Massey Shaw would only recruit sailors as he believed that after a seaman’s training they would have learnt discipline and be strong and hardy. They were tested for their strength and health and spent three months at training school before joining a station.
Life as a Victorian fireman was hard. They worked long hours, day and night, lived at the fire station and were paid low wages with no pension.
Horses were employed to pull the engines and they lived at the fire station with the firemen.
The silver and brass helmets of the MFB are reflected in today's white and yellow helmets.
