Fireman - The firebell rings 1922 Doormat

Colorized photo from 1922 Original Title: Fire Layout Location: 775 12th St NW, Washington DC The firebell rings, and everyone wakes up, gets their bunker gear on and races to the pole. Their uniforms are a bit worn out, but everyone is excited... Wheeee we get to ride the fire pole. Note how you slide down, your sleaved elbow grabs the pole and you glide down. No skin touches the pole, partly because it would hurt, partly because it would make it less slippery Modern fire departments no longer use the pole. Its dangerous, many people have gotten hurt because they lost their grip and fell, others hurt ankles and knees, a few lost their lives. The pole was invented back in the 1880's or so, it came from a pole they used to lift hay up into the hay loft for winter. Back then they used horses to pull their equipment. Until one day someone had the bright idea of sliding down it, and in doing so, found he got down really fast. He convinced the chief to have one inside, and they made it from wood about 3" in diameter, smoothed it and coated it with a lot of shellac. As a result many people made fun of their deptartment for having it. That is until they found that company got to the fire much faster than everyone else. Then it became a standard for a good long while.