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 These helmets were the same pattern as those worn by the Armed Forces and were mass produced for issue to the National Fire Service and the Auxiliary Fire Service.
*General Order No.26 dated 30/01/42 was as follows “Wearing of leather helmets will be discontinued and all personnel running to fires shall wear the General Service Steel Helmets, leather helmets should be retained by fireman issued with them and kept in good order.” Signed W B Muir Fire Force Commander. (*from Ian Scott’s archives).
The museum has several examples of these, rank markings were painted on the helmet beneath the National Fire Service (NFS) and Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) transfer and our examples range from Fire Force Commander to Fireman.
Incendiary Firefighting Equipment - [download PDF]
 This equipment was used for dealing with
wartime fires caused by incendiary bombs.
Stirrup Pump - Stirrup pump-used with a bucket of water for
extinguishing fires caused by bombs, but not
on the bomb itself as the application of water
increased the rate of burning and the possibility
that the bomb would explode.
Sand Box -
Contains sand for smothering the fire caused by
the bomb and to contain the bomb when it was
moved for disposal.
Shovel -
To put sand on the bomb and smother the
flames.
Rake -
Once the bomb had sand on it, the rake was
used to cover it with sand then pull it into the
sand box for disposal. This set of equipment was held in Fire
Stations, Police Stations, Air Raid Precautions’
(ARP) posts and on the top landing of selected
tenements throughout the city and the
surrounding area. A lozenge shaped disc was
fitted to the door standard of the tenement to
indicate the equipment was available.
Teams of Fire Guards* and Fire Watchers*
were also issued with this equipment and trained
in its use.
- * Fire Guard was part of the ARP
- * Fire Watcher paid factory worker who was on
duty when the factory was empty
 The radial branch was designed
to facilitate the handling of very
large jets, but is not widely used
now. The one pictured on the
right is designed for use with
nozzles up to 51mm (21inches) in
diameter.
When working under high pressure
with a large nozzle the radial branch
requires considerable quantities of water
and twin lines of hose are necessary to
supply it.
 The latest addition to the Museum collection is this extinguisher kindly donated by Mr and Mrs Keddie from Edinburgh. Although an interesting item it is regretted that it will never be exhibited.
These extinguishers were manufactured in 1941, consisting of a cardboard container containing bicarbonate of soda or another dry powder with a central explosives charge a Ranger and a set of sensors. They were designed for wartime use, for hanging in attics or roof spaces, the theory being when heat or flames set off the charge, the ensuing explosion would spread the powder, thus containing the fire or assisting in the extinguishment.
Over the years we have accepted many of these extinguishers, and when one was handed in to Lauriston Fire Station, the Officer in Charge decided to check its suitability. A fire was lit in a bin and the Selfac suspended on a ceiling hook and held over the flames. It certainly worked, however the powder had solidified over the years. Fortunately the Station Welfare paid for the replacement pieces of glass in the Billiard Room and the Station Office. After consultation with the Army it was agreed that they would be destroyed in a controlled explosion by the Bomb Disposal Squad.
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