Fire brigade plans 150th jubilee
Fighting fires in New Plymouth has come a long way in 150 years. In the beginning people formed a line and passed buckets of water.
Now there’s a fleet of appliances equipped with lifesaving gear suitable for all sorts of emergencies including weather incidents.
‘‘We do all of the extrication work now for motor vehicle crashes. We have a memorandum of understanding with St John so we go to all life-threatening calls,’’ Taranaki area commander Pat Fitzell said.
One of the brigade’s core functions has always been service to the community, starting about 16 years after the settlers arrived in New Plymouth with men in the army based on Marsland Hill.
‘‘In those days all the light was with candles and oil lamps and so obviously there was lots of dangers with those in the structures they had way back then,’’ he said. ’’There was lots and lots of fires.’’
Then in 1866 the New Plymouth Brigade formed with about 80 volunteers and the first fire engine arrived from overseas, most likely Melbourne, in March 1867. By June excitement turned to anger when the engine proved useless and the cylinder burst in the attempt to pump.
‘‘It sounds like they had a lot of trouble in the early days,’’ Fitzell said. ‘‘How devastating it must have been for them, getting flash equipment and then it failed.’’
Although he’s not sure of the relation, Fitzell has discovered familiar names during his research.
‘‘We’ve always said the New Zealand Fire Service is a big family and you get generations and generations of family members coming through.’’
After Marsland Hill the brigade was based on Devon St, then Lower Brougham St before opening a new station in 1915 across the road from the current premises, which became operational in 1965.
Now the brigade has 37 operational fire fighters with a dozen support volunteers, and a further 30 volunteers at the New Plymouth West station.
During Labour Weekend the New Plymouth brigade will mark its 150th jubilee.
Celebrations include a public display at Puke Ariki and a formal get-together for past and present members. To register email patrick.fitzell@fire.org.nz.
More photographs on P14