Voluntary fire prevention

We bring forward you brief survey about establishment and development of VDPO voluntary fire prevention

So the XIX century middle is one of the most interesting stages of fire affair establishment in Russia and state fire prevention consolidation. The professional fire prevention organization structure was formed with approval of “Normal table of fire station structure in towns” in 1853. Its staff had been determined depending on population size in a settlement.

But professional firemen could not manage with fire solo, so, new organization forms of struggle with fire were necessary, including population involvement to fight with fires.

Therefore civilian and public fire brigades or voluntary fire brigades were founded under town self-governments.

In 1843 the first public fire brigade was established in Ostashkov town (Tverskaya province) at the initiative of town society. Such brigades members were labors, peasants, house owners, artisans, who were interested in their property keeping. To 1891 in Russia the number of fire societies, brigades were more than 3000, which members were about 84,000 people. Imperial Russian Fire Organization (IRPO) contributed a lot for establishment and development voluntary fire activity, especially for centralized governance. On the 15th of June, 1892, the congress of fire prevention Russian delegates unanimously recognized important to found Fire organization, having approved Organization Charter project – this day should be considered Russian fire organization birthday.

In 1893 United Russian fire organization was created, Organization Council was formed and began to work; the count Sheremetev A. D. became its chairman. In 1898 Russian fire organization became Imperial one, and Grand duke Vladimir Alekseevich became its honorable chairman. After his death (1909), his spouse Grand duchess Maria Pavlovna became a chairman, she participated in Organization work actively. The second Organization chairman was count Lvov A. D.

In 1919 IRPO was liquidated because Central council leaders were disloyal to Soviet power, but structure units, voluntary fire formations and brigades remained almost in all provinces and volosts and existed in Soviet power period.

Nowadays VDPO is successor of Russian fire volunteers’ traditions and activity, which were founded by Imperial Russian fire organization.

In Soviet period on 14th of July, 1960 RSFSR Ministers Council adopted a resolution about VDPO organization, and in November (the same year) Constitutive conference of All-Russian voluntary fire organization took place, which approved organization Charter. Let’s look our time, what Voluntary Fire Prevention (DPO) is today.

Our Organization still is a main organizer of public and voluntary fire-prevention and search-and-rescue units in rural settlements, towns and objects on the RF territory, and in regional units it is used legislative and other opportunities and resources of the RF subjects authorities and local government for DPO units foundation.

On 15th of May, 2008, at the XI VDPO congress to VDPO voluntary solved social tasks in fire prevention sphere, the following was added “… consolidation and citizens (volunteers) involvement for participation in fire prevention primary measures realization… including as a members of founded by Organization voluntary and other kind of fire prevention…”

So, under the aegis of Organization over 250 fire-prevention units of general numbers 1500 persons using more than 200 special equipment units were established.

The foundation practice of preventive groups on fire-preventive service of enterprises and organization became common.

VDPO fire prevention units make about 1000 departures for ignitions and fires extinguishing annually.

Chuvash republican, Orenburg, Chelyabinsk, Belgorod, Murmansk, Ivanovo VDPO regional departments continue to found voluntary fire prevention units in municipal formations.

The establishment practice of preventive groups on fire-preventive service of enterprises and organization bears fruit. The similar work is fulfilled with positive evolution in Samara, Altai and Murmansk region, Khakassia republic. It is paid attention to social protection objects in Kursk region.

We suppose, that the statistic has not to be considered as some result, but it should be examined as rightness and currency confirmation of this socially meaningful and socially useful activity direction development, carried out by Organization, our departments’ officials understating of necessity to pay a lot of attention to this direction.

Equally with scheduled work, “All-Russian voluntary fire organization” firemen successfully and selflessly fulfill assigned tasks on settlement fire protection and different emergency situations liquidation. See in detail at category “Fire- rescue chronicle”.

Making a conclusion it is necessary to say that All-Russian voluntary fire organization, having and realizing at the practice over a period of its existing history as Charter ones, noble aims on fire fight, makes and will make a contribution to our country fire prevention guaranteeing.