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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

Ideas for the establishment of a brigade in the Ulladulla area were first proposed in July 1969. This was intended to provide fire protection not only to Ulladulla, but also to Milton and Mollymook. Action was promptly undertaken to acquire a suitable site for the construction of a fire station. Lot 14 Nurrawalle Street was determined to be the most suitable of the suggested sites owing to its relatively level land and its position within the proposed fire district. With land

Fifty years ago, 1975, was an incredibly busy year for the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB; today Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW) with technological changes in firefighting equipment and one of the largest ever building programs underway in the history of the NSWFB. In June 1975 the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW (the governing body of the NSWFB) five-year term of service (1970-1975), as outlined by the Fire Brigades Act , was terminated and a new board was constituted, meeting fo

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

Early calls for the formation of a fire brigade within Merrylands were made to the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW (BoFC) by the Prospect and Sherwood Council (now Cumberland City Council) in April 1922. Requests for a dedicated brigade would also be made by and maintained by the Loftus Park Progress Association in May 1923. The BoFC, in agreement with the concerns of the Council and the Progress Association, would acquire land on Merrylands Road in 1923, with the intentio

1935 Katoomba Demonstration pin, image courtesy of John Hand Demonstrations began in the last quarter of the 19th century. Originally they were known as ‘ Grand Colonial Demonstrations’ and it would be soon after that they would became known as State Demonstrations following Federation in 1901. Forbes, Armidale, Dubbo and others would host the last lot of State Demonstrations, with the final one being in Corowa in 1909 prior to the formation of the Board of Fire Commission

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

The Beginning of a Brigade in Corrimal Movement for the creation of a fire brigade at Corrimal began in 1924 with Divisional Inspector G. Grimmond visiting the area to discuss the region’s fire protection with the mayor. It was determined that a volunteer brigade would be established in the area, which at that time was known as North Illawarra, and was managed by North Illawarra Council. The Brigade was therefore to be known as the North Illawarra Brigade and would consist of