Warsaw Fire Guard

In 1864 the Guards received the first steam engine-operated mobile pump, manufactured by a London-based F. Shand, Mason and Co. firm.

In 1887 the Guards form a Fire Brigade Band; with time it became one of the notable parts of the folklore of the firefighting units in Poland.

After the end of World War I, Poland regained her independence and the pre-war commander of I and IV departments, Capt.

Józef Hłasko, returned to Warsaw from Moscow (where he served as the commander of that city's firefighters) and became the successor of Tuliszkowski.

The private ownership (most of the shares were held by the city of Warsaw) allowed for fast modernization of the Guards.

After the start of the German occupation of Poland, the Warsaw Fire Guard was officially nationalized by the Nazis.

However, the unit remained largely independent and in December 1939 most of the firefighters joined a newly formed Skała resistance organization, with time incorporated into the Armia Krajowa.

Most of the firefighters took part in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, where their experience and commitment proved vital in stiffening the resistance of the besieged city under constant bombardment.

On an interesting note, one of the self-propelled pumps of the Warsaw Fire Guard was used as a flamethrower during the heavy fights for the PAST building.

After the war the Allied-backed communist authorities of Poland did not re-create the Guards and instead formed a local branch of the state-owned firefighters unit.