New and Noteworthy Exhibit: More Than Just Firefighters

Curator
2 days ago
3 min read

At the Museum of Fire, we receive a diverse range of fascinating donations. These donations showcase not only the equipment used to fight fires, but also extend into objects related to charity work, competition and sporting events, and inspiring the next generation of firefighters.

The objects on display for our latest iteration of our New and Noteworthy exhibit have been donated to us over the past year and truly showcase the other aspects of being part of the fire service. The exhibit is on display for a limited time only so be sure to catch it before it ends!

Firies Climb for Motor Neurone Disease

To be a firefighter goes beyond just putting out fires. A big part of this responsibility is to care and support the community in times of need, which extends into fundraising efforts for various causes.

One cause close to a lot of firefighters hearts is the Firies Climb for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). This fundraising event was created by firefighter Matt Pridham in 2015 to raise awareness and money for research into the disease after his best friend, Adam Regal was diagnosed with MND. The first climb took place at the Sydney Tower Eye, where firefighters donned full structural gear, complete with breathing apparatus sets, and climbed 98 storeys - or 1504 steps - to the observation deck.

The event has experienced considerable growth over the past decade, and now the physical climb is based at the Furber Steps in Scenic World, Katoomba. Over a 24-hour period, firies climb the 951 steps at Scenic World for as many hours as they can handle.

Teams which raised the greatest amount of funds were also awarded medals and trophies to commemorate their efforts. Since 2015, the Climb has raised over $3 million for research into MND.

The Firies Climb for MND objects seen on display were donated to the Museum of Fire by Station Officer Naomi Cocksedge, who is an active participant in the Climb due to family connections with motor neurone disease.

To learn more about Firies Climb for MND visit their website by clicking here.

Demonstrating Their Capabilities

‘Demonstrations’ or ‘Demos’ began to form in the latter half of the 19th Century as a way for fire brigades to showcase their skills to the public while being a valuable form of training.

One of these early Demos was held in Newcastle from 21-22 June 1897. Firefighters from across New South Wales descended on the Newcastle Cricket Ground for a spectacular Demo which involved firefighters competing for prizes, including the medal you see on display. From events involving ladder climbing, to running with hose carts, and shooting water at targets, it was a memorable event.

This second place medal seen on display was awarded to H. Taylor from Newcastle West Fire Brigade (now No. 260 Newcastle Fire Brigade) for the Eight Men Hose Reel event. This event saw eight firefighters from each participating team run 90 metres with a hose reel appliance, connect the hose to a hydrant, and hit a disc at a height of 30 metres, before running a second line of hose and hitting the disc a second time. Newcastle West completed this in 47 seconds, tying with Bathurst Fire Brigade.

These Demonstrations, now known as Championships, are still run to this day by Fire and Rescue NSW, and remain a key part of their training.

To read more about the history of Championships check out this collection of blogs.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Barbie first suited up in her turnout gear in 1994 when Mattel released the Fire Fighter Barbie as part of its new Career Collection. Working at the Barbie Fire Department, she was ready for any emergency with her emergency rescue bag and her trusty dalmatian firedog by her side.

The Career Collection was created to show Barbie in jobs that previously weren’t encouraged for girls to pursue. It served as an empowering tool for children to show that they can be anything they set their minds to.

Since being first introduced in 1994, Fire Fighter Barbie continues to inspire young girls everywhere, with more versions being released in 2016, 2019, and 2024 - with an updated uniform each time.

This Barbie was only released nine years after women were permitted to join the NSW Fire Brigades (now Fire and Rescue NSW) as firefighters, so it came at a pivotal moment for young girls.