That date is officially considered the day when the fire service was established at the Tambov Gunpowder Factory, which was located in the Bokinsky dachas’ area.
The first Kotovsk firefighters had four horse-drawn fire trains, a steam engine, six barrels, as well as stables. The train consisted of the so-called fire carts, which were used to bring people, barrels of water, hoses and tools to the fire scene. There were 20 people in one train, which was enough for two rides, that is, for two brigades to manage different fires.
A civilian fire brigade of that time consisted of a fire captain, a deputy fire captain, a fireman with an ax, a senior fireman with an ax, a pipeman and another pipeman who supplied fire extinguishing agents, a can man who carried water cans, and a coachman.
When the Tambov factory was newly built, the fire trains were located in various parts of the town and, most often, in the buildings that were not adapted for this. In one of his reports, the fire captain of the civilian brigade pointed out significant shortcomings in the location of the fire station, which was situated one kilometer from the factory gates. Moreover, on their way from the depot towards the factory, the firefighters had to overcome a heavy sand-clay rise, which greatly affected the readiness of the duty shift. Therefore, in 1932, the fire brigade moved to a new building, built near the entrance to the plant. It was at that same time that fire brigades received their first open cars.
The fire department of the village, and later the town, was the largest in the region. The brigade received numerous awards for the courage of its firefighters. The Kotovsk firefighters displayed special heroism during the Great Patriotic War: many firefighters volunteered for the front, and while the men were at war, they were temporarily replaced by 60 young women, who were on duty at combat posts around the clock.
Nowadays the fire department still functions. It is located in the same building near the factory.
