Preserving Fire Service History

Hear the importance of preserving fire service history and how a Retired Deputy Fire Marshal in Oregon is on a mission to do just in the latest episode of WFCA’s Fire Headlines Podcast.

A firefighter’s patch often tells the story of not only the fire department it originates from but also the community it serves. When fire departments merge it is important to make sure the history of each department is not lost. Guest Bob Brooks joins this week’s episode to share how he is preserving the American Fire Service with firefighter patches. Guest Dr. Andrew Holter is also joining Chiefs Bob Horton and Jeff Buchanan to discuss the importance of preserving fire service artifacts and the stories they tell.

World’s Largest Firefighter Patch Collection

An announcement from the Daily Dispatch shares the story of Bob Brooks, a retired Deputy Fire Marshal from the Albany Fire Department in Oregon, on his way to breaking the world record for the largest collection of firefighter patches. The first patch he received, outside of his own department, was from the Klamath Falls Fire Department in 1985. One patch became two, then three, and then grew exponentially when he started reaching out to fire departments across the United States for their patches.

In 2011, Bob broke the world record for the largest firefighter patches with 8,158 patches. The previous record was set by Juan Carlos Sanchez Cachero in 1992, a firefighter from Spain with 4,513 patches. On August 4, 2023, Bob and his collection of now over 14,000 patches will be at the Linn County Fair and Expo in Oregon to break the world record yet again! Bob’s goal with this collection is to have a patch from every fire department in the United States and place them into the Oregon Fire Service Museum.

However, Bob is not collecting every patch a fire department has had throughout its years of existence, instead he wants one patch per department that represents the community the most. “It started with one and now it’s over 14,000, but for me, it’s about representing the entire fire service in the United States,” Bob says. To organize this collection, he uses an Excel spreadsheet and uploads the patches on his website to easily search for patches by state and city.

Fire Service History and Inclusivity

Tradition is a huge portion of preserving the American Fire Service. Fire patches, especially ones from fire departments that have merged with surrounding larger departments, hold a historical pride within organizations that contribute to their culture. Dr. Holter expands on possible negative symbolism in the fire service saying “I think we do have to be, if nothing else, very careful about how we approach [symbolism] and when there are opportunities to change it, that we’re as inclusive as we can be. That should go within the fire department, it should stretch out to the community, and it should also leave room for people who aren’t there yet.” With the fire service being predominantly white and male, expanding group discussion to unheard voices can help the fire service be more inclusive with its symbolism and drive the fire service forward.

Listeners can contact our guests at:

Bob Brooks: [email protected] or visit his website www.patchgallery.com/bobbrooksfirepatches.

Dr. Andrew Holter: www.FR-Strategies.com

You can email Fire Headlines at [email protected].

Sign up for the Daily Dispatch to get the FREE daily newsletter of articles like these in your area, as well as industry developments and trends, at www.dailydispatch.com.

Sources

1. World Record Academy, “Largest Collection of Fire Patches: Bob Brooks Sets World Record.” Accessed August 1, 2023.
2. Patch Gallery, “Patch Gallery By: Bob Brooks.” Accessed August 1, 2023.
3. Daily Dispatch, “Retired Fire Marshal To Set Guinness World Record With Largest Patch Collection.” Accessed August 1, 2023.