Welcome to the Museum

The museum opens with a large, appealing exhibition of 80 Firefighter and Italian Red Cross uniforms, that date back to the first half of the 19th century until the end of the 20th century.

Along the route, you can admire all kinds of items, medals, publications, equipment and vehicles, many of which are unique worldwide, that belonged to the firefighters and the Italian Red Cross in various moments of history. All this within a spectacular arrangement that surrounds you, captures you and immerses you in the history of these glorious Corps that have saved countless lives over the years.

The museum has four different pavilions, each dedicated to a piece of history of Firefighters and the Italian Red Cross. Each pavilion has been meticulously designed by Michele Guerra and expertly reconstructed by the Siponto craftsman - the shipwright Antonio Berardinetti.

The atmosphere that has been recreated for each area is truly magical, that leave everyone enthralled! Let’s try and discover together a bit of this magic...

Discovering the museum

  • St Lawrence the Martyr

    The first area is dedicated to St Lawrence the Martyr, the first holy protector of firefighters. Here you can literally immerse yourself in the history of firefighters. There is a varied, extraordinary collection of notifications, regulations, books, prints, catalogues, engravings, photos, postcards, illustrations, diplomas etc that have permitted a reconstruction of the history of the Fire Brigade in the greatest detail.

  • St Anthony the Greatv

    The second pavilion is dedicated to St Anthony the Great, protector of anyone working with fire, and therefore also of firefighters. A stretcher trolley and stretchers of various eras, a horse-drawn ambulance, an emergency aid bicycle, and uniforms: these are just some of the extraordinary, precious items that have formed the history of the Italian Red Cross and that are on show in this pavilion.

  • St Barbara

    The third pavilion is dedicated to St Barbara, current protector of firefighters. Here you will find equipment, tools, uniforms and many other items that tell the history of the company firefighters who were the inspiration of the most important firefighting bodies worldwide.

  • St Florian of Lorch

    The last pavilion is dedicated to St Florian of Lorch, particularly venerated in the north-east of Italy and often invoked against floods and fires. This pavilion contains all the air life-saving systems used over the centuries, including rescue nets, circular jump canvas, sheets and tubular rescue canvases, the firefighters’ descent ramp, rope ladders and wooden ladders, etc.

  • The Firefighters’ Alarm

    This is an exhibition of the various alarm systems used over the centuries. From the most basic, such as bells, drums, bugles, cornets, normal and two-tone whistles, up to the most “recent” telephones in wood and metal, that are positioned in the various areas and connected directly to the firefighter bugler storeroom.

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Fighting fire over the centuries

And here is an area that always makes both adults and children dream. It is a fantastic exhibition of manual, horse-drawn, motorised fire-fighting vehicles, with specific equipment: from the famous fire brigade bicycle equipped for primary intervention to portable ladders, horse-drawn and motorised vehicles.

From here, the most important calamities that have characterised our history and that of the fire brigade have been reconstructed in great detail, including the one that occurred during the twenty years of activity of the “IV Centro Petrolchimico” in Manfredonia, in particular the explosion of the ammonia washing column in 1976 and the caprolactam warehouse fire in 1984.

Tragic accidents which,those involved, in spite of the fact more than forty years have passed, still bear the marks. Like Michele Guerra, who at that time was head of the site firefighters and together with his colleagues carried out a heroic feat, placing his own life in danger while working to put out the fire in the caprolactam warehouse

A play-recreational area for children.

At the end of this amazing tour full of history, culture and fascination, children can enjoy themselves and even become “little firefighters”.

The play area for them is not just equipped with games and inflatables, but is also equipped to involve them in tests of skill, tests of putting out fires with water nozzles and extinguishers on fire simulators, evacuation tests in rooms full of smoke, etc.

They can also add to their experience, by viewing two cartoons and with a lesson held by Euroambiente instructors about the importance of fire prevention and fire-fighting.

At this point, the children will be ready to become real heroes and pick up their “Little Firefighter” certificate!

But before going home.... Stop in the Food & Beverage area for a few moments at the Museum entrance, to try a wonderful snack all together and talk about the best moments of the tour in the Historical Museum of Firefighters and of the Italian Red Cross.