Full time fire fighters lived permanently at the fire stations, relaxing and sleeping upstairs during the night and when not on duty.

When the fire alarm sounded, the fire fighters needed to quickly get up, get dressed and get downstairs onto the fire appliance to rush to the fire.

Stairs were slow and dangerous for sleepy, rushing fire fighters.

The first "fire pole", a wooden pole, was installed at the Melbourne Fire Brigade headquarters (now the Fire Services Museum), 1893.

Fire fighters had to be careful sliding down the wooden poles as the poles caused "friction burns" to any bare skin which touched the pole whilst sliding. Fire fighters had to learn to hold on mainly with their arms and legs which were covered by their uniform.

Brass poles eventually replaced the wooden poles some years later and still remain popular with fire fighters and visitors to fire stations...