Napoleon - Fire Brigades Reform

Sometimes it takes tragic events to bring something good. In July 1810, a great fire broke out during a celebration after the second marriage of Napoleon with Marie-Louise of Austria. The fire caused several casualties so Napoleon decided to reform the way fire brigades operated.

Up to that point, they were composed of volunteers and they lacked proper equipment. Napoleon's first decree made them a professional team and provided them with what they needed to do their job. There would be four brigades located east, west, north and south of Paris so they could respond to each area as fast as possible.

A year later on 18 September 1811, the Emperor decided to go further by training former soldiers as firemen and place fire-brigades under the command of the governor of Paris. In other words, soldiers' discipline + state governance would result in greater efficiency.

During the rest of his reign, no other fire caused that much damage. As with his other reforms: pragmatism, common sense, efficiency. Simply genius!