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Manual Fire Engines  Today, fire engines are a sight to behold, their bright red colour, flashing lights, and loud sirens herald their arrival. Equipped with a variety of equipment, they are truly prepared for any emergency. However, if we take a step back in time to the origins of organised firefighting in Sydney, we find a vastly different scene.   The early 19th century marked a major advancement in firefighting technology with the rise of the manual fire engine, an evolut

Manly Fire Station watchroom, c. 1920 [Museum of Fire Collection] One of our most well-loved displays here at the Museum of Fire is the watchroom. All communications were channelled through the watchroom and may have come from public phone lines, direct lines from other stations, connection to street fire alarm pillar boxes, public buildings - such as theatres and other high-risk locations - fire detection systems, and to the ‘call out’ bells in the homes of volunteer firefig

Out of the many displays at the Museum of Fire, one that often captures visitors’ attention is the large set of shelves filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of identical books. These aren’t just any old books, and their uniform size and shape hint at a shared purpose. And indeed, they do share something very special: they are occurrence books . Members of the Museum of Fire install the occurrence book display at the Museum in the 1990s [Museum of Fire Collection] Occurrenc

The Ahrens Fox Fire Engine Company The Ahrens Fox Fire Engine Company of Cincinnati, Ohio produced some of the most distinctive motorised fire engines of the 20th century with their prominent exposed pumps mounted with a large sphere in front of the radiator and bonnet. In 1870 the Ahrens Fox Company began making steam fire engines, but by the early 20th century they reaslied there was a market for producing motorised fire engines that could match the capability of the steam

Dr Kristine Klugman, Deputy President of the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW, 1984 [Museum of Fire Collection] When Dr Kristine Klugman was appointed Deputy President of the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW in 1982, she became the first woman to take on a senior leadership role in the then 98-year-old organisation. Her appointment not only made history—it also set in motion a chain of reforms that would ultimately lead to the inclusion of women in active firefighting rol

The 1927 Essex Hose Carriage, a symbol of firefighting innovation, stands proudly as a reminder of NSW’s transformative shift from hand-drawn and horse-drawn carts to motorised fire appliances. Pictured outside the Fire Services Museum, c.1982 [Museum of Fire collection] Before the introduction of motorised fire appliances in the early twentieth century, fire brigades in New South Wales (NSW) relied on horse-drawn or even hand-drawn carts and reels to transport their equipmen

This week, to coincide with the annual celebration of International Women’s Day, the Museum is proud to officially open our latest exhibition which pays tribute to the role women have played within firefighting in NSW. This exhibition has been produced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of women being permitted to join the NSW Fire Brigade (NSWFB, today Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW) as firefighters. This is the first time that an exhibition has showcased this largely forgotten p

Helmets have always been an ideal form of protection used across many different industries from war to construction, and most importantly to us, for firefighting. Helmets that were designed for the purposes of firefighting appear to have become a common aspect of uniform from the 1820s. During this time, two distinct approaches took place with helmets, the first being the American style and the second being the European or UK style. The stereotypical firefighter helmet design

On Thursday 16 January 2025, we hosted the awards ceremony for our 2024 Art Competition. At the Museum of Fire, we feel it is essential to pay tribute to our firefighters each and every day. Without their heroic efforts, there would be no stories to share, nor any history to preserve. As the official heritage partner to Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) it is our responsibility to ensure that future generations understand the great depth of history within the organisation. The ye

150 years Ago - the year 1875 - at least 9 fire brigades were formed in NSW. Though not a