SA Country Fire Service Promotions Unit - History Section
Promoting the Historical foundations of the Service

Belair Brigade - 1943 to Present

Prior to the formation of the Belair Emergency Fire Service, local residents of the area provided their own fire protection. On days when fires were reported, the local church bells sounded. Volunteer fire fighters would respond, taking with them wet bags, rakes and shovels to extinguish fires that were mainly in the Park and foothills scrub.

After the war, Civil Defence Groups that were in operation were disbanded and the trained personnel were no longer required for emergency response. The people in the area decided to form an Emergency Fire Service as a result, to respond to peacetime fire hazards.

The inaugural meeting of the Emergency Fire Service Brigade was called by Mr AD Hannaford and Mr RT Halstead on November 30, 1943 at the Belair Primary School on Sheoak Road. The school is now operated as a private school under ownership of St Johns Grammar School.

During the early years, the Belair, Blackwood and Eden Hills brigades were known as the Mitcham Hills Emergency Fire Service Brigade with the Unit name following.

The Foundation Members of the Belair Emergency Fire Service were; AD Hannaford as Chief Officer/Station Officer, GF Miles as Deputy Station Officer, RT Halstead as Secretary along with members WH Lewis, AH Sullivan, HJ Halstead, RW Lyon, CA Verrall and PA Perkins. There was no elected President or Chairman at the inception of the Brigade, as the Station Officer performed these roles.

Training nights were held on Friday and still are to this day.

The Belair Brigade has been active in competitions since the inception of the EFS. Competitions were generally held during the Royal Show at Wayville. The Brigade entered pump drills, dry hose drills, ladder drills and became specialists in the portable pump and alarm race. Belair were seven times state champions for this event between 1977 and 1984. They were also holders of the National Park Shield EFS Region 1 for the pump and hose drill championship in 1957, 58 and 59.

This information has been sourced from the Brigade website at this address

Brigade Stations

1943 to Present - 15a Sheoak Road, Belair
Photographer, CFS Promotions Unit - Dec 2010

Captains

Life Members