Not all stories about Auckland’s Fire Brigade involve shiny appliances, powerful jets of water playing on angry flames and occupants being rescued from blazing houses. This series of individual items...
“GETTING TO WORK – The Story of T. A. Varley, Father of New Zealand’s Fire Services” by R. C. Carlyon Photographs copyright as credited, text copyright R. C. Carlyon ISBN 978-0...
Three episodes need retelling when the Grand Old Man of British politics, Winston Churchill, brushed shoulders with the fire brigade. The first when he himself directed firefighters’ in their battle...
This volunteer group in Auckland is celebrating its 90th anniversary today, 22nd June 2023. It was founded as the Auckland Metropolitan Volunteer Fire Police Corps at a meeting held in the old Pitt...
During a visit to the museum in Napier (mtg Hawkes Bay) I came across an exquisite item featured in the exhibition “Silver, Heirlooms from the Collection”. It captured my eye because, having an...
This began as an account about fire alarms in New Zealand. But it soon became a story about the surprising number of New Zealanders who invented fire alarm systems, manufactured them and marketed...
Where there’s smoke there’s fire, where there’s fire there better be water… This is story of Auckland’s first dependable water supply… one that firefighters could rely on to confront the flames...
“The toll rang out its alarm of fire, a ruddy glare upon the sky… the bell on the New Zealand Insurance Company’s Building then took up the cry, swelling to a chorus as other bells across the...
We take little notice of fire hydrants… until, that is, they are urgently required when there is a fire. They’re seldom spoken-of yet they are found along the footpaths of every street in...
This is an account of devastating fires that swept through Napier’s business district following a major earthquake at 10.47am on 3rd February, 1931. Some say the uncontrollable fires caused more...