The badge of the fireman is the Maltese Cross. This Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old.

The symbol of the fire service are many. There is the ladder and the axe, the nozzle and the helmet, the Dalmatian and speaking trumpet. but the oldest is the Maltese Cross, almost always found on badges, caps, patches, etc. Its history is over 700 years old.

The story begin during the Crusades when a courageous band of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John, fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land. The usual plans called for siege warfare and as the Knights advanced on the wall city, they encountered a new weapon unknown to European warriors. It was a simple, but a horrible device of war; it wrought excruciating pain and agonizing death upon the brave fighters  for the cross. The Saracen's weapon was fire.

 As the crusaders advanced on the wall of the city, glass bomb containing naphtha struck them. When they became saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Saracens hurled flaming touches into their midst. Hundreds of knights were burned alive; others risked their own life to save their brothers-in-arms from dying painful, fiery deaths.

Thus , these men became our first firemen and the first of a long list of courageous firefighters. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow crusaders who awarded each there a badge of honor - a cross similar to the one firemen wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived for close to four centuries on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross came to be known as the Malta Cross.

The Malta Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the firemen who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago. The Malta Cross is a fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a ladder rung away from death.       -Anonymous    

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JANUARY 30th, 2005

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