A small factoid here. At one time Charleston had private Fire Departments. Several of them in fact.

A fee, like a tax, was paid to your choice of Fire Brigade. In turn a small plaque was provided to hang on your home. If you had a fire, and a plaque, the designated department would come along.

The same thing with insurance. If paid I guess they worked a little harder ?

What happens if you have neither ?

What good did all this do during the big fire of 1861, or the earthquake of 1886 ?

Another case of you never know what you might see out there… or the rabbit hole it can take you down.