Former fire chief recalls more than 50 years of service

When Fraser Perkins joined the Warkworth Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1964, its aging 1930s-era fire trucks – a Chev and a Ford left a lot to be desired.

The 1937 Ford V8 proved especially troublesome and would have to be pushed out of the fire station doors on Church Hill and coasted down Neville Street, while vigorous attempts were made to jump start it.

On one infamous occasion, the truck hit Queen Street and still had not burst into life. Firefighters had to abandon it and make alternative arrangements to get to the scene of a fire.

Fraser says naturally the station’s modern engines are light years ahead. Usually there is no need to disconnect a battery charger before deploying them.

Now 79, Fraser is one of three current members of the brigade who have served it for more than 50 years.

He continued as an active firefighter until well into his seventies and today remains a non-operational brigade member.

In many ways, joining the Warkworth Brigade was a natural choice for Fraser. His father, Harold, was a founding member.

“It was something for us young fellas to do in those days,” he says. “I can’t remember if my father encouraged me to join. I suppose he did,” he says.

One of Fraser’s most memorable fires was a major blaze at Rodney Motors on Mill Lane in 1970.

Fraser and another firefighter used a ladder to get on the roof to hose water into the blazing inferno below.

“It felt fairly firm on the roof but we got dragged off because the chief at the time was worried that with all the damage inside, the roof would collapse,” Fraser says.

Luckily the men complied, because moments later the roof did indeed collapse.

Fraser was made Warkworth Fire Chief in 1993 and served in that role until 1999. He says during this time relations between professional and volunteer firefighters improved.

He says previously, many professionals regarded volunteers as merely “playing” at fighting fires and it was often difficult for volunteer brigades to secure equipment. For many years, Warkworth volunteers had to do their own fundraising to secure jacks and cutting gear to release passengers trapped in cars.
But in the early 90s, the most senior Auckland fire chief saw things differently and organised monthly meetings between professional and volunteer chiefs.

After one meeting, Fraser expressed a desperate need for absorbent to mop up oil and petrol spills after accidents.

“The chief said, ‘Where’s your car?’. I said right outside the station. He said, ‘Just back it into Number 3 Bay and load your boot up with as much absorbent as you like’.”

Fraser says he has witnessed some distressing sights – especially traffic accidents involving children – but the camaraderie that exists among firefighters has kept him going.

He still turns up to Tuesday meetings, serving as a source of wisdom and advice for younger firefighters.

“The Warkworth Brigade is like a second home to me,” he says.