Fired up by the past
Syed Umar Ariff
THE gallery at the Batu Pahat fire station pays special tribute to firefighters, past and present.
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| CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON: Brass nozzles used by firemen in the past. |
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| DING, DING, DING!: The new Batu Pahat fire station which houses the gallery. |
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| EVOLUTION: Pictures of fire engines used through the decades. |
Set up more than a year ago, the gallery is touted to be the only one of its kind in Johor.
It is meant to preserve the historical moments and equipment of the century-old uniformed body in the country.
Other than housing old firefighting paraphernalia, such as uniforms, brass nozzles and water hoses for display, there are also pictures of how firemen performed their duties in the past.
Mishan Rusdan, officer-in-charge at the Batu Pahat Fire and Rescue Department, said the items were collected from the old Batu Pahat fire station, which was situated near Jalan Rahmat.
"We have a lot of items such as nozzles and pipes used since the early 1900s and during World War 2.
"Most of them were made of brass.
"Even the pressure gauges were brass," he said.
There is also an old log book written in Jawi, dated 1935. The book, which is encased in a glass display, recorded the emergencies and assignments that took place.
It is also interesting to note a brass bell which was used as a fire engine's siren.
Mishan said the bell could produce a sound as loud as 300 decibels.
"People from afar would know that there was a fire somewhere when the bell was struck by firemen rushing to the scene," he said.
There are also pictures of fire engines that look like push carts with water tanks.
"These were the vehicles used as fire engines more than a century ago in England.
"Some of them did not reach Malayan shores, but others were used until the 1960s," said Mishan.
Visitors are welcome to visit the Fire and Rescue Department gallery in Jalan Timah Sari, Batu Pahat.
It is open to the public from 8am to 5pm on working days.
For more information, the department gallery can be contacted at 07-4342444. Admission is free.
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