Today, on May 4, many countries around the world congratulate people who risk their lives to eliminate fires in various buildings and open areas on their professional holiday, UNN reports.
International Firefighters' Day has been officially celebrated since 1999.
It is believed that Emperor Augustus created the first specialized firefighting units in ancient Rome. To pay for the work of firefighters, a special tax was introduced - 4% of each sale of slaves. Fires were extinguished with water from nearby fountains, using buckets, pumps, hooks, ladders, and ropes.
For a long time, European countries did not have a centralized fire protection system. The perception of the consequences of fires changed somewhat after the large-scale tragedy in London in 1666. The city burned for three days, leaving about 70 thousand Londoners homeless. After that, insurance companies created private fire brigades to protect their clients' property. They extinguished only those buildings that had a special insurance label.
In the early twentieth century, fire trucks replaced horse-drawn brigades, equipment became more standardized, and firefighting became a separate profession.
Since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukrainian firefighters have been responding to the sites of Russian missiles hitting residential buildings, schools, and hospitals every day. Risking their lives, they pull people out of the fire and from the rubble. They often become victims of repeated vicious shelling by the Russian Federation.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 90 Ukrainian rescuers have been killed and nearly 350 injured while performing their professional duties.
People of short stature celebrate their holiday today. The event is also called the Day of the Small and Proud.
According to the organizers, it is a special day dedicated to honoring people with short stature and highlighting the unique strengths and perspectives they bring to our diverse society. This day gives little people a chance to feel proud.
The Fourth of May is a great opportunity for people whose feelings have become cool to think about how to give them a new impetus.
Relationship Recovery Day is an opportunity to recognize the difficulties that may arise in a relationship and to take responsibility and work together to overcome them. It encourages couples to take time to be together and remind each other of the importance of their relationship, to talk about their feelings. A romantic date, a sincere conversation, or a small gesture of appreciation, compliment or help is something that will remind the couple of their feelings.
Today is also a holiday for all fans of the cult space saga Star Wars.
The date of the celebration was not chosen by chance - it is believed to be associated with an interesting pun that comes from the famous quote from the movie "May the Force be with you," which fans of the movie interpreted in their own way: "May the fourth be with you".
According to the church calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of the Holy Martyr Pelagia.
According to legend, from a young age she decided to devote her life to serving the Lord, was secretly baptized, and refused to marry a pagan.
For this, she was captured, tortured for a long time, and executed.
Pelageya, Maria, Ivan, and Cyril celebrate their name days on May 4.