Fire guard of Leningrad at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (June-December 1941)

Abstract

The history of organization of Leningrad fire guard during the first year of the Great Patriotic War is described. Already at the beginning of August 1941 regional departments of fire guard as well as facility and district fire brigades were organized. During the siege, the personnel of the fire guard consisted of 11,590 people. In a short time the fire brigades, with an active assistance from the population, fit 228 existing water reservoirs for fighting fires. 272 reservoirs with the total capacity of 120 thousand cubic meters were dug. In addition, 142 water tanks were built, 16 artesian wells were restored. On the banks of the Neva, 65 rivers and canals 156 piers were built. During the preparation of the city to fire defense 50.1 thousand wooden barns and other combustible outbuildings were torn down, over 19 million square meters of attics were covered with superphosphate daubing, more than 100 thousand cubic metres of sand were brought to houses, raised upstairs to attics, more than 100 thousand barrels of water were harvested. In the first months of the war Leningrad was exposed to 10 raids every day, which lasted up to 5-6 hours or even more. During September, October and November 1941, 1739 fires occurred in the city not mentioning small fires. During the siege, 1593 officers of the fire guard died from hunger and wounds.