50th Anniversary

1999 was a big year for the Sutton Rural Fire Brigade as it was the 50th anniversary of our foundation. To mark the occasion, various festivities were planned and a book detailing the history of our organisation "Serving the Community" was produced by local author Margaret Ferrett.

Just to get in the mood, we held a celebratory bush dance in June. For those who know about the climate in this part of the world, that was a very heroic thing to do, but vigorous dancing and a huge bonfire kept everybody's blood circulating. It also made us give the fire station a good clean out for the main event later.

Captain Rod Simpson and author Margaret Ferrett juggle a book, a bouquet and a handshake.

Brigade vets of the Hardy, Cartwright, Cooper and Bingley families seem a bit suspicious about being bossed around by the photographer.

The birthday cake. The firefighters on the top were not edible.

The formalites complete, everyone assembled in the truck shed which had been exquisitely decorated and set up for a massive spit roast lunch. There was much toasting and reminiscing and photographing and the general consensus was that while things had changed an awful lot over 50 years, we were ready for whatever the future might throw at us.

The truck shed full of celebratory diners.