“BELLS GO DOWN”

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 January 1949, Page 4

“BELLS GO DOWN”

FIRE STATION LIFE IN WANGANUI One of the most efficient of all pub ic services in Wanganui, and probably the most spectacular in the public eye, the Wanganui Fire Brigade, keeps cease ess watch in order to protect the lives and property of the community against the hazards of fire. When the bells “go down” in the fir e station, a small community, which lives almost in a world of its own, is galvanised from a life of. apparent ease into an activity that is amazing to the uninitiated. Those who see stalwart firemen taking their ease in the cool of the evening in from of the station are apt to gather an entirely wrong impression of the life and duties of the men in the lire service. But an intimate association with these men, who risk danger that homes and business premises may be saved from fire, reveals a very different tale. It is a story of long hours, work hard in the extreme and con stant alert' to respond to any call. RARE FELLOWSHIP Among firemen there is a rare fellowhsip seldom found within other groups of men, especially those who are so constant.y and continuously associated within the confines of a small building. A glance at the ordinary day in the life of a fireman shows that it is far from one of idleness as is imagined by some people. Station routine begins at 6.45 a.m. Breakfast, is at 8 a.m- and is the signal for free time until 9 a.m. From then on until noon .there is a wide range of work to be performed in the different departments of the fire service. The motormen have to see that the engines are tuned up to concert pitch, helmets have to be po ished and gear cleaned. A multitude of other minor duties is associated with conditions obtaining in such a service. The Wanganui Central Fire Station is responsible for the care and attention of 27,000 feet of hose (a distance of about five miles). The alarms have to be tested. In the city and suburbs there are 110 street and private alarms and seven automatic. Brom 1 p.m. the officers and men work until the whole of the routine work is finished-

The “nerve centre” of the station is the watch-room and control room. A full 24-hour service is maintained in the watch-room. The instruments are chocked twice daily, once in the morning and once at. night. A water pressure gauge gives the pressure available at any time of the day or night. Another room in lhe slation, which always receives close attention, is the battery room. STRENGTH OF THE BRIGADE The present, personnel of the brigaede is 20 permanent men, including officers. In addition there are ten auxiliary men ana nine non-resident firemen who can be called on in an emergency. Out of this total there are two permanent men at the Castlecliff sub-station and two auxiliaries. The brigade is well equipped with modern fire-fighting app.iances, including a new 105 h.p. Dennis pump, with a pumping capacity of 800 to 900 gallons a minute, and a new V 8 engine, with a pumping capacity of 400 gallons a minute. All told the brigade has pumping equipment of 3200 gallons a minute. In recent years the most spectacular fire the brigade has had to quell was the Rutland Hotel, two years ago. Withal, the fireman, tin ike the Gilbert and Sullivan policeman, enjoys a happy, if busy, life.