A CONTINGENT of Tamworth and Moonbi Kootingal firefighters in Bathurst for the three-day state titles starting today have carted more than just their gear and their competitive skills down south with them.
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They’ve also taken a creative, but practical and physical piece of the northern district with them – and it’s up for grabs as a prize piece of fire fighting talent.
Tamworth blokes Ron Young and Rob Eckersley, one a retired master craftsman and joiner and the other an experienced builder, combined their woodworking skills to design a new trophy for the state championships.
The MSA Safety Trophy will be awarded for the first time at the titles for a new event judged over the three days of the titles and awarded to the team showing the best safety record.
It’s been two years in the planning – but has a historic connection to the early 1900s mining industry of Pennsylvania and West Virginia in the US.
According to Mr Eckersley, the bronze of the trophy depicts a mineworker coming home at the end of the shift to his family – and there are only four of its kind in the world.
It’s the burl – or the woodwork piece it stands atop – that is the Tamworth connection.
When they scored the coup of the bronze, the two set out to make something much more than just another “square box” trophy and it took about two years to bring to fruition.
“The burl is made from a river red gum tree we found at Dungowan,” Mr Eckersley said.
“I sliced it up with a chainsaw and shaped it and then Ron used a hand lathe and moulded it with a router.” They then adopted the idea of an old grandfather clock and came up with a plastic moulded dome to encase it all.
It is so heavy it takes two to lift it.
“Internationally, this trophy is recognised as one of the highest awards for safety and is called the JT Ryan Trophy in memory of the founder of the safety company MSA and the established commitment to safety,” Mr Eckersley said.
The essence of providing the award to firefighters in NSW is to mark the history of firefighting – and its alignment to the MSA safety mission – and a commitment to return fire fighters home to their families each day.
“Firefighters today provide essential search and rescue functions in many environments and reflect the founder Ryan’s message nearly 100 years ago.”
“In many ways, today’s modern fire fighters are kindred spirits in word and deed.”
A long-time former firefighting member, Mr Eckersley now has an executive manager role in the titles and oversees the presentation of trophies and certificates at this year’s titles.