Inception
Posted by bwjen1 on Thursday, 07 October 2004 (17:17:05) EDT
Contributed by bwjen1
Resulting from public opinion and media pressure, a public meeting was called on 23rd September, 1893, to discuss the formation of the Dandenong Fire Brigade. A subsequent meeting was called on 8th of October of that year, in which the Dandenong Fire Brigade was officially formed with the following officers; C. J. Fox, Captain; H. S. M. Ross, Lieutenant and Secretary (became Captain 12 months later) and James Jeffrey, Foreman. The fire-fighters were A. Clarke, J. Clapp, G. Greaves, T. Green, W. Hooper, G. Keighery, L. O'Brien, W. Piper, W. Potter, A. Potter, J. F. A. Ross, J. Vaux (became Secretary 5 months later) and J. Williams.
On the 1st of February, the Brigade was officially registered with the Country Fire Authority (CFA), becoming the 80th registered brigade, at which time, the Shire Council started to show some interest in the development of fire suppression. Although much of the early records of the Brigade perished in 1906, in the local gas company furnace, it is known that the first volunteers paid 5/- (shillings) for the privilege of being a fireman, and for that, they were issued with a cap and belt; the coats and spanners came much later.
The manual hose reel and other equipment purchased by the brigade included 500 feet of hose, couplings, a twin-head hydrant, two branches, a patent nozzle and a blow off cap. Note that the early volunteers were all from respected and prominent families within Dandenong, so that the outlay to outfit the brigade may not have been that burdensome.
In those early days, the fire alarm was a tolling bell, and members responding to alarms had to make their way to the station to collect the reel, and then proceed to the fire. This was the situation until 1926, when the first motorised pumper was supplied to Dandenong.
A few more firsts;
First Fire Call - 4th August, 1894
First Annual Dinner - 23rd September, 1894
First "Let it burn" - 13th March, 1895 (when upon arrival, the nearest plug was found to be 2,000 feet away);
First Hoax Call - Christmas Eve, 1896.
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