The firefighters as citizens within civil society between 1866 and 1881: the case of National Fire Company Lima N°4

Abstract

This article tries to approach the citizen role of the volunteer firefighter within civil society in its origins in Lima in the mid-nineteenth century and its link with other institutions of the time through the characters that made up the first fire company organized by Peruvians: the National Fire Company Lima 4. In the context of the upcoming arrival of the Mendez Núñez army on the Lima coast, both immigrant and national citizens organized to contain the possible fires resulting from the attack. That was its end at first and then these firefighters companies changed and added members among citizens who belonged to various government institutions, merchants, etc., since being a firefighter was a voluntary service from the beginning. Based on the concept of citizenship, we will analyze the participation of the volunteer firefighter from its beginnings as an organization shortly before the Dos de Mayo Sea Combat until its participation in the Pacific War.