FOXTON FIRE BRIGADE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3017, 30 March 1926, Page 4

FOXTON FIRE BRIGADE.

RESULTS AT U.F.B.A. COMPETITIONS.

Deputy-superintendent Lockwood presented a report to the Fire Board on Friday concerning' the local brigadesmen who competed at the U.F.B.A. competitions, held at Dunedin on March 2nd. Members of the Board expressed pleasure at the marked improvement shown by the team, as compared with past efforts. The following are some of the details: —

In the Gilberd Memorial one man coupling event, the local representative drew first place, but owing to a slight mistake, did not run till after Mosgiel. Foxton’s time was 87 secs, with 6 sec. penalties. This time, while a long way from winning time, was considered very good. Otaki’s time for this run was 105 sec., Feilding’s 107 sec., Levin 99 sec. Foxton’s time for the Gilberd Memorial last year was 104 sec. If not in the winning lve, we have improved and we certainly gave our neighbours a beating. In the two man coupling event, Foxton ran ninth and at the finish of the run were heartily applauded, their time being 56 l-ssec., no penalties. Here also we beat Levin 71sec., Frilling 71sec. This time shows a difference of 20sees. improvement on last year’s time, and Secretary Walls and Fireman Morgan are to be congratulated on their very fine performance. In the Two Man Rescue event, Foreman Reid and Foreman Parker were the local Representatives and taking into consideration the difficulties under which this event was practiced, they did very well. Many teams with adequate room and gear at their disposal for practice, put up a much poorer run. Foxton’s time was 47 sec. Many teams on seeing the springiness of the ladder in use, withdrew. Hose and Hydrant (wet). This run was (as far as the local team was concerned) an absolutely hard luck run. Foxton put up a splendid run and were finished in 31sec, but were disqualified on the grounds that one of the team was caught tightening his branch after the water was off. But for this mistake Foxton would have taken fourth place. In this runn Feilding was 43 2-5 sec. Levin 37 1-5 sec., Foxton’s time here, showed a decrease of 6 sec. on last year’s time.

In the three men disabled event Foxton did not finish owing to the hydrant coming unshipped. Many teams came to grief in this run. The plug - used had very little thread and if (as happened in many cases) the hydrantman was unfortunate enough to have his deliveries headed the wrong way, when the branch man reached his distance he would pull the hydrant over, and this is what occurred in our case.

Owing to a slight indisposition, Fireman Parker was unable to compete on the last day in our final event, the Modern Engine Event, so we had to pull Qut. Had we kown in time we could have arranged with one of the other competing teams to loan a man, but we didn’t find out until too late. This was exceedingly unfortunate, for, judging by the winnig times I feel sure we could have been well up in this event. We have learned more from this Demonstration than by any other. Candidly speaking, 1 must say that as far as practical fire fighting goes, the Demonstration has not taught us anything, for they are not lire fighting events. All one learns is speeil in coupling and running hose. All the events in competitions are straight out runs on level ground and at a fire it is more likely that hose has to be taken into inLhat hose has to be taken into • almost inaccessible places. Even in the ladder events everything is different, for whereas competing teams used a single ladder, we, at a tire use a telescopic ladder. We have gained experience by visiting the different stations. I am satisfied that if we are not- as big a brigade as Dunedin, Christchurch, or even Pahuerstoiq with hard practice we can make ourselves as good, if not better, and in the matter of speed in getting under way to a fire, we are nearly on a par with big centres, who for all their permanent staff and up-to-date equipment are not too fast on the getaway. If we had an alarm system such as obtains in big centres, we would beat them. Before closing my report, I would like to say that all through the trip, the brigade representatives’ conduct was excellent, and but for the slight indisposition of Fireman Parker, the team and myself enjoyed perfect health, and had a very enjoyable and instructive holiday. Every station we visited we were treated with great courtesy, nothing was too much trouble for the brigadesmen to explain to us about the various motors, hose packing or ladders. The trip was well worth the trouble and arduous practice.