A lot of water has been directed onto fires in New London since early Colonial times when members of local fire brigades would grab their hand-sewn leather buckets and rush toward the flames.

Over time those buckets gave way to hand pumpers, spindly carriages pulled by strong men whose burden, ultimately, would be assumed by horses who, themselves, would eventually surrender to steam-powered vehicles. The march into modern times would result in what we see today: large, powerful, and, yes, colorful, apparatus that can reach fires at speeds undreamed of by the early settlers running on foot with their buckets.

But the story of firefighting in New London and elsewhere is more than one involving increasingly sophisticated machines and more powerful methods of getting water onto fires. It is a story, at times colorful and occasionally outrageous, of communities that organized to protect themselves from an ever-present danger, and in the process help build socially useful institutions that would bring them together.

Large firemen’s parades were sources of immense pride, as were their dances and concerts. In addition, it was pointed out in histories of the time that the volunteer fire companies provided the only place outside saloons where young men could socialize.

In times of war, the volunteer firefighters would sometimes go as a group from fighting fires to fighting the enemy.

Today, it’s all business. Fire protection is the responsibility of a city department operating out of three strategically placed stations. It is a professionally led force with an authorized strength of 69 and an annual budget of $9 million. The rolling stock numbers three engines, a ladder truck and three ambulances.

The author Robert Owen Decker devotes several pages to local fire protection in his book, “The Whaling City: a History of New London.” He cites the primitive methods and some of what we would consider the colorful behavior of those who fought the fires.

In the early days, he said, there was a fair amount of rivalry among the competing fire companies that would occasionally be demonstrated in the street outside fires when the men wouldn’t be fighting the flames because they were busy fighting among themselves for the right to do so.

In the coming months, The New London Times hopes to show some of that history in a series of historic photos, thanks to Chief Henry Kydd, who has shared photos from the department’s archives. We would like to hear from you with any memories of firefighting in New London or further background about the photos. You may email us at recordedhistory@theday.com.