Looking Back a Decade: 2016

At the Museum of Fire, we enjoy taking the public on a walk down memory lane. Sometimes that walk is a long one as we delve back over a hundred years, but it can also be a short one. Today, we take a quick jump back a decade to 2016.

Cranebrook Bushfire, 4 November 2016. [Photographed by Retained Firefighter Brendon Roberts, courtesy of Fire and Rescue NSW]

It was in November 2016 that a fast-moving fire, originating in Cranebrook, spread to the nearby Llandilo and Londonderry as ferocious winds made the task of firefighters difficult. Over 200 firefighters battled the blaze over four hours. While many homes, including a school and two nursing homes, were evacuated, there were thankfully no injuries, and just one house was destroyed by the fire. Two people were arrested for arson following the blaze.

While it would be easy to write an entire blog just about the incidents faced by firefighters in 2016, we thought we might share some of the lesser-known or publicised things that happened ten years ago.

Beginning with SOC - the Strategic Operations Centre (SOC); a 24/7 situation room. This was established at the Sydney Communications Centre, Alexandria, in 2016. The SOC was created to support frontline operations with up-to-the-minute situational awareness to co-ordinate the FRNSW response to any incident. The SOC replaced the existing Major Incident Control Centre, which was activated in times of major incidents and events. The new SOC became operational in early June 2016 and operated on a 6-8 week pilot phase.

Strategic Operations Centre, 2016 [Image Courtesy of Fire and Rescue NSW]

Picton Fire Brigade at the June 2016 floods [Image courtesy of Fire and Rescue NSW]

It was ten years ago, across late 2015 and into 2016, that FRNSW rolled out flood rescue as a new capability. Twenty stations were equipped and trained to carry out land-based flood rescue, with an additional three trained in water-based flood rescue. When the capability was launched in mid-2016, there were 87 water-based flood rescue technicians and 400 land-based flood rescue operators. These new skills were put to the test almost immediately during the June 2016 East Coast Low, which saw FRNSW conduct around 100 flood rescues in support of the NSW SES. This severe weather event caused flash flooding that led to two fatalities and widespread property damage. Of the 130 businesses directly impacted, 81 were located within the central business district of Picton. The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the damage from the storm to be in excess of $304 million.

It was in 2016 that the specially designed FRNSW St. Florian pin was created and released across FRNSW stations to coincide with St. Florian’s day commemorations in May. In 2014, the FRNSW media team had designed a red and yellow remembrance ribbon. The following year, 2015, a metal pin version was produced. The 2016 design incorporated the 2014 and 2015 iterations, but added the FRNSW logo, making it unique and special to the organisation.

The Hydrant Hero campaign was launched in February 2016, which urged locals to check the state of their closest hydrant near their home or place of work. The campaign asked the public to report any hydrants requiring maintenance and to clear around their nearest hydrant to make it accessible in an emergency. In a fire emergency, precious minutes can be lost if firefighters are hindered by hidden or obstructed hydrants, especially at night. To support this campaign, the Museum of Fire continues to present an informative video and display on the topic.

The Museum of Fire supported FRNSW in the official opening of five new first stations and one major refurbishment throughout 2016. These included:

• No. 73 Yennora on 3 February 2016; previously known as Fairfield and established in 1919.

• No. 38 Pyrmont re-opened on 13 February 2016 after a major refurbishment, the building dating back to 1906.

• No. 81 Windsor on 22 February 2016, replacing the 1915 station, though the brigade dates back to 1863.

• No. 455 Rutherford on 6 April. This station replaced the old Telarah Fire Station (originally known as Homeville until 1952). This new build also included a new zone office.

• No. 211 Ballina on 9 September 2016. This new build also included a new zone office.

• No. 357 Lambton on 3 November 2016. This was a mammoth history project for the Museum’s heritage team as it combined the histories of five stations! Included in this work were the histories of Broadmeadow Fire Brigade (1905-1924), No. 404 New Lambton (1897-2016), Adamstown Fire Brigade (1891-1946), No. 320 Hamilton (1888-2016), and No. 357 Lambton (1875-present).

• No. 78 Ropes Crossing on 11 November 2016. The Brigade began as a private enterprise servicing the local Munitions Factory during World War II. After the War, the Brigade came under the auspice of the NSWFB and was named the St. Mary's Factory Area Brigade before later being re-named Dunheved, and then re-named Ropes Crossing in 2016 with the opening of the new station.

The restored Leyland Crane, 2026. [Museum of Fire Collection]

In July 2016, work was completed on the Museum’s very special Leyland Crane. Since June 2010, the Museum’s volunteers worked overtime on the project, which saw the Museum receive a Highly Commended award in the category of Conservation Interiors (object) at the 2017 National Trust Heritage Awards.

The Leyland Crane was chosen as a restoration project due to its significant heritage value. In the mid-1930s, the English company Herbert and Morris designed a unique lifting mechanism that when mounted on a truck chassis, could be used not only as a crane but as a tow truck. Recognizing the efficiency of this new crane design, three multi-use emergency tenders were commissioned. The first was used as a recovery vehicle in Liverpool, England while the second crane was in the use of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade in London, England. The Museum’s crane is the third, which was commissioned by the New South Wales Fire Brigade. Only three vehicles of this kind are known to have been built around the world, and our crane is the only one that has remained intact. The crane was shipped to Australia in parts and was used by the NSWFB between 1939-1974. After which time it was sold into private hands and eventually gifted to the Fire Services Museum Victoria.

The project was a mammoth one with the entire vehicle needing to be disassembled, cleaned and treated. Repairs were also required to the engine and radiator.

-Blog by Museum of Fire Heritage Team