Brigade History

In 1947 it was decided by the east Torrens council and volunteers to man the council truck with a portable water tank, pump (petrol) and long hose to help fight bushfires.

In 1948 Mr F.S Eyre who was the district supervisor and council clerk registered it as the Norton summit E.F.S.

This method worked all right for the time and was a big improvement on the few knapsacks and wet bags and branches.

But there was only one truck and when a fire started we had to 'phone people nearest to where the men are working and they would have to race back and put on the tank and the equipment and go to the fire.

In 1958 a committee was formed with the late Mr Les Treloar as president, J.W Markings as deputy supervisor as well as G.Whitebread.
 

Official Opening of the Norton Summit / Ashton E.F.S 1958

It was then registered as the Norton Summit /Ashton E.F.S. (Emergency Fire Service)

The council was approached about a separate vehicle and they decided to buy an army chev blitz for 300 pounds for which they paid 150 pounds and all available help from the committee and others turned it into a fire unit.

In 1961 Mr. J. Fellew was elected as chairman.

In 1962 Mr. S.C Fiest was elected secretary/treasurer and in the same year it was decided to build a fire station to house the fire truck and was finally built on council land near the council chambers.

The blitz unit also had a hand siren attached in the same year.

In 1963 the first 10 sets of overalls were purchased for 2 pounds 11 shillings.

official opening of the Norton Summit / Ashton E.F.S 1958

In may 1964 a 4 wheel land rover vehicle was purchased as a second unit.

The committee set to work in their spare time and took off the old aluminum body and built it for a fire unit, it was ready in 1965.

In 1966 the women’s auxiliary was formed and with their help the kitchen was completed and the E.F.S obtained the councils permission to shift the radio and have an external telephone in the kitchen.

The Electronic siren, which was originally an Air-raid siren obtained from the Military and was erected on a short pole near Jack Makings garage, was converted to an automatic telephone operation and mounted on a windmill stand resurrected from Government House ruins and erected on the hill near the Girl Guides Hut with the kind permission of Mr Chas Giles.

In 1967 the E.F.S building was opened by Mr F.L Kerr, SA Director of E.F.S. There was a good attendance at the ceremony by local residents as well as the E.F.S Men and Women's Auxiliary members all in uniform. Life Membership and service medals were presented by Mr Kerr.

There had been a keen interest by members of the unit prior to this time and taken part in weekly foremanships and civil defence courses conducted at Bridgewater.

The old Blitze was becoming unsuitable for long trips fast, so the E.F.S asked the Council if they could send delegates to talk this over. As a result of the meeting it was decided that East Torrens District Council would donate an international new cab-chassis and the Committee to get the body completed by P.A. Wotton at a cost of $2.800. That we sell the blitz - which was later bought by the Council for $600 and was completed on 1971.

As we could not fit in a date to have the international commissioned it was decided to have it on a display in the parade of the Uraidla show.

We Registered the Norton Summit / Ashton E.F.S as an incorporated body in October 1971. Mr D Norton elected chairman in the same year.

Former SA Premier & Brigade Member - Sir Thomas Playford, far right.