Inspection of Paisley Fire Brigade by Provost and Councillors (clip)

This film from 1933 shows the inspection of Paisley Fire Brigade by the Provost and councillors. It features a firefighting demonstration using horse-drawn vehicles as well as some unusual acrobatic stunts on top of an extension ladder performed by Firemaster Girdwood and his men. The need for positive and family friendly PR may be explained by the fact that the Glen Cinema disaster of 31 December 1929 in which 71 children died would be fresh in the onlookers minds. This clip features shots of: firemen being inspected by civic dignitaries; a parade of the latest fire-fighting equipment; demonstration of a rescue using standard and extension ladders; acrobatic stunts at the top of the extension ladder; final of the Pump Drill 'competition for prizes presented by Baillies J.W. Erskine and T. Ballantyne; fire pumps leaving the fire station; and the demonstration of the use of fire hoses. Musical accompaniment was added to this clip as a soundtrack in 1996 by the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive with music composed and played by Forrester Pyke.