is mired in speculation and debate, it is generally agreed upon as sometime between 1821 and 1836. The gentleman credited with its founding was named Henry T. Gratacap. Gratacap was a volunteer fireman in New York City, but made his living as a luggage maker. He had made quite a name for himself because of his innovative luggage specifically designed for ocean transit. It was made of leather that was specially treated, which offered unparalleled durability and withstood wetness without rotting. These qualities were very desirable in a fire helmet as well and Gratacap designed the first “eight comb” (a design composed of eight segments) fire helmet. It was named the “New Yorker” and originally adopted by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in the late 1800s.
The New Yorker helmet has remained virtually unchanged through approximately 168 years of faithful and steadfast service. The New Yorker helmet retains the same look and quality that generations after generations of firefighters have relied upon. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown. The long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear, is to keep water from running down firemen's necks. Originally, these helmets were sometimes worn backwards so the beavertail would protect its wearer from the intense heat of firefighting. Additionally, some tillermen (a name for the driver of the rear section of a tractor drawn aerial truck) would also wear them backwards to protect their faces from rain and snow.
During this time, two brothers named Cairns were operating a metal badge button and insignia business in New York City. The Cairns Brothers are credited with the idea of mounting an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets; today these are known as front pieces.
The two companies operated cooperatively until Gratacap’s retirement sometime in the 1850s, when the Cairns & Brother legacy was born; Cairns & Brother has pioneered firefighter helmet technology ever since. Cairns & Brother's commitment to protecting lives is evident in their "systems," where engineered components synergistically work together for unparalleled protection in harsh environments. The original OSHA compliant leather helmet, it is individually hand shaped, hand trimmed, and hand stitched to meet the strenuous demands of today’s most dangerous profession – firefighting.
The Leatherhead is a term used for a firefighter who uses the leather helmet for protection from the hazards we face everyday on the streets. The Leather Helmet is an international sign of a Firefighter, a symbol that is significant in not only tradition from the early years of firefighting, but one of bravery, integrity, honor and pride. This helmet is a sign of who we are, not what we are.
The leather helmet of choice for Salisbury FOOLS is the Cairns & Brother New Yorker N5A.
Although not a required component of the helmet, those of us who truly live the tradition wear a brass eagle adornment that graces the top of the helmet and secures its front piece. In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning our helmet meant something special, maybe the spirit of American enterprise, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and on his helmet, an eagle. Firefighters were not wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor's part. But as soon as the firemen saw it, they thought it was a splendid idea and it was widely adopted. It has remained on firemen's helmets ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but we who live the tradition always refuse.
Leather Forever
HISTORY OF THE LEATHER HELMET
By Ocean City FOOLS
Jacobus Turck of New York City is credited with inventing the first fire cap around 1740. It was round with a high crown and narrow rim and was made of leather. Improvements on his design were made by Mathew DuBois, who sewed iron wire in to the edge of the brim to give the helmet shape and strength, and provide resistance to heat, moisture, and warping. The leather helmet as it is known today came from a very modest and non-fire related beginning. Although the year the traditional fire helmet was invented is mired in speculation and debate, it is generally agreed upon as sometime between 1821 and 1836. The gentleman credited with its founding was named Henry T. Gratacap. Gratacap was a volunteer fireman in New York City, but made his living as a luggage maker. He had made quite a name for himself because of his innovative luggage specifically designed for ocean transit. It was made of leather that was specially treated, which offered unparalleled durability and withstood wetness without rotting. These qualities were very desirable in a fire helmet as well and Gratacap designed the first “eight comb” (a design composed of eight segments) fire helmet. It was named the “New Yorker” and originally adopted by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) in the late 1800s.
The New Yorker helmet has remained virtually unchanged through approximately 168 years of faithful and steadfast service. The New Yorker helmet retains the same look and quality that generations after generations of firefighters have relied upon. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown. The long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear, is to keep water from running down firemen's necks. Originally, these helmets were sometimes worn backwards so the beavertail would protect its wearer from the intense heat of firefighting. Additionally, some tillermen (a name for the driver of the rear section of a tractor drawn aerial truck) would also wear them backwards to protect their faces from rain and snow.
During this time, two brothers named Cairns were operating a metal badge button and insignia business in New York City. The Cairns Brothers are credited with the idea of mounting an identification badge to the front of Gratacap’s helmets; today these are known as front pieces.
The two companies operated cooperatively until Gratacap’s retirement sometime in the 1850s, when the Cairns & Brother legacy was born; Cairns & Brother has pioneered firefighter helmet technology ever since. Cairns & Brother's commitment to protecting lives is evident in their "systems," where engineered components synergistically work together for unparalleled protection in harsh environments. The original OSHA compliant leather helmet, it is individually hand shaped, hand trimmed, and hand stitched to meet the strenuous demands of today’s most dangerous profession – firefighting.
The Leatherhead is a term used for a firefighter who uses the leather helmet for protection from the hazards we face everyday on the streets. The Leather Helmet is an international sign of a Firefighter, a symbol that is significant in not only tradition from the early years of firefighting, but one of bravery, integrity, honor and pride. This helmet is a sign of who we are, not what we are.
The leather helmet of choice for Ocean City FOOLS is the Cairns & Brother New Yorker N5A.
Although not a required component of the helmet, those of us who truly live the tradition wear a brass eagle adornment that graces the top of the helmet and secures its front piece. In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning our helmet meant something special, maybe the spirit of American enterprise, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and on his helmet, an eagle. Firefighters were not wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor's part. But as soon as the firemen saw it, they thought it was a splendid idea and it was widely adopted. It has remained on firemen's helmets ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but we who live the tradition always refuse.
Leather Forever
History of the Leather Helmet
By capitolareafools.org
The Leatherhead is a term used for a firefighter who uses the leather helmet for protection from the hazards we face everyday on the streets. The Leather Helmet, is an international sign of a Firefighter, a symbol that is significant in not only tradition from the early years of firefighting, but one of bravery, integrity, honor and pride. This helmet is a sign of who we are, not what we are.
Cairns & Brother has pioneered firefighter helmet technology since 1836. Introduced in that year, the New Yorker helmet has remained virtually unchanged through 166 years of faithful and steadfast service. The New Yorker helmet retains the same look and quality that generations after generations of firefighters have relied upon. They are made of stout tanned Western cowhide, a quarter of an inch thick, reinforced with leather strips which rise like Gothic arches inside the crown. The long duckbill, or beavertail, which sticks out at the rear, is to keep water from running down firemen's necks. Cairns & Brother's commitment to protecting lives is evident in their "systems," where engineered components synergistically work together for unparalleled protection in harsh environments. The original OSHA compliant leather helmet, it is individually hand shaped, hand trimmed, and hand stitched to meet the strenuous demands of todays most dangerous profession firefighting.
Although not a required component of the helmet, those of us who truly live the tradition wear a brass eagle adornment that graces the top of the helmet and secures its frontpiece. In our simple, childish way, we always believed that the eagle adorning our helmet meant something special, the spirit of American enterprise maybe, or onward to victory. We were wrong. The eagle, it seems, just happened, and has no particular significance at all. Long, long ago, around 1825 to be exact, an unknown sculptor did a commemorative figure for the grave of a volunteer fireman. You can see it in Trinity Churchyard today; it shows the hero issuing from the flames, his trumpet in one hand, a sleeping babe in the other, and on his helmet, an eagle. Firefighters were not wearing eagles at the time; it was a flight of pure fancy on the sculptor's part. But as soon as the firemen saw it, they thought it was a splendid idea and it was widely adopted. It has remained on firemen's helmets ever since, in spite of the fact that it has proved, frequently and conclusively, to be a dangerous and expensive ornament indeed. It sticks up in the air. It catches its beak in window sashes, on telephone wires. It is always getting dented, bent and knocked off. Every so often, some realist points out how much safer and cheaper it would be to do away with the eagle, but we who live the tradition always refuse.
Historyoffirefighting.com
Most leather fire fighting helmets were adorned with the statue of an eagle which secured a leather front to the fire fighting helmet, the eagle as become very symbolic over the years. History states that the eagle was actually sculpted as a memorial for a fallen fire fighter in the early 1800’s and its presence is still retained today.
Quite often many of the eagles on the leather fire fighting helmet have become dented and damaged and detached due to becoming caught in wires and other various obstacles. Some fire departments have resorted to the use of more modern composite material helmets but there is still a die hard following of the original leather fire fighting helmet and eagle.
Means of Protection
Modern personal protective gear traces its origins back as far as humanity’s will to survive
Volume 24, No. 6
By Ben Mauti and Leslie Mitchell MSA
By Ben Mauti and Leslie Mitchell MSA
Protective helmets have been used for millennia. About 24 BC, Roman emperor Augustus established a municipal fire fighting company that employed a hand-to-hand bucket delivery system. Lacking personal protective gear, early firefighters battled flames from the perimeter. Firefighting protective gear in the United States, worn as far back as the colonial era, was at best rudimentary until about 1730 when the first firefighting “stovepipe” helmet appeared courtesy of NYPD firefighter Jacobus Turck. 1825 produced Italian scientist Giovanni Aldini’s heat protection mask. Goggles were worn to complement London Fire Brigade Superintendent James Braidwood’s 1863 SCBA, an invention comprised of a lined sac, rubber hoses, bellows, and mouthpiece. As primitive as such gear seems today, it’s unlikely that we’d be where we are without building upon its foundation.
Leather, Aluminum, Kevlar, and…FOAM?
Firefighting helmets of the familiar leather variety have been around for about 170 years. Mass production of fire helmets swayed temporarily to aluminum shells until their heat and electrical conduction properties became obvious. Leather returned as the manufacturing mainstay for its water resistance and ability to offset the blow of falling objects.
Leather helmets remained the standard until the 1970s with incorporation of moldable heat- and impact-resistant synthetics and composites such as fiberglass, polyaralyte, and Kevlar. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an international nonprofit group established in 1896 dedicated to developing fire hazard consensus codes and standards, issued the Standard on Structural Fire Fighter’s Helmets in 1979. This standard resulted in design consideration of impact force and acceleration, heat, flame, and electrical current resistance, and other factors.
In Europe, CGF Gallet, a French manufacturer of firefighting and military protective headgear, launched the original F1 Helmet in 1985. This design in its fifth generation is still widely used today by firefighters in 80 countries. Gallet’s F2 Wildlands Helmet became available in 1987 for wild fire and technical rescue applications and is popular in Europe, Asia, and South America.
Henry T. Gratacap began production of leather fire helmets in 1836. In 1869 Cairns & Brother Inc. bought Gratacap’s factory, and by 1955 produced helmets made of leather, aluminum, and plastics. Plastic composites of the day used phenolic impregnated fabric and polyester impregnated fiberglass. The flint flex helmet also appeared during this era, a more fracture-resistant and moldable plastic.
Cairns & Brother was the first manufacturer to incorporate full thermal/impact caps within fire helmet shells. Foam impact caps were initially designed for impact energy absorption but were found to effectively absorb thermal energy as well. Fire helmets with integral impact caps are significantly cooler for users to wear than are those without.
An additional benefit of certain impact cap designs is the ability to disengage from the helmet shell should a firefighter become lodged within a tight space by a helmet brim. The helmet shell is left behind while the user escapes with impact cap intact.
An additional unexpected benefit can be derived from the fire helmet eagle ornament. The brass eagle was created about 1825 and became a fire helmet tradition. Eagles serve both ornamental figures and lettered front identification pieces. Some eagle styles are manufactured as solid pieces, while others crush easily and absorb some impact energy, protecting the user and helping to lessen firefighter head and neck injuries.
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