The Blue Cross is an all-Russian fire-fighting mutual aid society that existed in the Russian Empire .
| Blue cross | |
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| Base | |
| Established | |
| Liquidation | |
History
The idea of ββproviding firemen in case of misfortunes with them during the performance of their heavy duty arose first at the fire congresses of 1892 and 1896. The initiative to implement this idea was taken by the council of the Imperial Russian Fire Society , which constituted a special commission to develop a charter of the institution of mutual assistance and to find means and ways to put it into practice [1] .
In 1897, both the charter and the logo of the Blue Cross Society were approved. The first general meeting of members of the company was held on August 29, 1898 [1] .
Structure and Economics
The company issued to its full members:
1) a certain compensation for accidents ;
2) additional remuneration from the so-called collateral capital;
3) non-refundable benefits in case of full or partial disability during the fire service (the right to receive such benefits was also enjoyed by the widows and orphans of those firefighters whose death occurred during their fire service) [1] .
The amount of payments was from 10 to 1000 rubles (in case of death or disability of the firefighter). Also paid for the days of temporary disability, from 10 cents to one ruble per day [2] .
The company rendered assistance to its members in insuring them in joint-stock companies in larger amounts than the security standards established for the Blue Cross company. Compared to the premium rate of insurance joint-stock companies, the Blue Cross premiums were significantly lower, and the benefits acquired by participants in the company were significantly higher than the benefits provided by joint-stock insurance [1] .
The capital of the company was replenished by donations from both firefighters and third parties.
The structure of the society included indispensable, honorable members, donors, actual and competitors. Honorary members, donors and competitors could be both persons of both sexes, and all kinds of institutions, and full members - all kinds of fire brigades, societies and squads [1] .
Management of the company was entrusted to the steering committee, the main management and the general meeting [1] .
As of January 1, 1905, 464 fire brigades, with personnel of 18 thousand 886 people, with a contribution of 24058 rubles, were on the support of the society. During 1904, remuneration was issued for 147 accidents, in the amount of 9 thousand 154 rubles. As of January 1, 1905, the company owned capital in the amount of 57 thousand 266 rubles (a very significant amount at that time) [1] .
After the October Revolution of 1917, it ceased to exist.
Notes
- β 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Blue Cross // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- β 623 24 03 2017 / Alexey MITROFANOV. Blue Cross Society: Social Protection of Russian Fire Fighters (Rus.) (Neopr.) ? . Mercy.ru (March 24, 2017). Date of treatment July 25, 2019.