Client: Ogden City Arts

Location: Ogden, UT, United States

Completion date: 2017

Artwork budget: $50,000

Project Team

Sculptor

Daniel Borup

Daniel Borup Studio

Public Art Agent

Diane Stern

Ogden City Arts Coordinator

Overview

The cross that firefighters wear is called the Maltese Cross, named after the cross the knights wore in Malta in the 1500’s. The Maltese cross has come to symbolize the courage and responsibility fire fighters take upon themselves in their willingness to risk their own lives to help those in need.

Goals

The history of firefighters is very interesting. The cross that firefighters wear on their helmets and uniforms is called the Maltese Cross. Named after the cross the knights of Saint John wore in Malta in the 1500’s. The story goes that as Malta was being attacked the opposing army was using a new revolutionary weapon of war... Fire. They filled glass bottles with naptha and drenched the army and the city with flammable fluid. When everything was sufficiently soaked they threw in their torches and burned many alive. The knights of Saint John took to saving everyone they could often sacrificing themselves in the process. These knights became the first fire fighters and the Maltese cross has come to symbolize the courage and responsibility fire fighters take upon themselves in their willingness to risk their own lives to help those in need. My design shows a knight of Saint John, a fire fighter from the 1800’s and a modern day fire fighter, Each bearing the Maltese Cross.