Page 27 - October 2022

COMPANY HISTORY
the cross. In two quadrants, blue wavy lines represent the River Thames. Over the wavy lines are set firemen’s helmets bearing the City crest. Above the shield is an heraldic helmet with a crown on which stands a golden salamander with flames issuing from its mouth - the salamander is said to be able to survive fire. Attached to the helmet are flourishes, being ribbons or ‘colours”. Supporting the shield are a Sea-Lion and a Dragon, the former being a symbol of courage and of water (the sea- lion is holding fireman’s axe) and the latter depicting the menace of fire and is holding a “squirt” one of the earliest pieces of equipment for fighting fires by projecting water. The latin motto is “Fighting Fire, Our Trust in God”.
The Company was granted its Royal Charter from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 11th December 2013. The charter was presented by The Lord Mayor, Alderman Alan Yarrow on 27th February 2015 at the Insurance Hall, our first home.
Our patron saint is St. Florian. Florian was a Roman soldier, born about 250AD and, although a great soldier, it came to the attention of Emperor Diocletian that he refused to persecute Christians. Consequently, he was sentenced to death by fire. However, as he stood by the funeral pyre, he challenged those about to put him on it, “that he would climb to heaven on the flames”. Apprehensive of his words, they drowned him instead. His martyrdom was rewarded 600 years later by sainthood.
The Charitable Trust, operating as a separate entity from the Company, is a registered charity with a
separate Board of Trustees. The Trust administers and distributes funds to causes associated with the fire community such as supporting fire cadets, camps and restorative
treatments for victims of burns, the Massey Shaw and Marine vessels preservation society, the Firefighters Memorial Trust and the Firefighters Charity.
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