History 1971-2000
Page 2




These were really the “Golden Years” of the Porirua Brigade, the area was experiencing phenomenal growth, the relationship with neighbouring Brigades, Plimmerton, Titahi Bay, Tawa, and Porirua’s own volunteer unit was sound, but like many “families” there was the occasional spat or two, but usually quickly resolved in the “Chief’s Office”.




The Brigade staff during these times was always very busy, industrial expansion was on the march, Mitsubishi (Todd) Motors moved into town, the town centre was growing seemingly by the day, and from all of this , the fire calls grew in proportion.

The average age of the Brigade at the time was in the twenties and it seemed everybody had a thirst for knowledge, and were keen to attend one of these new Fire Service training courses at the decentralized training centre in Kilbirnie, or the college at Island Bay.




It was possible to do some 12 or more of these courses which varied in time from a week to a month.




Equipment upgrading whilst always dependant on monies available, was uppermost in people’s minds and the Fire Brigade was steering away from British sources, which had served well in the past, to American and in the later stages European and Japanese, Elkhart, Akron,Branches, Darley, Waterous pumps, Mitsubishi, Dennis and Sania appliances.




JAWS




Porirua’s rescue equipment took a QUANTUM LEAP forward, when the Tawa Lions donated a set of “Jaws of Life” in 1976. These jaws and the replacement units over the years have assisted countless times at motor vehicle accidents, and have lessened the misery and time spent trapped in mangled motor vehicles.

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