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On Friday 3 June, the Museum of Fire held a formal opening of the Celebrating our Connections with Japan exhibition. The new exhibition highlights Penrith City Council’s enduring relationship with its two sister cities, Fujieda City and Hakusan City (formally Matto) in Japan, through the lens of firefighting history. Belinda McMartin, Museum of Fire CEO, opened the exhibition with a number of key representatives from Penrith City Council, Fire and Rescue NSW and the Japan Lo

Did you know that Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) have a number of specialised capabilities and responsibilities? One such responsibility is attending and handling hazardous materials (HAZMAT), both on land and in inland waterways. Some HAZMAT incidents FRNSW can respond to include minor spills of hydrocarbons, gas leaks, and emergency decontamination procedures. Every fire station is now equipped and has trained personnel who can respond to HAZMAT incidents, with app

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to commemorate the centenary of Carrington Fire Station at a ceremony held on Thursday 5 April 2018. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable. The First Carrington Fire Brigade (1888 – 1893) When Europeans first settled in the Newcastle area, w

The Museum of Fire is dedicated to the preservation of the history of fire and firefighting, first and foremost within NSW and Australia but where applicable across the world. Though our heritage and research team generally focus upon the former, occasionally their research sees them come across stories of fire and firefighting from international sources. These are a few such pieces from 200 years ago and 50 years ago. 200 years ago – Norway Two hundred ago last week, the

Fire Brigade Championships (as we know them today) began as ‘Demonstrations’ where fire brigades demonstrated their skills to the local community. Events in the ‘Demo’ are based on real situations that firefighters face daily and are designed to highlight their talent and expertise. These demonstrations were also used as a way to train firefighters. Now, State Firefighting Championships continue to be one of Fire and Rescue NSW’s (FRNSW; formerly NSW Fire Brigades) most longs

This week, we’re taking a closer look at a fire station staple: the station siren. Promptly alerting firefighters to an incident can make all the difference in an emergency situation. Over the centuries, these methods have evolved from fire bells through to electrical station sirens, and from the modern pager to advanced radio systems, to call the brigade into action. Fire bells were an important piece of equipment for firefighting in the nineteenth century. Prior to the form

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to commemorate the centenary of Bulli Fire Brigade at a ceremony held on Friday 15 March 2019. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable. The Formation of a Fire Brigade in Bulli The first steps for the formation of a fire brigade in Bulli came

The following is an extract from the June 2011 edition of Fire News. The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami ( 東北地方太平洋沖地震, Tōhoku-chihō Taiheiyō Oki Jishin ) began at 2:46pm Japan Standard Time on 11th March 2011. The epicentre of the earthquake was in the Pacific Ocean, 72km east of the Oshika Peninsula, and lasted approximately 6 minutes, resulting in a tsunami. The Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit of Fire and Rescue NSW travelled to Japan to provide rescue aid in the aftermat

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to commemorate the relocation of Fairfield Fire Brigade and the Opening of the new No. 73 Yennora Fire Station on Wednesday 3rd February 2016. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable. The Establishment of a Volunteer Fire Brigade It was report

The Museum has all sorts of fascinating objects from all around the world in the collection. Each has its own story shaped by where it came from, who owned it and its place in history. In the lead up to the exhibit, Celebrating Our Connections with Japan , we thought we’d shine a light on two of the Japanese vehicles in the Museum’s collection. We’ll be taking a look at the 1976 Toyota Pumper and the Japanese hand pump, both of which are out on display at the Museum. Penrith