MYLOR COUNTRY FIRE SERVICE

HISTORY

	During the 1930's, informal fire meetings were held in an open-air location. In 1939 there was a major fire and the Mylor Fire Fighting Organisation was formed. Around 1949-50, the Emergency Fire Service (EFS) was established. There was no fire station until 1957-58 - until then, equipment was stored in various buildings and the fire truck was whatever could be commandeered at the time! The alarm was either the school bell or the Church of England bell. When the station was built, Mylor had its first vehicle, an army Blitz 4x4 Chevrolet. In 1961, they acquired a Bedford truck and in 1964 an International truck. This vehicle was badly burnt in the Ash Wednesday fire of 1980, after a vapour lock forced it to be abandoned. A Landcruiser was purchased in 1979 as a small fast attack appliance. The current station was built in 1984, after the old station was damaged in the 1983 Ash Wednesday fire.

Equipment has also come a long way over the years. From its humble beginnings of beaters and shovels, and firefighters having to provide their own uniforms, we are now outfitted with a bewildering array of firefighting equipment. Due to the many and varied types of callouts we attend, a wide variety of tools are needed. Different foams for different fires, multi-adjustable nozzles, various sizes and types of hose - the list goes on and on. There is always new equipment and/or techniques being developed which, after thorough testing and approval, may be adopted as standard. There is a constant need to find the best balance between "the ultimate in equipment" and "affordability". With ever-improving equipment and training, our operational efficacy can only get better and better.

BEDFORD FIRE TRUCK