When a courageous band of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John,
fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land, they encountered a
new weapon unknown to European warriors. It was a simple, but a
horrible device of war, it wrought excruciating pain and agonizing death
upon the brave fighters for the cross. The Saracen's weapon was, fire.
As the crusaders advanced on the walls of the city, they were struck by
glass bombs containing naphtha. When they became saturated with the
highly flammable liquid, the Saracens hurled a flaming torch into their
midst. Hundreds of the knights were burned alive; others risked their
lives to save their brothers-in-arms from dying painful, fiery deaths.
Thus, these men became our first firefighter and the first of a long list of
courageous firefighters. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow
crusaders who awarded each here a badge of honor - a cross similar to
the one firefighter's wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived for
close to four centuries on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named
Malta, the cross came to be known as the Maltese Cross.
The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears this
cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their
fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a firefighter's badge of honor, signifying
that he works in courage - a ladder rung away from death