Two major milestones were reached by Fire and Rescue NSW Finley Branch recently.
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Firefighter Ken Bevan hung up his uniform for the last time after serving 58 years to protect the local community.
The brigade also celebrated 80 years protecting the community.
Ken made himself available in 1968 after having been approached by then fire captain Ainsley Adams.
“Ainsley asked my father if I would like to join the fire brigade and, of course, I was only too happy to oblige,” Ken said.
Ken completed his training and has continued to further his knowledge over the years. A major source of learning was the demonstrations which were held on a regular basis over many years.
Ken took part in these from 1972 until 2002 which resulted in seven state titles and making many friends from NSW, Victoria and New Zealand. Ken is the only firefighter in the state to be part of seven wins.
Another proud involvement was when the local fire brigade travelled to assist with major Sydney fires in 1994.
“I could never have participated over so many years without the support and encouragement of my wife, Maureen, and family. It was a privilege to be able to do so much for the community with their help,.
“And, of course, the wonderful people I worked beside over the 58 years grew to be my second family.”
Current Captain Lawrence Walsh commended Ken’s years of service.
“Thank you, Ken, for your 58 years of service and commitment to the people and town of Finley and for your years representing Station 293 at the NSW Fire Brigade Demonstrations,” he said.
“You, along with your knowledge and experience, have been greatly appreciated and will be sadly missed.”
Capt Walsh is just the sixth captain in the 80 year history of the Finley brigade, with Ken also taking the lead for four of those years.
The following history has been compiled with the help of John Hand, a retired member of the local branch, who served for 41 years.
Before the establishment of the Finley Fire Brigade in 1946, the town was the home of a volunteer brigade established by the town’s businessmen to protect their properties.
Without a reticulated water supply, which was completed in the latter part of WWII, the volunteers relied on ‘bucket brigades’ using water stored in tanks on properties or the use of a hand operated pump on a horse drawn trailer, later on a T-Model Ford.
The first buildings in the town were timber and with limited ability to extinguish fires, the results were often complete destruction of the building where the fire began and several neighbouring properties.
Severe drought conditions in the area saw water transported to Finley by rail from Tocumwal in the late 1930s.
The laying of pipes for a reticulated water supply began in 1939, completed in October of that year.
Berrigan Shire Council began approaching the Board of Fire Commissioners (now Fire + Rescue NSW) towards the end of WWII for the establishment of fire brigades in Berrigan, Finley and Tocumwal.
The board visited the shire in early 1945 and approved brigades in the three towns which took place the following year.
Finley’s first fire engine, an open cabin Garford appliance, was stored in temporary quarters until the building of the fire station in the early 1950s by the Berrigan Shire Council, one of the three identical stations in the shire.
The stations were later purchased by the Board of Fire Commissioners in 1973. Finley’s current station was built in 2006.
A fire bell, now installed at the front of the station, was fitted to the fence between Len Ryan’s Garage and the adjoining butcher, now part of Riverina Garage’s used car area. This was the method used to alert members of the brigade of a fire in the town.
Later a siren was installed at the fire station, activated by one of the firemen through their phone.
Since those early methods of alerting brigade members, the use of mobile phones activated by Fire + Rescue NSW, with information provided by people using ‘000’ is the current method.
The original brass helmets and woollen firefighting tunics have been updated several times in the last 80 years, as have the communications, fire engines and fire brigade responsibilities.
The brigade is responsible for property fires, rescue - dependent on the type of incident, brigades either primary or secondary accredited - and hazardous material incidents.
The training and equipment for these increased responsibilities is so much advanced from the brigade’s beginning 80 years ago.
Breathing apparatus for use in smoke and toxic fume environments, hydraulic rescue equipment and thermal imaging capabilities are some of the tools brigade members use in their day-to-day activities.
The brigade has responded to fires both in the town and surrounding areas, aircraft and motor vehicle accidents, assisted NSW Ambulance, Rural Fire Service and pumped floodwaters threatening properties.
An early form of training was taking part in demonstrations where brigades ‘demonstrated’ their proficiency in a competitive environment, now championships. This formed a long part of fire brigade history in Australia, continuing to this day.
State demonstrations/championships began in 1932. Finley competed at the first post WWII competition in 1954 and in the ensuing years was the most successful team in the state, winning seven state titles.
While brigades now have women as valuable team members, this has only been for the last 40 years. Finley currently has five women in their team.
The communities of Finley and surrounding areas can be extremely proud of those who give of their time and put their own safety at risk to help others when needed.