Editing Benjamin Franklins Philadelphia (section)

== Fire Prevention and Safety ==

Franklin's concern for public safety led to innovations in fire prevention that transformed Philadelphia and influenced cities throughout America. After a series of destructive fires threatened the city, Franklin organized the Union Fire Company in 1736, one of the first volunteer fire companies in America. Members agreed to respond to fires with buckets and other equipment, working together to extinguish blazes that might otherwise destroy entire neighborhoods. The success of the Union Fire Company inspired the formation of additional companies throughout Philadelphia, creating a network of volunteer firefighters that protected the city for over a century.<ref name="bridenbaugh">{{cite book |last=Bridenbaugh |first=Carl |title=Cities in the Wilderness: The First Century of Urban Life in America |year=1938 |publisher=Ronald Press |location=New York}}</ref>

The invention of the lightning rod represented Franklin's application of scientific knowledge to practical fire prevention. Before Franklin's discovery, lightning strikes frequently ignited fires that destroyed buildings and sometimes spread to consume entire districts. The lightning rod, which safely conducted electrical discharges to the ground, provided protection that quickly became standard throughout the colonies and Europe. Franklin refused to patent the invention, believing that knowledge should benefit all humanity. This decision, characteristic of his public spirit, meant that lightning rods spread rapidly, saving countless buildings and lives from electrical fires.<ref name="brands"/>