One can easily find a hundred web sites that will tell you that the symbol of the fire service comes from the “Knights of Malta” and their battles with Ottoman pirates or the Saracens. The story is that these knights had a cross on their tunics and that the Saracens used fire as a weapon against them.
Where did the firefighter symbol come from?
Maltese Cross History. The Maltese cross is known around the world as a symbol of the fire service. It is often seen painted on fire trucks, on the clothing of firefighters, depicted on firefighters badges, and is quite often the chosen design of firefighter tattoos.
Why is the Maltese cross the symbol of the fire service?
The Maltese Cross is the symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life, just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago.
What is the fire department logo called?
The Fire Department logo is called the Maltese cross. It appears both on the clothes of fire fighters and on the apparatus they use. In some countries (for instance, Great Britain and Canada), a version with eight points is used.
How did the Maltese cross come to be?
The Maltese cross has origins dating back to the Crusades and the Knights Hospitaller. These knights bore the cross, a religious symbol, on their uniforms. During the Crusades, the Knights battled the Saracens, who used fire bombs made from naphtha. … Hence, the first “fire fighters.”
What does the firefighter symbol mean?
The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his/her life for you, just as Crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so may years ago.
Is the Maltese Cross Catholic?
One of the clearest and most lasting legacies of the Knights of Malta however, branded across nearly every souvenir in the country, is the Maltese cross. … As the cross was a Catholic symbol adopted and worn by the Knights, many similar crosses can actually be found on flags, coats of arms, and other logos.
Who is the firefighter saint?
May 4th marks St Florian’s Day, also known as International Firefighters Day. St Florian is the patron saint of firefighters. Florian (250-304AD) was a high ranking Roman Army officer in the Roman province of Noricum.
What do the 8 points of the firefighter Maltese cross represent?
John in 1126, stylistically owes its origins to the crosses used in the crusades, when it was identified as the symbol of the “Christian warrior”: Its eight points denote the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights, namely “to live in truth, have faith, repent one’s sins, give proof of humility, love justice, …
Can anyone wear the Maltese Cross?
When it comes to the Maltese Cross badge there is a definite meaning that anyone that has ever worn a fire department badge or firefighter insignia should know. It dates back hundreds of years and is a symbol that represents a person who is willing to defend others and their community, no matter the cost.
What does the image of the bugle on a fire Chiefs helmet symbolize?
The “Bugle” or Speaking Trumpet is a traditional symbol of rank in the fire service.
What color are the badges worn by firefighters?
The color red is often prevalent within the scramble or Maltese Cross. There are two origins for this bold color’s presence on the firefighter badge. First, the red is most commonly associated with the flames of a fire. Second, fire trucks and engines have a history of being red due to visibility purposes.
What does a Maltese cross flower look like?
Plants form an upright clump of bright green leaves, with taller stems in summer that bear large clusters of scarlet-orange flowers. Excellent for cutting. In rich soils this may need to be staked to prevent flopping. Reliable and long lived.
What does the Maltese cross mean on an approach plate?
The Maltese cross is the FAF for the localizer portion of the approach, but not for the ILS approach. … In ICAO terms, the precision final approach fix would be called the final approach point. The difference is that a fix is a location over the ground where- as a point is a point in space.
What does a Maltese Cross look like?
The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four “V” or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which developed from earlier forms of eight-pointed crosses in the 16th century.