EVOLUTION OF FIRE PROTECTION IN CHERNIVTSI DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD: INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES, TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE ROLE OF VOLUNTARY SOCIETIES

Abstract

The article examines the development of fire protection in Chernivtsi during the period of Romanian administration (1918–1939) in the context of the transition from the Austrian model of public voluntary societies to a centralized militarized system. The study analyses the organizational, technical, and social changes that occurred within the municipal fire service, including the process of militarization, technical modernization, and the introduction of alarm and signalling systems. Particular attention is paid to the role of voluntary fire societies such as Sich and Arcașul in preserving continuity of earlier traditions. A comparative analysis with the Austrian period demonstrates that the Romanian administration transformed the fire service into an element of state control while preserving certain structural components inherited from the previous system. Based on archival materials, the article reveals the financial, organizational, and personnel aspects of the functioning of the Chernivtsi fire brigade.