Auxiliary Fire Service
The Auxiliary Fire Service was established as part of civil defence preparations after World War II, and subsequent events such as the Soviet Union detonating an atomic bomb made their presence as part of Britain's civil defence an important role supporting civilians. It was thought that a nuclear attack on Britain would cause a large number of fires, which would overwhelm the ordinary fire service, so a large stock of basic fire engines was ordered to form a reserve capacity. They were in continuous use by the AFS, until disbandment in 1968 by the Harold Wilson Government.
The Green Goddess machines were not primarily fire engines (AFS members referred to them as 'appliances'); they are more correctly titled "self propelled pumps", some two-wheel drive (2x4), and others in four-wheel drive (4x4) form. Their main role was to pump huge quantities of water, from lakes, rivers, canals and other sources, into cities hit by a nuclear attack. The machines could be used in a relay system over a number of miles, with Green Goddesses at regular intervals to boost the water pressure. Firefighting was a secondary role.
Read more about this topic: Green Goddess
Famous quotes containing the words fire and/or service:
“It began with begging.
In the beginning it was all God’s icebox
and everyone ate raw fish or animals
and there was no fire at night to dance to,
no fire at day to cook by.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“Human life consists in mutual service. No grief, pain, misfortune, or “broken heart,” is excuse for cutting off one’s life while any power of service remains. But when all usefulness is over, when one is assured of an unavoidable and imminent death, it is the simplest of human rights to choose a quick and easy death in place of a slow and horrible one.”
—Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935)