NEWSLETTER OF THE AUCKLAND FIRE BRIGADE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Patron Murray Binning Management Superintendent: David Neil Deputy Superintendent: (NZFS Liaison) Denis O’Donoghue Secretary/Editor: Colin Prince Treasurer: Kevin Farley
Committee Graeme Booth Peter (Sprats) Doughty Grant Manning Forbes Neil John (High-rise) Walker Gary (GT) Walker
NZFS Ex Officio Member: Fire Region Manager Kerry Gregory
Correspondence To: Above address membership@afbhs.co.nz Website: www.afbhs.co.nz Like us on Facebook Membership fees: Full: $15.00 Associate: $10.00 (overseas) Brigade/Corporate: $50.00 Membership year: 1 April—31 March
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BETWEEN THE ALARMS Peter Chester “Newsview” March 1951 AT A sometime or other, every boy probably wants to be fireman. The screaming siren or clanging bell, the traffic brought to a standstill, the brilliant red engine hurtling down the street — firemen clinging precariously to its sides and the driver crouched intently over his controls — brass helmets glinting in the sun; all this gives the boy a thrill. Maybe it still does when the boy has grown into the man. Take a look behind the scenes of an N.Z. metropolitan fire fighting set-up, then, and see how you’d have fared if you’d made your boyhood — or even girlhood! — dream come true.
electricity, first aid, radio and chemistry.”
Impressed by this catalogue of necessary learning, I asked him to tell me something of the ordinary fireman’s life — how long it takes him to turn out and so on. “Well, we sleep with our trousers hung handily near our beds,” replied Preston. “At night, we reckon about 25 seconds from the time the alarm goes to the time the engine’s on the road. Every man sleeps with his boots in a certain place and, as soon as the bell goes, he’s out of bed and into them before he’s properly awake. Most firemen couldn’t tell you immediately afterwards At Auckland’s Central Fire Station, I met how they got into their trousers and boots Deputy Superintendent Russell Preston. — it’s instinctive. Then down the pole, Born in Mount Roskill, he’s been with the grab your jacket, helmet and fire axe and Auckland Brigade 24 years. “Driving a on to the machine.' You finish dressing on fire-engine?” he echoed. “A man has to your way to the fire. be temperamentally suited to the job. “It’s remarkable how sensitive you Besides driving, he has to know all become to bells — especially those that about hose pressures, too. First and resemble the alarm. The bell down at the foremost, he has to be a fireman, of ferry buildings sounds like one and, if any course. After he’s trained he can apply fireman is on the ferry when that bell to become a driver.” I asked him if he got more applications rings, I guarantee you’ll see him instinctively jerk forward." to drive fire-engines than the Brigade could absorb. Firemen have duty rosters and time off “No, we don’t get as many as you might think. There’s a lot of other things the ordinary fireman has to learn — enough to keep him interested. I consider, the Fire Institute’s exams the most comprehensive of any professional ones, except those for a doctor. To qualify as an associate of the Institute, a fireman has to know something of hydraulics, building construction, mechanical engineering,
like anyone else. It’s not entirely unlike the army. When off duty, single men probably spend more time away from the station than married men quartered there. “When we’re off duty,” Preston was saying, “most of us hide our boots, so that if the alarm goes, we won’t find them in the usual place. Hunting around for them wakes us up and makes us realize we needn’t turn out.”
Without some such precaution, the off-duty watch might find themselves getting in the way, tumbling on to the engines only half awake. Twenty seconds or so isn’t long! “When I was staying with my brother,” the deputy superintendent continued, “he used -to put an alarm clock near my ear — set for some unholy time in the morning — just to see me jump out of bed when it went off.” He introduced me to 3rd Officer Auburt Crook, a tall bronzed man who doesn’t look old enough to have served in the Brigade for 21 years. He joined straight from school and the life suits him. He has a variety of nickname most of them unprintable. He took me round the station. We found 2nd class Fireman Peter Burton-Wood sweeping out the large recreation room. He comes from Manchester and arrived in N.Z. three years ago. He served as a sergeant with a Bofors regiment during the war, was taken prisoner at Singapore and spent three years in a Jap p.o.w. camp. “That’s best forgotten,” he told me; “still I like service life — that’s why I joined the Fire Brigade. It’s a good life. The quarters and food are first-class. We’re getting up a team to enter for the Dominion championship in Christchurch. Yes, I’m in it.” When I met him, Burton- Wood had been in the Brigade only 13 months. He’s cheerful enough and keen enough. “All promotion to officer rank is made from the bottom,” 3rd Officer Crook told me. “There’s plenty of scope for any keen youngster.” Conditions in* the fire service compare favourably with those in civilian life. Firemen’s pay. r of course, has gone up with the recent general increase. When he enters as a probationary fireman, the recruit now gets £8/7/10 a week, plus free quarters — they’re good, too — and free uniform. He pays 22/6 for his messing. On promotion to 2nd' class fireman, after three months satisfactory
service, his pay goes up to £8/19/10. After about two years, he’ll normally become a 1st class fireman on £9/13/10 a week. Another years can see him a senior drawing £9/17/6 a week. Drivers get 7/6 a week extra and service pay can amount to another 12/1. Married firemen get free quarters—I’ll have more to say about them — but, as in civilian life, accommodation’s scarce. There’s ,a waiting' list for quarters, but married firemen who have to live out get a rent allowance of £2/6/10 a week and a fuel and light allowance of £1/9/7 a month. This adds about £2/15/- a week to-the married fireman’s weekly pay. “Of course, firemen have to pass an examination each time before they’re promoted to the next grade,” 3rd Officer Crook told me. “A man can, however, become a senior fireman in about four and a half years. “We work a 40-hour week, but firemen have to be on call for more than that. We work it two days on and one off. We get two weeks’ holiday every three months to compensate for the extra time we have to be on duty. A married fireman living out has to sleep on the station while he’s on duty, of course. That’s one big disadvantage of not being in quarters on the station, though some of our married men with their own homes outside wouldn’t take quarters.” While I was there, fire squads were giving a demonstration with their large turntable ladder. “It’s the biggest in the Dominion,” Deputy Superintendent Preston told me. “Dunedin has a similar one, though. The ladder extends to 100 ft and can reach the top of any building in Auckland. The outfit cost about £9000.” Also in the station, I noticed an old escape — the date on it was 1912 — and asked 3rd Officer Crook about it. “That ladder goes up to 87 ft,” he told me. “It’s in perfect condition and could be used in an emergency. There’s a brand new V8 motor under the bonnet,” he added confidentially. Next he took me into the watchroom, where-1st Class Fireman, Auban Smyth. and 2nd Class Fireman Roy Stone were on duty. Auckland has nearly 1000 fire alarm boxes. If you ever have to use one, the alarm will sound in the Central Fire Station watch room and an ingenious ticker tape will record the number of the box you’ve called from and the time you made the call. Immediately the call comes in, the operator pulls down a switch which sounds the general alarm. If it’s daytime, only from 12 to 15 seconds will elapse before the Brigade’s on the road and rushing to the fire. In the watch room, the Brigade also keeps keys to all Auckland’s big buildings — stores, warehouses, cinemas and factories — which have automatic fire systems. This means they don’t have to waste time finding a way in. First Class Fireman Smyth comes from Wanganui, where he was in the Fire Brigade before moving to Auckland 18 months or so ago. He served with the 22nd
Battalion in Italy, plays cricket and football, and is married. Fireman Watson served in the Fire Service throughout He has a little girl, Jennifer, 10 months and thinks a the Glasgow blitz. I asked him how the brigades out here fireman’s life “good”. compared with those in Britain. Second Class Fireman Stone hails from Christchurch—“I “I think the turn-out’s faster here,” he said. “At home, we like it better than Auckland” — and has been in the run the hose out from a reel. Here, it’s stripped out in long Brigade two years. Before that he worked in the pieces. That makes it faster to get to a fire -— but there’s programme department of the N.Z.B.S. He’s unmarried more wear and tear on it.” and finds the food “good.” “That’s his economical Scots blood surging in protest,” Firemen go on to watchroom duty for three weeks at a remarked 3rd Officer Crook with a grin. time and work in 8-hour shifts. I asked Fireman Watson about conditions. Hearing so much about the food, I went along to the “They’re better at home,” he said. “In Britain, firemen do kitchen and met 1st Class Fireman Frank Watson, who a 60-hour a week, including standby time. Here, we’re on was standing in as cook. duty much longer. Pay’s about the same, taking into “We have a regular woman cook, but she’s on her consideration the difference in the cost of living. Fireannual month’s leave, so I volunteered for the job,” he fighting methods out here are good, though. In N.Z. fire told me. “When I was in Scotland, I spent a lot of time out brigades use as little water as possible to put out a fire. of doors. I’m fond of cycling, fishing and shooting and That reduces the water damage, which has to be learned to look after myself. I’m looking after the boys considered as well as the fire damage. I think the- ratio of now and they’ve got to like it. In any case, the regular water damage to fire damage is much lower here than at cook only gets lunch and dimmer — we always get our home.” own breakfast, working a roster.” I left Fireman Watson stirring his pot of Scotch broth and He outlined the menu for the day — a normal working 3rd Officer Crook took me up to the single men’s quarters. day. There I found 2nd Class Fireman Ron Levesque in his “Breakfast was at eight. We had cornflakes, cheese, bedroom. Each fireman has his own room and “there’s no stew, toast and coffee. I’m just getting the coffee for the shortage of accommodation for single men,” 3rd Officer 10 o’clock break. For lunch — we have it at 12 — there’s Crook told me. Scotch broth, fillet steak, fried onions, green peas, Before he joined the Brigade eight months ago, Fireman tomatoes, bread, butter, jam and tea. They’ll get a cup of Levesque worked at Reid Rubber. His spare time he spent tea at two. Dinner’s at 4.45 p.m. Today, it’s stewing chops, as a volunteer fireman with the Onehunga Brigade. He fried cabbage, carrots, potatoes; custard and pineapple liked the work so much he decided to join up as a full for a sweet and tea, bread, butter and jam. timer. “It’s the best job I’ve ever had,” he said, reclining in He gave me a cup of coffee — the same as the men his comfortable armchair with a radio at his elbow. “I play were drinking at their break. If the coffee’s anything to go quite a lot of tennis and cricket and find I get the time for it by, the firemen at the Central Fire Station won’t find much here. From 2 p.m. every day, we’ve all the chance we to complain about while Fireman Watson is on the job. It want ican films, down which the firemen slide when the was first-class —better than any I’ve ever tasted in Queen alarm goes. St. A raw, braw laddie—Scotsmen and Dunedinites please don’t bother to correct! — Fireman Watson served in the Glasgow Fire Brigade before joining the Auckland Brigade a little over a year ago. In his spare time, he used to fish for salmon and trout in the brooks and streams near Helensburgh — not so far from famed Loch Lomond. He’s married to an Irish girl and has a son aged eight and a daughter of four. “New Zealand’s a good country, but there’s only one thing wr-r-rong with it — housing,” he said in a broad Scots accent I had better not attempt to commit to paper. “I’m paying a terrible rent for a bach at Mairangi and am desperate for a house. I’ve got my name down for quarters, of course, but I’ve got to wait my turn — which is only right. There are flats to be had in Auckland — but not for a married man with children. People just won’t take children.”
I also had a look at the commodious recreation room, where firemen play billiards or snooker, hold dances or watch cinema shows in their off-duty hours. They have a cinema show — “the proper thing, with Queen St films,” 3rd Officer Crook told me — three times a week. I found nothing wrong with the men’s quarters — they’re airy, modern and well-appointed —■so I asked 3rd Officer Crook if I could take a look at one of the married quarters. He took me to his own flat — at least, he called it a flat, although it’s of two storey's and seems to be anything but pokey. “All the quarters are the same — whether for the officers or the men,” he told me. “Married men without children get a two-bed- roomed flat. Those with children get a three-bedroomed one.” Third Officer Crook has two children — Warren, aged four and Carol, 16 months. Mrs Crook — “we like the flat”—showed me around. Here again, I found nothing to complain about; in fact, if you want a comfortable, wellappointed flat in the centre of the city, join the Fire Brigade — but don’t expect it straight away! Running up the side of the flat, I noticed a small tower with an opening at the bottom. It contains the inevitable pole and, thinking it must begin in 3rd Officer Crook’s bedroom, I asked him to take me up. The pole, however, doesn’t intrude into the bedroom — it ends on a balcony which runs along the front of each pair of flats. Station quarters, which he thinks are “very nice”. “My two youngsters- Laurence, 10 and Brian 11 are fire- brigade happy,” he told me. “They practise turn-outs and really enjoy being part of the Brigade.” “Some of our youngsters even turn out to do P.T. with the men in the mornings,” 3rd Officer Crook added.
In his spare time, Fireman Harkins mends boots. “It’s my hobby,” he told me. “I learnt it here. Now I do all the boots on the station. Anyway, it’s a trade.” Station Officer Eric Bell — 17 years in the service and formerly a carpenter and a transport driver — calls his hobby “farming.” Of course he’s known as Ding-dong. “During leave, I go down to a farm, either at Pokeno or Kiwi- tahi, where I have cobbers. When I retire, I’ll buy a farm — if I can find one.” Lanky, cheerful 1st Class Fireman Ray Walker, now framing to become a driver, makes models and does carpentry in his spare time. “I joined the service 3i years ago,” he told me. “Before that I was in the grocery trade. This life suits me. My station’s at Parnell — I’ll go back there when I’ve passed out as a driver. Yes, I’m married. Live at Epsom.” A last word on this business of rushing through the streets clinging to a fire-engine. “After the first time, there’s nothing to it,” Fireman Burton- Wood told me. "Its dealing with the fire that gives you the kick. The spectacular fires aren’t much for the fireman. It’s the smouldering ones that need the most skill — they’re always difficult to cope with.” I asked the deputy-superintendent if there is any special time during the day when fires are most likely to break out. “You can’t lay down any hard and fast rules,” he told me, “but the big fires usually occur in the small hours. Don’t quote those that have broken out in the middle of the day — we know all about them — but generally big blazes happen early in the morning. Most domestic fires happen on wash day, particularly in houses with wood fires in coppers.” Keep an eye on the copper, then, when you’re hanging out the washing!
REPORT ON FIRE AT ALPHAFOAM PRODUCTS LTD 64 Grayson Avenue, Papatoetoe
2122 on the evening of Friday, February 21 1975, a call was received by the Papatoetoe Volunteer Fire Brigade to a building on fire in Grayson Avenue. The first appliance. F161, responded with a crew of four men. At 2125 the following message was transmitted from F161. “From Fireman Walker, proceeding down Carruth Road, large volumes of smoke apparent in vicinity of call”. Upon turning into Grayson Avenue, large volumes of both smoke and flame became visible and on arrival at the fire- ground, 2127 the following message was transmitted. ‘‘From Fireman Walker, have arrived at Grayson Avenue, building well involved in fire, getting to work with two low pressure deliveries”. One delivery was immediately established through the front of the building with a BA crew and as soon as the standpipe and feeder had been established a second delivery was run in, to the rear of the fire. At this point F163, the Hoselayer, arrived with S/O Rowlands, who took command. As F162 responded down Carruth Road, CFO Thomson, on seeing the smoke and knowing from the arrival message that this was a large incident, transmitted the following assistance message. “From CFO Thomson, make pumps five”. This message was relayed by Papatoetoe Fire Base to Auckland Fire Control and Southern Control, Otahuhu 41 and Mangere 44 were responded accordingly, at 2131, Two minutes later when F162 arrived at the fireground, a third delivery was established and so the fire was effectively surrounded. A BA crew then took charge of the second delivery and made entry into the rear portion of the factory which was used as a store for polystyrene decoy ducks and 44 gallon drums of polystyrene beads, one of which exploded, fortunately without causing injury. As Otahuhu 41 proceeded down Great South Road in the vicinity of Foodtown Supermarket, some three miles from the fire- ground, SSO Neil requested that Otahuhu 42, an Emergency Tender, be responded ase could see the smoke from the distance. The ET responded at 2136. At 2136 the following informative message was transmitted. “From CFO Thomson, at Alphafoam Products Ltd, Grayson Avenue. A factory, approximately 40 x 100 feet, used as a manufacturing and cutting factory for polystyrene, building severely damaged by fire, three low pressure deliveries and BA in use. At this stage the Auckland Metropolitan pumps arrived at the fireground and put a BA crew on the third delivery and a relief crew on the first delivery. Some five minutes later the fire had been extinguished and the brigade was involved for approximately another half an hour cooling isolated
hot spots. The following stop message was transmitted at 2208. “From CFO Thomson, stop for Alphafoam Products Ltd. A building approximately 40 x 100 feet extensively damaged by fire, three low pressure deliveries and BA in use. The Auckland Metropolitan pumps were released hfrom the fireground at approximately 2245 and standby shifts were made up by the Papatoetoe Brigade. The building was finally cleared at 0745 the following morning, the brigade having been engaged for ten hours.
N.Z. HERALD 1973
FIGHTING FIRES HIS LIFE Five months ago a young fireman lay critically ill in Auckland Hospital with severe injuries after being run over by a fire engine. Doctors gave him little chance of living. Now 26-year-old Terry Castle is back at work on light duties at the Auckland Central fire station. By early next year he hopes to be back fighting fires. Mr Castle said yesterday: “I was asleep when the fire bells went. I scrambled down the pole and ran for my engine. “I don’t remember much about it now, but somehow I slipped and went right under the engine in front of the back wheels.” The seven-ton engine crushed numerous bones in his thighs and lower legs. His pelvis was broken in two places. “I was lucky," he said. “I was fortunate I had a second or two to try to get out. If the engine was moving at the time it would have run straight over my chest.” At hospital, Mr Castle was on the critical list for several days. Just as he was beginning to recover, he collapsed with pneumonia and pleurisy — and it was back to the critical care ward. “It’s great to be back.” he said. "But, boy. I'm longing to get back on those engines. This job means everything to me."
Priority Message is the quarterly newsletter of the Auckland Fire Brigade Historical Society and is sent free to all members, the National Library and other Historical Societies in the Auckland area. Please feel free to pass it onto others that may find it of interest and encourage them to join the society. We actively seek photographs, stories and other information for publication in this newsletter or adding to our growing memorabilia collection. Anything that is related to the Fire Services, not only Auckland City, but the Auckland Fire Region (Mercer to Wellsford) which is the societies area of interest.