Fire safety and fire management were thoughts that too often escaped the minds of city planners and developers in the past. The art of building a fire was first harnessed by species that predated man on the evolutionary time line. The art of building a fire dates back to at least 25,000 years ago. The Neanderthal was able to manufacture fire. Early humans placed fire at the center of their cultures. It was worshiped as a gift from the gods and with good reason. It could clear brush, cook, provide warmth and defense against wild animals or other humans.

Due to the importance of fire in the development of human civilization it is easy to understand why people were more concerned with creating fire than restricting it. But as human civilization evolved so did the importance of fire safety. In the United States, organized attempts to control fire predate the founding of the nation. A 1654 law in New Amsterdam, the city that would become New York, ordered that buildings would no longer be allowed to construct wooden chimneys, which had the unfortunate habit of joining in with the flames. Boston officials dictated their own ordinance in 1654, as each homeowner was required to own a ladder long enough to reach the ridge of the roof and a pole that was about 12 feet long.

Despite these early attempts at regulating fire, the ordinances could not keep up with the rapid expansion of the United States. As pioneers headed west, fires were used to burn down forests and clear the paths for new cities and towns. American cities burned often in the 17th and 18th centuries. There was a shocking lack of building codes during this era in American history. And the American attitude of pushing forward at a rapid pace came at the cost of safety.

A survey conducted in 1855 found that for every 323 buildings in London there was one fire. In New York, the ratio of fires more than doubled so that there was a fire for every 146 buildings. Fire safety was a work in progress.