Coast’s long history of fighting fires together

Did you know? The first record of a fire brigade on the Sunshine Coast was more than 100 years ago on March 7, 1924.

A group of volunteers gathered as a result of a call from Council to train up on fighting fires safely.

Volunteer fire brigades ran in many parts of the Sunshine Coast, as pictured in this photo from circa 1940.

Some equipment would be supplied by the Queensland Government, however often the communities would have to fundraise to purchase additional hoses and equipment.

Water was often sourced from the rivers or the residential tanks close to the fires.

Bushfires were frightening, however the formation of fire brigades helped to foster a sense of mateship and camaraderie.

This excerpt from the Chronicle and North Coast Adviser in 1940 demonstrates the humour some were able to find in this situation.

“We make ourselves ridiculous again at this fire by our want of skill in conducting operations,” said the captain of a volunteer fire brigade.

“In future we will have a drill the day before each fire, just for practice.”

A huge thank you to all our firefighters for working so hard to keep our community safe. And remember to do your part too, being prepared is everyone’s responsibility.

Make your bushfire survival plan now and know exactly what you can do to protect yourself, your family and your property.

Free workshops: Learn how to develop an Emergency Plan

Natural disaster planning: How to deal with extreme weather events

You can’t control the weather or when the next disaster will hit the Sunshine Coast, but you can be aware and prepared. 

Discover which steps to take to protect what’s most important to you. Learn how to develop an Emergency Plan and prepare an Emergency Kit for bushfire and storm season.

Explore Council’s DisasterHub to find the latest Sunshine Coast updates and other practical resources. Find out what to do before, during and after a natural disaster event. Attendees get a goodie bag and tips to take home.

Supported by Council’s Disaster Management team. Free. Ages 16 and over.

Registration is essential via the Libraries website. 

Natural disaster planning

• Caloundra Library, Wednesday 9 October, 10-11.30am
• Maleny Library, Thursday 10 October, 10-11.30am
• Kenilworth Library, Friday 11 October, 10-11.30am
• Maroochydore Library, Saturday 12 October, 10-11.30am
• Nambour Library, Monday 14 October, 10-11.30am
• Coolum Library, Tuesday 15 October, 10-11.30am
• Beerwah Library, Thursday 17 October, 10-11.30am
• Kawana Library, Friday 18 October, 10-11.30am

For more information visit the Get Ready Queensland website and be sure to check out Council’s DisasterHub website for the latest local updates and information.