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7
GETTING TO
KNOW YOU -
PETER MANSI
SINGAPORE
CENTRAL FIRE
SERVICE
Beryl Jeffrey
Peter is a Certified Fire
Investigator with the International
Association of Arson
Investigators, Member of the
Forensic Science Society and
Graduate of the Institution of Fire
Engineers.
He is familiar with courtroom techniques in
Federal Law Enforcement and with the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in
Washington, USA. Peter has developed a unique
comprehensive fire investigation methodology,
having designed a series of 23 Fire Investigation
Route Maps (FIRMs) and associated guidance to
enable the investigator to identify and analyse all
available data relating to any incident ensuring
thorough, rigorous and systematic approach to
fire.
Peter has been involved, either directly or
indirectly, with many of the most high profile fire
investigations within the UK and Ireland over the
last decade; Bethnal Green Road Fire Fighter
fatalities; Stevenage Fire Fighter fatalities; Iron
Mountain data storage warehouse fire; and the
Cutty Sark fire among many others.
When I visited Singapore recently, I was
interested to discover that my hotel was near the
Central Fire Station in Singapore. It is
Singapore’s oldest existing fire station and
provides fire fighting, ambulance and rescue
coverage for the central district. Alongside the
fire station, the oldest part of the building has
been converted into a Civil Defence Heritage
Gallery, open to the public, tracing the history
and advances in fire-fighting which have taken
place during the 20th and 21st centuries.
The early history is similar in some ways to the
development of the London fire Brigade by
Captain Massey Shaw. Throughout the 19th
century Singapore was plagued with frequent fire
occurrences, which spread swiftly through the
narrow crowded streets causing massive damage
to property and loss of life. There were three
fire stations, but they were ill equipped to deal
with the situation.
At last, in 1905 Montague Pett was appointed as
superintendent to reorganise the Singapore Fire
Brigade and his first move was to construct a
modern fire station, with garage space for the
first motorised fire engines, staff quarters, many
time saving devices and a watch tower. The
Central Fire Station opened in 1909, leading to a
substantial decrease in the number and scale of
the fires.
I was shown round by W.O. Yunnos Shariff,
retired after 42 year’s service, and now an
enthusiastic volunteer at the museum. For the
hour or so I was there, I was pleasantly surprised
at the number of school parties that went by,
showing that the museum is an useful educational
resource. As well as fire engines, dating through
the years from 1911, there were other artefacts
along the lines of the LFB museum at Winchester
House and a section devoted to rescue assistance
at disaster areas around the Pacific Basin.
Given the uncertain future of the museum at
Winchester House, I hope a suitable home will
be found where it too will be able to further its
education services, particularly to young people,
but also to a wider public.
In celebration of 21 years since the
formation of The Guild of
Firefighters, a unique crystal glass to
keep as a future family heirloom is
available for purchase. The goblet is
priced at £10.00. Please add £2.50 for
postage and packing.
There are only 7 left.
WCoFF ties in blue and
red are available for
purchase at £25 each.
Also available are
crystal glass
paperweights at £10
each, Salamander label pins at £80
each and cuff links at £22.50 for a set.
All enquiries to Brian Eves at:
.
brian84.eves@virgin.netMEMORABILIA