A photograph of the Drouin fire crew holding a hose reel during a training exercise near the railway level crossing c.1940.
Tup Pedersen is almost the crew in the back row, second from left.
The Drouin Fire Brigade was formed on July 1, 1937. Young Duncan Holman joined the brigade aged 14 years in 1938.
Wally Gerrard was the first captain of the brigade, which became the Drouin Urban CFA in 1941.
The old fire station was situated in Francis Avenue, next to the west end of the Drouin Railway Station. The building is now an accountant's office.
A big bell at the front of the building was rung by the first firefighter to respond to a call out.
Drouin had no water supply, so a Fargo tanker with 200-gallon capacity was used with a mobile-wheeled hose. Duncan Holman said the tanker's water supply was used up very quickly.
The brigade members, who had very basic uniforms, attended monthly meetings and training sessions, including friendly competitions between brigades.
Duncan Holman went on to captain the Longwarry brigade. In 2019, he was presented with an 80-year fire service medal which had to be specially crafted as this was the first 80-year medal awarded to anyone in Victoria and Australia.
Photograph and information courtesy of the Drouin History Group.
To hear more about the Drouin Fire Brigade and Duncan Holman's story, visit storiesofdrouin.com.au.