A compilation of events and activities recorded by members of the Middlesbrough Fire Brigade showing demonstrations, exercises and presentations taking place in and around their headquarters on Park Road South in Middlesbrough. The film also shows various parades of vintage and modern appliances travelling around Middlesbrough. The film opens on a parked Vauxhall Velox car opposite the fire station on Park Road South in Middlesbrough. An extending ladder fire appliance comes into view...

A compilation of events and activities recorded by members of the Middlesbrough Fire Brigade showing demonstrations, exercises and presentations taking place in and around their headquarters on Park Road South in Middlesbrough. The film also shows various parades of vintage and modern appliances travelling around Middlesbrough. The film opens on a parked Vauxhall Velox car opposite the fire station on Park Road South in Middlesbrough. An extending ladder fire appliance comes into view followed by two vehicles from the ‘Civil Defence Corps Middlesbrough’. The film cuts to a crowd of mainly children gathered along possibly Newport Road opposite a branch of Van Allan’s of London and a branch of Baker’s outfitters. A general view of an extending ladder fire appliance being deployed on vacant land opposite a branch of Boots the chemist. Fire brigade personnel watch proceedings. Firemen gather next to another Middlesbrough Fire Brigade appliance. Two of the men are wearing rebreathing apparatus, another two appear to be senior officers inspecting the equipment.       Inside the fire station a view of an information display. In front of the display sitting at a table are two men with another two, one wearing a badge of office (the mayor?) standing behind. The display is promoting the Auxiliary Fire Service, part of the Civil Defence Corps. A notice on the board reads ‘Help Your Neighbours’ the next reads ‘In Peace and in War’. A large poster nearby reads ‘Good Neighbours’. A group of men and women stand or sit near to the poster. Outside a group of fire officers and dignitaries, including a HM Inspector, walk into the fire station on Park Road South. The main doors of the station are open showing the various appliances inside. Two men speak with two women by the entrance. A vintage fire appliance pulled by a horse, with two fireman riding on it makes its way down Park Road South. Other vintage motorised appliances are followed in turn by modern motorised appliances. The horse drawn appliance makes its way along Corporation Road followed by five other vehicles. Back on Park Road South the old appliances arrive back at the fire station with children following behind. The film cuts to Newport Road where the horse drawn appliance is seen making its way past Rea’s Zedra Bar opposite Binn’s department store followed by other appliances. The film cuts to the vehicles making their way along Linthorpe Road past the Yorkshire Penny Bank and back to the fire station on Park Road South crossing the junction of York Road and Cumberland Road. In the compound behind the fire station staff line up for inspection probably by a HM Inspector. The inspector speaks to the men who stand to attention on parade while other officials and VIP’s look on. The film cuts to the deployment of an extending ladder appliance as part of a demonstration followed by the men on parade and the Mayor of Middlesbrough in his mayoral chains accompanying officials. General views of what is believed to be two different inspection events featuring different men in mayoral chains. Awards are presented to brigade members by a man in civilian clothes. General views follow of the brigade on parade. Another demonstration shows hoses being deployed from an appliance and also the use of a ‘wheeled escape’ a mobile extending ladder. The firemen climb the ladder to the roof of the fire station building. A rescued ‘victim’ is brought down the ladder by another fireman. A senior officer demonstrates, for a small group of officials, the jet from a water hose. A fireman approaches the training tower from the top of an extending ladder appliance. The film cuts to a field where firemen wait in a line. This is beginning of a pump race, a demonstration exercise against the clock. Firemen run towards a parked fire appliance to attach equipment and run out long hoses. [Blank Section] A fireman climbs quickly to the top of an extending ladder, followed by another in order to get to the top of a building. Firemen on the ground steady a wheeled escape while another ‘victim’ is brought down the ladder. Another fireman climbs the ladder, trailing a hose behind him. The film cuts to a fireman ascending the tower using a lightweight hook ladder. The fireman, with assistance, hooks the ladder on a series of balconies on the way up. Another ladder is passed up, so the ascent is made in a sort of ‘daisy-chain’ fashion. A rope is thrown down from the top of a tower by a fireman. On the ground a fireman attaches a hose to the rope which is hauled up the tower. The film cuts to Grange Road, Middlesbrough outside Wright’s Tower House department store [now the site for a branch of MacDonald’s fast food]. A fire appliance with an extending ladder reaches the window of an upper storey of the building, the ladder is further extended to reach the roof. A dummy is attached to a sling at the top of the ladder and is lowered to the ground. On the ground [quite dark] the firemen deal with the rescued dummy. A general view shows the junction of Linthorpe Road and Grange Road. The film cuts to a display of a domestic living room with various items labelled with information about potential fire hazards. General vews follow of other fire prevention displays taking place at a special exhibition. A fire engine enters the compound at the fire station on Park Road South. The wheeled escape extending ladder is deployed up the tower. Hoses are turned on by brigade members. The film cuts to a truck which is on fire in the compound. Another extending ladder is deployed alongside the tower Water and foam are used to extinguish the fire on the truck. A rescued ‘victim’ in a sling, is lowered to the ground from the extending ladder on the tower. Another victim is lowered down in a similar fashion. The film ends with the construction of large metal tripods used in training.