The correct answer is true.
At the beginning of the firefighting practice in the 19th century, fire departments were considered as social organizations within the community they were located on. Being a firefighter was voluntary work and being a member was considered to increase your social status in your community. However, due to the "voluntary nature" of these institutions, there was an initial lack of organization in many of them. This led to low efficiency in the response to fires during the early years of firefighting.