History of the ACT Fire Brigade
More than 80 years of service in Canberra.
The Canberra Fire Brigade was formed in 1912 and operated from a building near the Acton Guest House on the Molonglo River. The Officer in charge of the Brigade was Mr Percy Douglas who was appointed Chief Officer in June 1914 and held that role until his retirement in 1952.
 The initial strength of the Brigade was Mr Douglas supported by two volunteers and a horse-drawn cart. With the onset of World War I, the Brigade was disbanded, to be resumed again in the early 1920's, operating from a building at the rear of the old Power House at Kingston.
The Brigade received it's first motor powered fire appliance in 1924 which was a "Hotchkiss" chassis converted into a fire engine. In the period from 1925 to 1932 five permanent officers were appointed and a further two appliances were purchased.
1935
In 1935 the Brigade assumed the additional role of the Ambulance Service, transferred from the Transport Branch. The combined Service was moved to the Forrest Fire Station site in late 1939.
1950
During the early 1950's proposals were formulated to have the administration of the Brigade transferred to the control of the New South Wales Board of Fire Commissioners, on behalf of the Department of the Interior. Guidelines were set for the transfer of responsibilities by letters between the Prime Minister and the NSW Premier during 1951 and 1952. The first step of this transfer occurred on the 10th of January 1953 when Inspector C.P. Holdom and Station Officer V. Lowther arrived from the NSW Fire Brigade to take charge of the Combined Service until the future of the Service had been determined. Inspector Holdom became the Chief Officer with the responsibility of organising the transfer.
The Ambulance section of the Brigade had to be separated and this function was transferred to the Canberra Hospital Board on the 12th of October 1955.
The NSW Board of Fire Commissioners finally incorporated the Canberra Brigade on the 4th of April 1958. The strength of the Brigade at the time of the transfer was:
- 1x Chief Officer
- 3x Fire Appliances
- 4x Station Officers
- 2x Water Tankers
- 26x Firemen
- 1x Trailer Pump
- 4x Special Servicemen
Expansion of Canberra from this time required the opening of three new Stations to offer suitable fire protection for the growing city:
- Ainslie Fire Station (No.2) - 30 March 1962
- Phillip Fire Station (No.3) - 2 May 1969
- Belconnen Fire Station (No.4) - 27 September 1971
Manpower was increased to 107 personnel. Chief Officer Holdom ceased duty in the A.C.T. on the 20th of June 1964 when he proceeded on leave prior to his retirement on the 25th of July 1964. He was replaced in May 1965 by Mr J.K. Mundy.
1970
In the early 1970's local feeling was that responsibility for the Brigade should be returned to the local area under the control of the Department of the Capital Territory. Correspondence was again passed between the Prime Minister, the NSW Premier, the NSW Board of Fire Commissioners, and the Department of Territories on arrangements to transfer administration back to the Territory.
Negotiations were held during 1974 between the Department of Territories and the Federal Firefighters Union, representing the members, to formulate an Award.
The Fire Brigade (Administration) Act was gazetted on the 22nd of November 1974, creating the ACT Fire Brigade as an independent body under the control of the Minister for the Capital Territory. The actual transfer of responsibility did not occur until 1976 because the Fire Brigade (Employees) Award, handed down by Commissioner Brack of the Arbitration Commission, was disputed by the Federal Firefighters Union and was referred to the Full Bench of the Arbitration and Conciliation Commission. The appeal, which was heard in December 1975, was rejected. Members then elected to accept the Award proposed by Commissioner Brack.
The official handover date became the 16th of January 1976. All but a very small number of personnel resigned as employees of the NSW Fire Brigade, and took up employment with the Department of the Capital Territory.
The first Recruit College of the ACT Fire Brigade commenced in April 1976 and consisted of 9 men and 1 instructor. Brigade College Number 1 consisting of 50 recruits commenced later in the year and were trained in buildings within the Australian National University.
With the expansion of the Brigade new Headquarters were required as the existing building adjacent to Forrest Fire Station (known as "The Castle") had been outgrown. A new Headquarters building and a Training Tower were constructed adjacent to Belconnen Fire Station and these were opened on the 2nd February 1979.
With the new satellite city of Tuggeranong under development, Kambah Fire Station (No.5) was opened on the 22nd of October 1979. This Station included a workshop area constructed to carry out regular servicing and maintenance of the Brigade's expanding fleet of vehicles.
1980
Commissioner J.K. Mundy retired on the 14th of October 1980 and was replaced by the then Superintendent D. Williamson.
Charnwood Fire Station (No.6) was opened on the 18th of February 1981 to protect the expanding residential areas of West Belconnen.
As the Brigade was steadily growing, the facilities at Forrest Fire Station were becoming increasingly inadequate for the operation of a District Station and Fyshwick Fire Station (No.1) was opened on the 27th of July 1983. This operated as the new District Station with the exception of the Control Room which remained at Forrest.
Commissioner D. Williamson retired in 1983 due to ill health. Commissioner W.M.G. Kerr was appointed to the position on the 22nd of October 1984.
In March 1986, Headquarters was moved to the Australian National University Staff Centre, and with a further need for space relocated to Swanson Plaza, Belconnen in November 1988.
Chisholm Fire Station (No.7) was opened on the 15th of October 1986. The updating and refurbishment of the Control Room was completed in September 1987. A new radio network was installed in 1989.
Mr K.G. Tait was appointed Deputy Commissioner in January 1988.
The Operational Support Section, which operates from Fyshwick, and incorporates Breathing Apparatus, Hazardous Materials and Aerial Appliances, was introduced in 1988. Refurbishment of Belconnen Fire Station was completed in January 1988. The refurbishment of Phillip Fire Station was completed in September 1989.
1990
Deputy Commissioner K. Tait retired on the 30th of March 1990. The then Superintendent T. Miller was appointed to the position on the 1st of September 1990.
The rapid expansion of Tuggeranong brought the need for another Station at Greenway (No.8) which was opened on the 14th of December 1990. The Operations District Officer quarters were moved from "The Castle" at Forrest to Fyshwick Fire Station in 1991.
In 1991 the Fire Commissioner became the Director of the ACT Fire and Emergency Services which incorporated the ACT Fire Brigade, the ACT Bush Fire Council and the ACT Emergency Services.
Early in the 1990s the ACT emergency community formed the Emergency Management Group and a few years later this became the ACT Emergency Services Bureau. The ACT Fire Brigade was one of the services forming that Bureau.
2004
The ACT Fire Brigade was one of four services forming the ACT Emergency Services Authority on July 1st 2004, with David Prince as its Chief Officer.
Fire Brigade Historical Society of the ACT
 Further historical details are provided in the newsletter of the Fire Brigade Historical Society of the ACT:
Contact: Drew McLean
Telephone: 0418 454 070
Postal Address: PO Box 468, Curtin ACT 2605
Website: http://www.canberrafiremuseum.netfirms.com
Chief Officers
Mr P Douglas
Chief Officer, Canberra Fire Brigade
1912 - 1914, and 1926 - 1952
Mr Charles Patrick Holdom QFSM
Chief Officer, Canberra Fire Brigade
1953 - 1964
1964 - 1974 the Brigade was administered by NSW Fire Brigades Board
Mr J K Munday QFSM FIFireE, JP
Fire Commissioner, ACT Fire Brigade
1974 - 1980
Mr D Williamson GIFireE
Fire Commissioner, ACT Fire Brigade
1980 - 1984
Mr W M G Kerr QFSM AFSM FIFireE
Fire Commissioner, ACT Fire Brigade
1984 - 1992
Mr R J Dance MIFireE
Fire Commissioner, ACT Fire Brigade
1992 - 2000
Mr I M Bennett Grad.Cert App.Mgt (AIPM)
Fire Commissioner, ACT Fire Brigade
2000 - 2004
Mr D L Prince AFSM Grad. Cert. App. Mgt (AIPM)
Chief Officer, ACT Fire Brigade
July 2004 - May 2007
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