Happy Valley C.F.S. Brigade

HAPPY VALLEY BRIGADE HISTORY

This fire started west of today's Happy Valley Oval, about Brook Drive Reserve.  The oval was not there then and was not constructed until 1965.  The only fire-fighters to arrive were soldiers from the Army Remount Farm at O'Halloran Hill.

After the fire, Samuel Fairbrother from Happy Valley called the inaugural meeting with the thought of forming a fire protection association within the district.  This meeting was held in the only meeting place in those days the school room of the now old   Happy Valley School on Education Road

These men attended on this night:

Ernie Bahr, Cliff Baseby, Dick Candy, Frank Dodd, Herbie Day, Ted Fabian, Brian Fairbrother, Dudley Fairbrother, Samuel Fairbrother, Eric Klar, Reg Lucas, Dud Nicolle, Hurtle Powell, George Powell, Stan Keane, Bob Robertson,  and Ellie Scroop.

On this night 28 February 1939 Samuel Fairbrother proposed and Cliff Baseby seconded that a Happy Valley Fire Fighting and Protection Association be formed and all agreed.

A committee was formed to collect 2/6 subscriptions which back then was 10% of their wages (that is if they had a job) to kick off an Emergency Fire Service. The first members of the brigade also paid 2/6 annual subscriptions.

To say this brigade started off from nothing financially is very true, but never the less residents that lived in the district in 1939 rallied to the call as they could see the need for a Volunteer Fire Service.

There were many dances, raffles and donations organised to help raise funds for much needed equipment. Meadows Council provided a 50/50 subsidy of any money we could raise.  The Council supplied our first  Happy Valley knapsacks.

The Auxiliary Fire Service later become known as the EFS Emergency Fire Service.   By the end of 1939, close on four hundred volunteers divided into 10 areas covering the city and suburbs.

The EFS would grow to have in 1993, to 435 brigades and about 18,300 volunteers throughout the state and would later have another name change  - to the Country Fire Service (CFS).

Today after two previous name changes we are known as the :  “ Happy Valley Country Fire Service “with three modern fire appliances capable of handling grass and bushfires as well as vehicle and building fires.

From our very humble green bush and wet bag beginning in 1939 our Brigade has been in continuous operation ever since and has grown and expanded through the efforts of many volunteers.  

Many of today's volunteers are trained Breathing Aparatus Operators "B.A." to be able to fight fires under very smokey and toxic conditions.  Some too are qualified in first aid.

This information comes from the book " Happy Valley Country Fire Service 1939 - 1994"  written by our Brigade Historian and Foundation Member Mr. Dud Nicolle.

           ^{Brigade         History          Appliances          Members          Photos          Incidents          Contact Us          Links          Site Map                                      Return to Top}