Ipswich Fire Brigade

The Southern and Western Railway Fire Brigade  tended to fires in Ipswich, prior to the formation of a Town Fire Brigade.

On 4 April 1860 the Ipswich Fire Brigade Committee adopted the rules of the Brisbane Brigade. In July of that year it is recorded that a committee consisting of the Mayor, and Aldermen Bethune, Pettigrew, Gorry, Watkins and North, was appointed to consider the best means of collecting subscriptions for the purpose of purchasing a powerful fire engine for the use of the town of Ipswich, the engine to be manned and worked by volunteers from the Ipswich Volunteer Rifle Company. This is the first reference to the establishment of a Fire Brigade, but the subject came up for consideration on many subsequent occasions. The Corporation of Ipswich (Municipal Council) discussed obtaining a fire-engine for the town of Ipswich and establishing a Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1861. At a special meeting of the Municipal Council held in March 1863, it was agreed that the Council would take the necessary steps for the formation of a Fire Brigade for the town of Ipswich. Discussions continued for some years, culminating on the 27 March 1865 with the Council deciding to form a Fire Brigade and acquire a fire engine from Sydney. 

The following year an article appeared in the Queensland Times (Sat 18 Aug 1866):

The establishment of an efficient and properly-equipped fire brigade in the town of Ipswich is a subject on which a good deal has been said, and our citizens now have all that can be desired in this respect. The Railway Fire Brigade has been undergoing a regular course of drill instruction for some time, and it now constitutes a very effective body of men. About twenty-one of them appeared in uniform on Saturday afternoon, and were marched, under the command of Captain Jetter and Lieutenant Bedford to the Court-house, where they were put through a variety of evolutions by Sergeant Hawkes: they acquitted themselves very creditably. Their uniform is very suitable and neat - the trousers are of white flannel, and the jacket blue, trimmed with scarlet; the cap is also ornamental with a red band.

The mayor informed the Council in November 1867, that every fire cost the Corporation (Council) £6. He went on to say:

Now it was endeavoured some time ago to form a Brigade, but it fell through because sufficient support could not be obtained. A code of rules was however compiled, one of which was to the effect that all expenses of working the engine in endeavouring to extinguish fires should be borne by the owner of the premises. This never took effect in consequence of the failure to establish a Brigade, but he thought that an arrangement could be effected with the Railway Fire Brigade to co-operate with the Council. By conforming to the rules they would incur no responsibility further than being subject to the direction of the Mayor, or an Alderman in his absence. The Council would then be in a position to enforce the payment of expenses incurred by fires.

A public meeting was held on 15 July 1878 in the Temperance Hall, chaired by the Mayor. The Hon. J. C. Foote, M.L.C.,  moved that a fire brigade be formed in Ipswich, and the town brought under the operation of the Fire Brigades Act of 1876. Mr. Havard seconded the resolution and it was carried unanimously.

The Ipswich Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed in August 1878 after the "Great Fire" in Ipswich.  The Town Council constructed a station that was large enough to store material and a bell tower on railway property beside the North Australian Hotel in Nicholas Street, Ipswich.

The Superintendent of the Brisbane Fire Brigade recommended a civilian brigade made up of twenty-five men covering three wards with a distinct signal for each ward. He said that setting up a Brigade was expensive but that they could call upon the businesses in the town to assist where possible. He advised that a fire-bell and 200-250ft of hose would be required but that the 150ft hose in the possession of Mr. Highfield should be obtained in the short term. In addition, they needed reels for the hose, spanners, axes, tomahawks and uniforms.

In 2022, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have Fire Stations located at 61 Brisbane Road Bundamba, 20 Diamantina Boulevard Brassall, corner Logan Road and Alice Street Camira,  and 338 Ripley Road, Ripley (Ipswich Command).  Marburg (75 Edmond Street) and Rosewood (70 John Street) Fire Stations are both part of the Lockyer Somerset Command.