author
James Braidwood
1800–1861
A pioneering firefighter and practical reformer, he helped shape the modern municipal fire service in both Edinburgh and London. His writing brings together firsthand experience, engineering know-how, and a clear belief that fire prevention should be organized, disciplined, and public-minded.
1 Audiobook
Fire prevention and fire extinction
by James Braidwood
About the author
Born in Edinburgh in 1800, James Braidwood began in the building trade before turning to firefighting, a shift that made good use of his knowledge of how buildings were designed and how they failed under fire. In 1824 he became the first Master of Engines for Edinburgh's municipal fire service, widely regarded as the world's first city-run fire brigade.
He later moved to London, where he became the first superintendent of the London Fire Engine Establishment. There he helped develop more systematic methods of firefighting and is often credited as one of the key figures in the rise of the modern public fire service.
Braidwood is also remembered as the author of Fire Prevention and Fire Extinction, a practical work drawn from years of experience. He died in 1861 while attending the great Tooley Street fire in London, and his reputation has endured as that of a brave and influential pioneer in fire safety.