WW2 Fire Guard Instructors' Badges
In February 1943, the Ministry of Home Security reorganised the Fire Guard as a separate service outside of both the Civil Defence General Services and the local Scheme-Making Authority. It was now directly controlled by the Local Authority which had to implement the new Fire Guard Plan.
The Fire Guard Service was organised using Sectors, with a Sector Captain in charge of each. Each Sector was split into Street Party areas (for residential areas) and Blocks (mainly business premises) managed by a Sector Leader or Block Leader. Every Sector had a marked Sector Point and the Street Parties had Assembly Points and Block Parties had Block Points.
Fire Guards were supplied with various equipment to tackle fires including wheelbarrow pumps and instructed about using NFS equipment such as trailer pumps. Fire Guards dealt with fires in their Sector but called on the assistance of the NFS when a fire was deemed beyond their control.
Special training courses for Fire Guards were created at the Civil Defence School at Falfield, Gloucestershire. Here, after a week's instruction, candidates were issued with a Fire Guard Instructor's Certificate (F.G.I.C.) which allowed them to undertake Fire Guard tactical training at both the Regional and Local Authority Schools and Centres.
Those trained at the local schools received the Local Fire Guard Instructor (L.F.G.I.) Certificate which allowed them to pass on training to the rank and file.
Two diamond-shaped badges were produced from July 1944; the gold-coloured, nationally trained Fire Guard Instructor's Certificate (F.G.I.C.) and the silver-coloured, locally-trained Local Fire Guard Instructor (L.F.G.I.). The badges came with either the half-moon buttonhole fitting or a brooch pin fitting and were made by J.R. Gaunt of London. The badge can sometimes appear in period photographs by members of the Fire Guard that wore the battledress or tunic. The badge could also be worn on civilian clothes.
The Fire Guard Service was organised using Sectors, with a Sector Captain in charge of each. Each Sector was split into Street Party areas (for residential areas) and Blocks (mainly business premises) managed by a Sector Leader or Block Leader. Every Sector had a marked Sector Point and the Street Parties had Assembly Points and Block Parties had Block Points.
Fire Guards were supplied with various equipment to tackle fires including wheelbarrow pumps and instructed about using NFS equipment such as trailer pumps. Fire Guards dealt with fires in their Sector but called on the assistance of the NFS when a fire was deemed beyond their control.
Special training courses for Fire Guards were created at the Civil Defence School at Falfield, Gloucestershire. Here, after a week's instruction, candidates were issued with a Fire Guard Instructor's Certificate (F.G.I.C.) which allowed them to undertake Fire Guard tactical training at both the Regional and Local Authority Schools and Centres.
Those trained at the local schools received the Local Fire Guard Instructor (L.F.G.I.) Certificate which allowed them to pass on training to the rank and file.
Two diamond-shaped badges were produced from July 1944; the gold-coloured, nationally trained Fire Guard Instructor's Certificate (F.G.I.C.) and the silver-coloured, locally-trained Local Fire Guard Instructor (L.F.G.I.). The badges came with either the half-moon buttonhole fitting or a brooch pin fitting and were made by J.R. Gaunt of London. The badge can sometimes appear in period photographs by members of the Fire Guard that wore the battledress or tunic. The badge could also be worn on civilian clothes.
Fire Guard Instructor's Certificate (F.G.I.C.) badge
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Local Fire Guard Instructor (L.F.G.I.) badge
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