Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, the Military Firefighters Corps ( pt, Corpo De Bombeiros Militar) are military public security forces, responsible for civil defense, firefighting and search and rescue inside the federative units. Since 1915, it has been a military reserve force and an auxiliary force of the Brazilian Army, also composing the Single System Of Public Security (). Members of the Military Firefighters Corps, such as the members of the Military Polices, are designated as being part of the military of the Federative Units by the Federal Constitution. Each Federative Unit has its own Military Firefighters Corps with different structures, rules and

uniforms A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, ...

History

The first organization of firefighters was created by

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Pedro II in 1856. Initially the Corps was not of a

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

character. It was only in 1880 that the Corps was militarized and it adopted a military hierarchy. Because of cultural and

linguistic Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

affinities to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, the Military Firefighter adopted an organisation similar to that of the

Sapeurs-pompiers The fire service in France is organised into local fire services which mostly cover the Departments of France, with a few exceptions. There are two types of fire service: *The Paris Fire Brigade (Army) and Marseille Naval Fire Battalion (Navy) a ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

; who were classified as military engineers, and organized to serve as pioneers or

sappers A sapper, also called a pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing fie ...

when necessary. With the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889, the States that were financially better off were able to constitute their own Firefighters Corps. On the other hand, the Firefighters Corps of the

Federal Capital A federal capital is a political entity, often a municipality or capital (political), capital city, that serves as the Seat of government, seat of the federal government. A federal capital is typically a city that physically encompasses the offices ...

(

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

, until 1960), was from the start completely autonomous, being created within the structure of the armed forces of the State, the former name of the current

Brazilian military police Military Police ( pt, Polícia Militar, , also known as ''PM'', ) are the preventive state police of the states and of the Federal District of Brazil. The Military Police units are the main ostensive police force at the state level and are respo ...

. In 1915 Federal

legislation Legislation is the process or result of enrolling, enacting, or promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to ...

authorized the incorporation of the militarized forces of the states into the Brazilian Army, in the event of national

mobilization Mobilization is the act of assembling and readying military troops and supplies for war. The word ''mobilization'' was first used in a military context in the 1850s to describe the preparation of the Prussian Army. Mobilization theories and ...

. In 1917 the Brigade of Police and the Firefighters Corps of the Federal Capital were officially considered part of the military reserve; condition that to continuation extended to the States. In this period the Firefighters Corps, as members of the military forces of the States, fought in the main conflicts that resulted in present-day Brazil. EsFO-CFOBM

This situation was altered again after the Revolutions of 1930 and the

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...

; demilitarization of the CBMs was imposed by the Federal Government in 1934 to diminish the power of the military forces of the States, which threatened the balance of power in the country. With the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and the fall of the ''Estado Novo'' ( pt, for New State), the forces in the States reverted to full State control; once again allowing the militarization of the CBMs, since these were incorporated into the

Military Police Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...

. In 1967 the Inspectorate General of Military Police ( pt, Inspetoria Geral das Polícias Militares - IGPM) was created, reporting to the Ministry of War, which is responsible for coordinating and conducting control activities over the Military Police (and Firefighters Corps). With the end of the Military Government and the institution of a new Constitution in 1988, the States were granted autonomy to administer their security forces as best suited them. The majority opted to separate the Firefighters Corps from the Military Police. The term "Military" was inserted in 1990 to distinguish the Military Firefighters Corps from organizations of

civilian Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not " combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant ...

and voluntary firefighters. Starting 2013, the MFC also has full operational duties over the civilian private firefighting academies in order to combat corruption in the civil fire services.

Emergency telephone number

In all of Brazil, the

Emergency telephone number Most public switched telephone networks have a single emergency telephone number (sometimes known as the universal emergency telephone number or the emergency services number) that allows a caller to contact local emergency services for assis ...

of the Military Firefighters Corps is one, nine, three (193). It is a toll-free call.

Stable belt/Gymnastic belt

The Gymnastic belt ( pt, cinto ginástico) is one of the essential elements of the

of the Military Firefighters Corps; which has been used with few modifications, since 1887. At first the belt was reinforced, made of

cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor pe ...

and

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

, enabling it to serve as a

climbing harness A climbing harness is a device which allows a climber access to the safety of a rope. It is used in rock and ice climbing, abseiling, and lowering; this is in contrast to other activities requiring ropes for access or safety such as industrial r ...

. Today it is not as strong and only serves as a

ceremonial A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''. Church and civil (secular ...

item. There are only two models of belts:

Rank insignia

;Officers ;NCO and enlisted grades

Inspectorate General

The Inspectorate General of Military Police is a command element of the Brazilian Army, responsible for coordinating and conducting activities of control over the Military Police and Military Firefighters Corps of the States. Article 22 of Constitution of Brazil.
/ref>
It is part of the Land Operations

Command Command may refer to: Computing * Command (computing), a statement in a computer language * COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS * Command key, a modifier key on Apple Macintosh computer keyboards * ...

( pt, Comando de Operações Terrestres) and its mission is: * The establishment of principles, guidelines and standards for the effective implementation of control and coordination of the Military Police under the command of the Army, through its Military Area Commands, Regions, and other major military commands; * The control of the organization and regulation, personnel and equipment, such as

weapons A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...

, ammunition,

communications Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

equipment,

chemical agents A chemical weapon (CW) is a specialized munition that uses chemicals formulated to inflict death or harm on humans. According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), this can be any chemical compound intended as ...

, military equipment,

vehicles A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), ...

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engine ...

and

boats A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

;

* Collaboration in studies aiming at rights, justice and guarantees of the military forces of the States, and the establishment of conditions commensurate mobilization; * Coordinating and monitoring compliance with the provisions of relevant state and federal legislation; * Conduction of regular inspections of the firefighter bases and equipment.

Military Firefighters Corps National League

Established on July 8, 2004, during the 7th National Firefighters Conference, the National League is mandated to, among others support all national civil defense and security policies, enforce civil defense laws and regulations, and promote the latest technological advances in firefighting.

List by State

** 01 . CBMAC - Acre ** 02 . CBMAL -

Alagoas Alagoas (, ) is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco (N and NW); Sergipe (S); Bahia (SW); and the Atlantic Ocean (E). Its capital is the city of Maceió. ...

** 03 . CBMAP - Amapá ** 04 . CBMAM - Amazonas ** 05 . CBMBA -

Bahia Bahia ( , , ; meaning "bay") is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro) and the 5th-largest b ...

** 06 . CBMCE - Ceará ** 07 . CBMDF -

Distrito Federal A federal district is a type of administrative division of a federation, usually under the direct control of a federal government and organized sometimes with a single municipal body. Federal districts often include capital districts, and they ...

** 08 . CBMES -

Espírito Santo Espírito Santo (, , ; ) is a state in southeastern Brazil. Its capital is Vitória, and its largest city is Serra. With an extensive coastline, the state hosts some of the country's main ports, and its beaches are significant tourist attra ...

** 09 . CBMGO -

Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian state located in the Center-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso. The state capital is Goi ...

** 10 . CBMMA -

Maranhão Maranhão () is a state in Brazil. Located in the country's Northeast Region, it has a population of about 7 million and an area of . Clockwise from north, it borders on the Atlantic Ocean for 2,243 km and the states of Piauí, Tocantins and ...

** 11 . CBMMT - Mato Grosso ** 12 . CBMMS - Mato Grosso do Sul ** 13 . CBMMG -

Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...

** 14 . CBMPA -

Pará Pará is a state of Brazil, located in northern Brazil and traversed by the lower Amazon River. It borders the Brazilian states of Amapá, Maranhão, Tocantins, Mato Grosso, Amazonas and Roraima. To the northwest are the borders of Guyana ...

** 15 . CBMPB - Paraíba ** 16 . CBPMPR - Paraná ** 17 . CBMPE -

Pernambuco Pernambuco () is a States of Brazil, state of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast region of the country. With an estimated population of 9.6 million people as of 2020, making it List of Brazilian states by population, sev ...

** 18 . CBMPI - Piauí ** 19 . CBMERJ -

** 20 . CBMRN -

Rio Grande do Norte Rio Grande do Norte (, , ) is one of the states of Brazil. It is located in the northeastern region of the country, forming the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. The name literally translates as "Great Northern River", re ...

** 21 . CBMRS - Rio Grande do Sul ** 22 . CBMRO - Rondônia ** 23 . CBMRR - Roraima ** 24 . CBMSC - Santa Catarina ** 25 . CBPMESP-

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...

** 26 . CBMSE -

Sergipe Sergipe (), officially State of Sergipe, is a state of Brazil. Located in the Northeast Region along the Atlantic coast of the country, Sergipe is the smallest state in Brazil by geographical area at , larger only than the Federal District. Serg ...

** 27 . CBMTO -

Tocantins Tocantins () is one of the 26 states of Brazil. It is the newest state, formed in 1988 and encompassing what had formerly been the northern two-fifths of the state of Goiás. Tocantins covers and had an estimated population of 1,496,880 in 20 ...

Note: The Military Firefighters Corps from

and Paraná stills being operated by its homonymous Military Polices.

References

{{Military of Brazil M Military fire departments State law enforcement agencies of Brazil