The Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed in 1874 with "a couple of dozen iron buckets, a hand saw, a crosscut saw, two fire hooks with 12-foot-long handles, one grapnel chain, three 10-foot ladders and an alarm bell - costing just 36 pounds", chief fire officer Alan Burgess said.
It has seen many changes over the years, particularly with equipment, standards and training.
"Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade has also seen a few amalgamations with smaller local brigades over the years, and ultimately we were the birthplace of Fire and Emergency New Zealand in 2017, when the organisation was launched nationally in Ashburton," Burgess said.
He said the brigade has responded to some major fires over the years, such as the major flour mill blaze, the Seales Winslow fire and a ship fire at the Port of Timaru.
The nature of the brigade’s callouts has also changed over the years from mostly fires to more vehicle crashes, medical events and natural disasters.
Ashburton volunteers responded to the Christchurch earthquakes and to the recent big flooding event that took the Ashburton River bridge out of action for a number of days and "necessitating some creative solutions to keep the town protected".
The brigade's old Shand Mason steam fire engine, commissioned in 1889 and christened the "Pride of Ashburton", no longer does callouts but is still maintained in full working order by the brigade.
Several of the brigade’s trucks are now housed at the Ashburton Fire Museum, acknowledged widely as one of the very best in the country.
Over the brigade's 150-year history, Superintendent Thomas Barber and current CFO Alan Burgess, have led the brigade for almost half that time.
Adding another string to its bow, the brigade has competed competitively at United Firefighters' Brigade Association events and several of the current members have led the association nationally, including Burgess, Chris Price, and Warren Maslin.
"Our brigade responds to more than 400 calls a year but remains totally volunteer-based," Burgess said.
"This celebration is a chance for us to acknowledge all the people who make this possible, including the volunteers, their families, and employers.
"As we prepare to celebrate 150 years of challenges and conquests, we stand true to our motto developed by our 57-year veteran Walter Dolman in the early days: 'Ever ready, ever steady, striving with a will to save'."
The open day on November 23 will include:
- The 1874 Shand Mason Steamer in operation all day
- Vintage fire appliance display
- Have a go with the Merryweather Handpump
- Live kitchen fire displays
- Rescue tool display
- Fire safety information
- Colouring competition
- Food and drink stalls
