Celebrating 100 years of Lakemba Fire Station keeping communities safe - Lakemba
Published: 04 Nov 2022 12:27pm
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is celebrating a major milestone for Lakemba Fire Station, marking a century since the brigade was established and its first fire trucks rolled out.
The Haldon Street building was constructed for 3,679 pounds – or approximately $6,400 today – before being officially opened on 21 December 1921.
It was designed to improve emergency response times in the rapidly growing Western Sydney suburbs of Lakemba, Belmore and Punchbowl. These communities had previously been served by stations in neighbouring Campsie and Canterbury.
Today, it continues to offer locals safety, education and reassurance, with 21 people on its roster, including eight female firefighters, and state-of-the-art firefighting appliances.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said with nearly 75 per cent of locals speaking a language other than English, it’s important the station reflects the diversity in the community.
“It’s wonderful to see how the men and women at Lakemba Fire Station regularly engage with the community they serve through events and visits to community groups, schools, mosques and churches, among others,” Ms Cooke said.
In the 2021-2022 financial year, the Lakemba Fire Station responded to 1,337 incidents.
FRNSW Commissioner Paul Baxter said much has changed in Western Sydney in 100 years, and as the needs of the community have grown, our firefighters have adapted to meet them.
“Today our firefighters have a wider range of capabilities and access to the best equipment, resources and training, and it will continue to adapt to the changing environment,” Commissioner Baxter said.
EDITORS NOTE: Images related to this release are now available on the FRNSW website. This includes photos from today's celebrations at Lakemba Fire Station, and historical photos to be attributed to the Museum of Fire.
Updated: 30 Jan 2023 09:13pm
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Stations nearby
210 Haldon Street, Lakemba NSW 2195
294 - 296 Beamish Street, Campsie NSW 2194
136A Belmore Road, Riverwood NSW 2210