1.25” with real photo captioned below “Hamilton S. White/Hero Of All/Died, March 13, 1899.” Text above the photo is “Souvenir/The 28th Annual Convention Syracuse, N.Y. Aug. 21-24, 1900.” Reverse is covered tin with horizontal bar pin. St. oxidation on the metal but the celluloid remains clean except for a couple trivial tan dots which are in the development of the photographic paper as produced. This man’s father, Hamilton White, was prominent in Syracuse and the house built by him c. 1840 is a historic home in the city. This button relates to White’s son, the most prominent of his 5 children, Hamilton Salisbury White (1853-1899). He was a lawyer, real estate owner, investor, businessman, volunteer fire fighter and the City Fire Commissioner. He is best known for founding his own paid fire company and consequently is recognized as one of the first professional fire fighters. His many contributions to safety and equipment design include his initiation of the concept of “response time” into firefighting and lifesaving techniques. As early as age 4, he boarded his pony cart in the stables behind the house and rushed out to watch volunteer fire fighters of the city, and thus their efforts shaped his future life. Following graduation from Cornell, he returned to Syracuse and developed the city’s first public fire alarm system, copied after Ithaca’s mechanical system and built his fire house close to his family home. Here he boarded and trained his fire company, provided all the firefighters’ equipment and educated them in building construction and structural design, fire science and basic chemistry as many fires were chemical based. He continually focused on the firefighters’ education in what he regarded as the “science of firefighting.” His company worked 7 days on, followed by 7 off. He is credited with re-designing the firefighters’ “turn-out suit” creating the first second floor dormitory with “Fireman’s Pole” for fast access to the engine and integrating the first electric/mechanical alarm system into the fire house. He challenged his men, mostly non-inheriting sons of farmers, to arrive at a reported fire site before he could ride to the location, usually under 5 min. Ironically, White died in 1899 fighting a Syracuse chemical fire, most probably from a heart attack induced by toxic fumes from burning chemicals. Rare and historic fire button in Exc. condition and displaying N. Mint. (Reverse has back stamp by St. Louis Button Co.).