The symbol of a fire department and the badge
of a fireman is, the Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection
and is worn as a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old.
When a courageous band of crusaders known as
the Knights of St. John, fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land,
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 walls of the
city, they were struck by glass bombs containing naphtha. When they became
saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Saracens hurled a flaming torch
into their midst. Hundreds of the knights were burned alive; others risked their
lives 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 here 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 Maltese Cross.
The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the fireman 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 Maltese Cross is a fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage - a ladder rung away from death.