Fate of old fire appliances

ex Seria FS/BFRD Isuzu/McAlister Emergency Tender

ex BFRD/ Sg.Liang FS Scania 93M/Bronto Skylift Hydraulic Platform no.14

Slightly seen in front of the Scania is the Brunei LNG dry powder/foam tender

Recently admin had visited Kampong Danau at Tutong District. Fortunately the "hunting" for the old appliance are paid off as admin had found a house where its owner succesffuly bought several emergency vehicles and parked it outside his house. It ranges emergency vehicles from 1980s up to 1990s. Admin believed that the owner possibly bought many vehicles before. This is what admin spotted at the compound:

1) Royal Brunei Police Force old vehicles - different types from vans to patrol cars.

2) 1990s Scania 93m / SK Fire / Bronto Skylift 22-2T1 ex Brunei Fire and Rescue Department Hydraulic Platform no.14 (HP14). Last station : Sungai Liang Fire Station.

3) 1980s Isuzu/McAlister Emergency Vehicle no.2 (ET2). ex Brunei Fire and Rescue Department. Last station: Seria fire station.

4) 1980s Mercedes with two large tanks possibly Dry Powder/Foam Tender. ex Brunei LNG Fire Department.

*admin will interview the owner sooner or later. for more information on those vehicles

Bedford TK / Carmichael CV.3

Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) 1981 Bedford TK with Carmichael bodyworks Canteen Vehicle no.3 (CV3). Before being converted into Canteen Vehicle this appliance formerly used as a combined Breathing Apparatus Tender (BAT) / Rescue Tender no.3 (RT3). Based at Berakas from since it is used in 1981. During its operational years this appliances used to respond to incidents which require the usage of B.A. sets for prolonged operation, marine rescue as well as temporary command post. Now it served as equipment carrier cum canteen vehicle.

Public Auction 22 May 2010

A public auction which consist of several workshop equipment and two Dennis fire applainces will be held at the Brunei Fire and Rescue Department Workshop at Beribi Fire and Rescue Station. The appliance which will be sale to the the public are as follows:

1987 Dennis RS133RL/2904 with Carmichael bodyworks Base Pump no.1 (BP1) BG 5895 (ex-Bandar Seri Begawan Fire and Rescue Station)

Photo shows WRL17 twin sister the WRL18 (courtesy Brunei FRD archive)

1985 Dennis DFD 133 with Carmicahel bodyworks BG5903

Both equipments and appliances will be sold at the mentioned venue on 22 May 2010 9:30am.

Volkswagen LT31D / Mc Alister Emergency Tender no.1 (ET1)

Photo courtesy of Brunei FRD archive.

Brunei Fire Brigade 1987 Volkswagen LT31D with McAlister bodyworks Emergency Tender no.1 (ET1). This appliance was operated by the Brunei Fire Brigade RESCUE unit. This appliance carry standard emergency ambulance equipment for pre-hospital care and rescue equipments such as hydraulic cutting and spreading tool. This appliance was later repainted red with the yellow and blue striping and had served Berakas Fire Station (RESCUE), Sg.Kebun, Jerudong, Bangar, Belait and Seria. This appliance had been sold to public in an auction in 2008.

Portable Pump Trailer

Photo courtesy Brunei FRD archive.

The trailer pump used in the 1980s are consist of trailer fitted with portable pump, several hose reels and hard suction hoses. While the compartments stored various branching equipment and nozzles. Most of the 1980s pump were medium duty and this trailer were usually towed by the Toyota Land Cruiser (L/C), Command Cars (CC) or General Purpose Vehicle (GPV).

Dennis 133 / Carmichael Water Tender Ladder no.18 (WRL18)

Photo courtesy of Brunei FRD archive

Brunei Fire Brigade 1986 Dennis 133 with Carmichael bodyworks Water Tender Ladder no.18 (WRL18). This appliance is the main turnout appliance for the Belait fire station. It carries 13.5m ladder and other section ladder. For firefighting roles this appliance carries 5000L of water and firefighting equipment. This appliance served the Belait Fire Station until end of 1990s when it was replaced by the 1998 Volvo FL10/SK Fire Water Tender Ladder no.1 (WRL1). Now this appliance had been kept as reserve appliance.

Merryweather Telescala Escape Ladder

Photo courtesy of Brunei Fire and Rescue Archive

The Merryweather Telescala Escape Ladder is the widely used Escape Ladder in the 1960 until early 1980s. The first appliance to carry this ladder is the 1960 Dennis F105 Pump Escape (P.E) followed by other P.Es built on Bedford chassis. The Escape Ladder can be extended up to 50m and it is believed to be the main component in high rise firefighting and rescue operation in the 1960s.

1960s-1970s Morris LD Emergency Tender (ET)

Photo courtesy of Brunei Fire and Rescue Department Archive

1960s-1970s Morris LD Emergency Tender (ET). This appliance is the pioneer of the ET usage in the Brunei FRD fleet. It carry basic rescue equipment at that time such as hacksaws, crowbars and manual rescue equipment. This appliance was stationed at the Brunei Town Fire Station (now Yayasan Parking Lot) until the end of its service.

4O Gallon wheeled foam engine

"Its a 40 gallon wheeled foam engine. They were found on just about every British Military establishment up to the 1960s. They worked exactly the same as a portable foam extinguisher...only on a larger scale.
We used to have a station 'wind up' or practical joke by using the two separated refill components of a foam extinguisher.....putting the contents of one part into a w.c water cistern...the other part in the lavatory pan.....after the poor victim of the wind up had finished their business and flushed the loo....the two chemicals mixed and the expansion of 16 gallons of finished foam would rise out of the pan ....with the body function floating on the top !!!!!1
Anyway....we once discovered a refill pack to a foam engine .... and after trying the same wind up....it took us nearly two weeks to finally get rid of all the traces of the foam out of the system !!!! "

- Barrie Green, UK

This vintage appliance currently kept at Berakas Fire and Rescue Station as the station "Guard"

Daihatsu 1600 4WD Ex-Command Car no.1 (CC1)

Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) former Daihatsu 1600 4WD Common Car no. 1 (CC1). This appliance used to serve Operational 'B' Command Fire Stations as stations common car before being decommissioned and sold to the public in a public auction somewhere in 2008. This appliance is used to tow trailer pump and also transport personnel to incident site during its operational years.

Dennis DFD / SK Fire Water Tender Ladder no.24 (WRL24)

A model specially built in tribute to the WRL24. Location: OGDC traffic games arena2007: Served the Sg.Kebun Fire and Rescue Station

2008: Served the Jerudong 1 Fire and Rescue Station

Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) 1993 Dennis DFD 2424 with SK Fire bodyworks Water Tender Ladder no.24 (WRL24). This appliance possibly been retired or refurbished by the department. This appliance carry water in its tank and firefighting and rescue equipment in the lockers. Quite a familiar sight to see the Dennis in the 1990s, however as time goes by many Dennis are retired and recently the "friend" of this WRL24 the WRL22 are striped into parts in Sg.Liang area

Mercedes 4436 / Bronto SKylift 66-2T2 ex- HP12

One of the two "giant" Hydraulic Platform (HP) operated by the department. This appliance had been decommissioned by Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) and sold to the public in 2008. Currently it is operated by Soon Lee Heavy Machinery (SLHM) of Belait District. This appliance used to serve the Tumasek and Jerudong 1 Fire and Rescue Stations before decommissioned. Callsign is Hydraulic Platform 12 (HP12) this appliance can reach up to 13 floor when fully extended.

Bedford TK / Carmichael CV3

Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) 1980s Bedford TK with Carmichael bodywork. This appliance is the department former Breathing Apparatus Tender (BAT) cum Rescue Tender No.3 (RT3). Operated by the former elite RESCUE squad. This appliance has a rear section to carry the breathing apparatus sets. Now this appliance had been converted into common vehicle to carry fire extinguishers and other equipments during large scale functions.

Bedford SH/Magirus Turntable Ladder (TL)

Bedford SH/Magirus TL no.1 undergoing aerial rescue drill at Bandar Seri Begawan FS. Circa 1970s

Bedford SH/Magirus Turntable Ladder no.2 at BSB FS. Circa 1967.

Arrived in Brunei in 1967 this Bedford SH/Magirus 100ft TL is the most sate of art appliance that Brunei Fire Brigade owns at that time. At the end of the ladder there is a high presure monitor for high-rise firefighting. BFB owns two units of it. TL1 was stationed at Bandar Seri Begawan Fire Station while TL2 was stationed at Seria Fire Station (later transferred to Kuala Belait Fire Station). Later in 1980s with the arrival of the Snorkel appliances this appliance is no longer used and few years later sold to the public.

Scania 113M/Bronto Skylift 22-2T Hydraulic Platform no.13 (HP13)

Berakas FRS Scania 113M/Bronto Skylift 22-2T HP13

This appliance was acquired in 1990s. Its role is for aerial firefighting and rescue. At that time it was the sophisticated appliance in Brunei. It works by extending the booms and there is a ladder at the side of the boom. The side ladder will be used in case of hydraulic failure. Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) used to operate two units of this appliances before both are decommissioned and sold in an auction in 2008.

Workshop.

Written Off Fire Appliances and a refurbished WRL awaiting repair (WRL24)

Photo shows some of the appliances waiting for repair at Brunei Fire and Rescue Department (BFRD) Beribi Workshop. From left is the Dennis DFD/SK Fire WRL20 (written off), Dennis DFD/SK Fire WRL24 ex Jerudong Fire and Rescue Department (awaiting repair) and a Daihatsu V32B bus.