Misplaced Pages

#603396

21-684: Eastern Hill Fire Station is the central fire station of Melbourne , Victoria , located on the corner of Victoria Parade and Gisborne Street at one of the highest points in the City. The building has been recognised as historically significant by the Heritage Council of Victoria and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register . It no longer operates as a fire station but holds the Fire Services Museum of Victoria . Construction of

42-429: A firefighter's pole , sliding pole or a fire pole ) is a pole that firefighters slide down to quickly reach the ground floor of a fire station . This allows them to respond to an emergency call faster, as they arrive at the fire engine faster than by using a standard staircase. In the 1870s, answering an alarm, Chicago fireman George Reid decided to use the long-pole the company employed to lift horse's hay from

63-420: A callout comes through. Career firefighters are usually able to sleep during a night shift, so these stations will also have dormitories. There will be an alarm system to alert them of an emergency call , and to give some indication of where and what the emergency is. In some small fire departments, the only alarm may be a telephone for receiving calls. Many fire stations were built with the living quarters above

84-440: A permanent pole. In 1878 Kenyon convinced his chief to make the necessary hole in the building and install the pole, after agreeing to pay for any necessary maintenance . The company crafted a pole out of a Georgia pine beam by shaving and sanding it into a 3-inch (7.6 cm) diameter pole which they gave several coats of varnish and a coat of paraffin . Despite being the butt of many jokes, others soon realized Company 21

105-548: Is known as Fire Station 1 inside the Metropolitan Fire Brigade . 37°48′31″S 144°58′31″E  /  37.808551°S 144.975227°E  / -37.808551; 144.975227 This Melbourne -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fire station In large U.S. cities, fire stations are often named for the primary fire companies and apparatus housed there, such as "Ladder 49". Other fire stations are named based on

126-422: The firefighting equipment , the floor above was for recreation and sleeping, and the top floor was the hayloft to store the winter supply of hay for the fire engines ' horses. During transport, the hay was secured to a wagon using a wooden binding pole, which was stored in the hayloft when not in use. Firefighter George Reid slid down the pole to respond to a call for help once, which inspired Kenyon to create

147-642: The Fire Services Museum of Victoria now occupies the majority of the bottom floor of the old station. The Museum contains exhibits pertaining to the old MFB Board, the Chief Fire Officer, a showcase of fully refurbished fire appliances, a display of international firefighting garments and a dedication to the MFB's sister firefighting organisation, the Country Fire Authority . Eastern Hill Fire Station

168-699: The United States, the National Fire Protection Association has called for the removal of all poles from US fire stations due to safety hazards. The fire service in New Zealand has already removed most of them. In the United Kingdom, more modern fire stations are built with one storey negating the need for a pole and they are sometimes removed from old stations that no longer require the upper floors for operational purposes. However, due to

189-433: The firefighters descend to the ground floor, put on their firefighting gear, and board the fire engine as quickly as possible. The pole may run through a hole in the floor, or it may be accessed from a balcony. To use a pole, a firefighter grasps it with their hands, then clamps their legs around it, and then replaces their tight hand grip with a looser hand or arm grip to allow themselves to descend, using their legs to control

210-410: The firefighters practice their skills. Some fire companies also host public activities at the fire station during events such as a "fire prevention week", and the facility may also be used for fund-raising by the "firemen's association", " fire buffs ", or "fire auxiliary". If the station is occupied full-time by career firefighters , it will contain living quarters and work areas, where they wait until

231-462: The firefighting carried out by volunteer or retained firefighters . In this case, the firefighters are summoned to the fire station by siren , radio or pagers , where they will then deploy the fire engine. These fire stations may still have office space for the firefighters, a library of reference and other materials, and a "trophy wall" or case where the firefighters display memorabilia. Fireman%27s pole A fireman's pole (also called

SECTION 10

#1732852475604

252-425: The floor; and burns can occur due to friction if the skin rubs against the pole. If the pole runs through an unprotected hole in the floor, there is a risk of a person falling through it, as well as exhaust fumes rising into the living quarters. For these reasons, fire stations built since the 1970s are often built with the living quarters downstairs, and some older fire stations have had their poles removed. In

273-443: The garage. This arrangement is common for fire stations built in a crowded city. The fireman's pole was invented to allow firefighters to quickly descend to the garage. In modern times, agencies such as the National Fire Protection Association have argued that these pose a safety hazard. Modern fire stations are often built with the living quarters on the same level as the garage. Some fire stations are not regularly occupied, with

294-460: The settlement, neighborhood or street where they are located, or given a number. A fire station will at a minimum have a garage for housing at least one fire engine . There will also be storage space for equipment, though the most important equipment is stored in the vehicle itself. The approaches to a fire station are often posted with warning signs, and there may be a traffic signal to stop or warn traffic when apparatus are leaving or returning to

315-475: The speed. This is somewhat similar to the technique used for fast-roping . Spiral staircases or sliding chutes were once common, but not particularly fast. Fire houses were also equipped with spiral staircases so horses would not try to climb the stairs into the living quarters. Captain David B. Kenyon of Chicago's all-black Engine Company No. 21 worked in a three-story fire station. The ground floor contained

336-448: The station was begun in 1891 and the station opened on 3 November 1893, as the headquarters and city fire station for the newly formed Metropolitan Fire Brigade . It was designed by architecture firms Lloyd Taylor & Fitts, and Smith & Johnson, who both won the competition, and combined to produce this striking Australian Queen Anne style building. The building contained living quarters, stables, workshops, and offices. A watchtower

357-422: The station. Fire stations have often been built with a tower, for purposes that have changed with time. A drill tower is used for practicing high-rise rescue, while a hose tower is used for hanging hoses to dry to prevent rot. Historically, towers were lookouts for spotting fires. Activities at a fire station include regular inspection and cleaning of the apparatus and equipment, and training drills in which

378-424: The strong tradition, time advantages and new safety features, poles are common worldwide even in newly built stations. Slide poles can be made safer. Cushions can be placed around the base of the pole to soften landings. Exhaust control systems can stop fumes from rising upstairs. To prevent accidental falls, the pole can be guarded by railings, baskets, a door or a weight-activated trapdoor that opens only when weight

399-529: The upper-loft to slide to the ground floor, arriving well ahead of the rest of the company. Company Captain David Kenyon of Engine Company 21 then successfully petitioned the department be allowed to install a pole through the floor of the loft sleeping space to create what became the standard set-up. The firefighter's pole is found in multi-level fire stations, if the firefighters ' living quarters are located upstairs. When they are dispatched to an emergency,

420-465: Was initially staffed 24 hours a day. Firefighters lived on the premises until the 1970s. In 1972 a new station was begun next door, designed by Bates Smart McCutcheon in the Brutalist style, with the fire trucks now exiting onto Gisborne Street instead of Victoria Parade. The new building and refurbished old station was opened on 8 March 1979. Parts of the old building are still used for offices, while

441-545: Was usually the first company to arrive when called, especially at night, and the chief of the department ordered the poles to be installed in all Chicago fire stations. In 1880 the first brass pole was installed in the Worcester Fire Department . Losing one's grip on the pole can result in falling from a great height; the firefighter may hit an object such as a door extending from a truck; poor speed control can result in injured or even broken legs upon impact with

SECTION 20

#1732852475604
#603396