As I told you at the beginning, I was a firefighter in Melbourne. Ask a child what they want to be when they grow up. Usually it`s a Pilot, or a Fireman. I was rather a late starter in this childhood dream!

Upon arriving in Australia I had to get a job! So I became a fireman with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. I can only presume there was a shortage of men at that time! Which later on proved to be correct.

We had four weeks training; climbing six to eight storey flats on what was called a "pompier" ladder. This was a straight, flimsy stick with a huge iron hook on the end of it ,eight feet long, and it was fitted with rungs (steps). To climb a building you would push it upwards then swing the hook into a window, hook on and start climbing. Pretty hairy, eh? You would continue this until everybody on the ground looked like ants!! Up and Up. Sometimes up very high the wind would make you swing about a bit!! Most times I was scared silly!! Wouldn`t you be?? It was supposed to give you confidence!

We squirted water from different sized hoses and sometimes the water pressure would lift you off your feet! Then we had to jump out of windows high off the ground into a circular tarpaulin held around the edges by your mates (it paid to have good mates, eh?).

Towards the end of our training they found I had driven trucks (lorries) and armoured cars whilst in the Wiltshire Regiment of the army. So!! You are a driver! I spent four days riding around Melbourne on a bike to learn my way around the city!!!! Four Days!

On my first call (OZ: Turn out) we were all upstairs at the fire station. "All the Bells start ringing". We ran and slid down a series of brass poles: you had to be quick or the man behind you would land on your shoulders! most painful! Put on your brass helmet, thick blue jacket with brass buttons, leather belt with a axe and hydrant key on it, then big leather boots, Phew!!!!!!!!!

Right! there`s my truck The biggest Leyland turntable ladder you have ever seen! Trouble is there were only two of us on it. Me driving, the other guy ringing the bell."Where are we going?" "Don`t know", says he. I think that`s what he said, only he came from Newcastle (please explain teach.).

"Follow the truck in front!" Easily said!! Trams, trucks, cars, traffic lights, people, noise! One really important thing. Keep up with that fire truck in front!!! Bloomin` nightmare it was!

All the firetrucks were open in those days, they had windscreen wipers on both sides of the screen in and outside. Everything seemed about 10-15 years behind England.

Most of our fire trucks were really old. But they did the job they were designed for okay. My favourite one at headquarters in Melbourne was the No 1 Dennis Pump. It was massive! It had a huge Rolls Royce engine. It seated 10 firemen! The pump could pump 1200 gallons of water a minute! It had a foam tank full to the top with stuff something like dishwashing liquid. It was fully automatic. And GO!! It used to go like the wind! Stopping was a bit of a problem, though, it weighed around five to six tons!! (Why the problem? Think!)

If you think all fire trucks go screaming around at 100 mph, it really isn`t true. You drive as quickly as possible but allowing for weather, traffic, visibilty. I think people see a fire truck and hear the bells and sirens and think "He`s hammering along!". The truck may only be doing 15mph! But the rest of the traffic is almost at a standstill.

I guess the fastest I drove at was around 60mph on a dry clear highway with no other traffic. It used to get really cold in the winter!! It`s like riding your bike. Do you ride as quickly on a busy wet, icy, foggy road as you do on a quiet, dry, warm clear road? I hope not!!!

The Melbourne Fire Brigade area covered the city and suburbs. As soon as you reach the edge of your area a different brigade is in charge. The Country Fire Authority. All the firemen in the CFA are volunteers (not paid wages). When the fire siren sounds in the Bush, you may be having a hair cut and the barber stops and says "Got to go OOrrOO!!" ( OZ: goodbye!) and runs to the fire station!! He`s the driver.

The trouble in those days was that the hose couplings (screw together bits) between the CFA and MFB hoses were different!!! They couldn`t connect to our hoses or us to theirs without a special adaptor. Do you know what that is? The CFA also had different vehicles, mainly four wheel drives and huge six wheel drive tankers. All these frustrating little quirks have changed now, thank goodness!

If you want to find out more..
There is a museum in Melbourne containing some of their original fire engines...from before Gerry's time!
The Melbourne Fire Brigade site has got images of their current engines.
This leads to the Country Fire Authority.