In 1974, 55 year-old George Edwin McCoy became the first Chief Fire Officer of South Yorkshire County Fire Service.
He was born on 15th August 1919, in Rotherham Yorkshire, the son of George Edwin McCoy, a 31 year-old Coal Miner originally from Barnsley, Yorkshire, and 22 year-old Mary Pearl McCoy, originally from Navenby, Lincolnshire.
In his youth he won two Yorkshire Schools’ Swimming Championships titles, and completed many long distance swims.
In 1940, he married 20 year-old Irene Cogill of 10 Sherwood Crescent, Rotherham.
After serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Second World War, He joined Rotherham Fire Brigade, before serving in Burton on Trent, Smethwick, and West Bromwich before becoming the Chief Fire Officer of Leicester Fire Brigade. During his early career he quickly rose through the ranks, achieving nine commendations including four for life-saving efforts.
In 1950 Eddie was a member of a six-man team from Rotherham Neptunus Swimming Club who completed the first ever relay swim across the English Channel in 1950, with a time of 11 hours and 20 minutes.
In 1968 whilst he was the Chief Fire Officer of Leicester Fire Fire Brigade, he was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal, and in 1977, whilst he was the Chief Fire Officer of South Yorkshire County Fire Service he was honoured with the Commander of the British Empire Medal.
The new South Yorkshire County Fire Service, under the leadership of Chief Fire Officer McCoy, was a collection of the old District Council Brigades of Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster, with the Mexborough Division of the old West Riding of Yorkshire, which was also incorporated. All the existing Fire Stations and equipment were taken over and most of the Officers and men were already in post, although there were many promotions and some new officers were introduced at Senior Officer Level.
The New Brigade consisted of 27 Stations, 19 of which were manned by Wholetime personnel, 8 of which had a Retained commitment, together with 7 fully, Retained stations and one station which was nucleus manned. County Fire Service Headquarters was situated at Division Street where the old Sheffield Headquarters used to be.
It was decided that South Yorkshire County Fire Service should consist of Five Divisions, each with a Divisional Commander having the rank of Divisional Officer Grade I.
Command and Control
County Fire Service Control was situated on the top floor of Division Street Fire Station.The control was responsible for mobilising the 27 SYCFS stations using the Multiplex System and electric resource availability displays operated from consoles. |
 Division St Control circa 1974 |
The Five Divisions were located as follows
A Division: Barnsley Area, Divisional Headquarters Barnsley Station
| A01 | Barnsley | 1 Water Escape, 1 Water Ladder, 1 85' Hydraulic Platform, and 1 Emergency Tender (Wholetime). Ex Barnsley Borough Council. Combined Ambulance and Fire Station. |
| A02 | Royston | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime, and 1 Water Tender. Ex West Riding County Council |
| A03 | Hoyland | 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| A04 | Goldthorpe | 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| A05 | Penistone | 1 Water Tender Nucleus Manned, 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| A20 | Brampton Bierlow | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime, 1 Water Ladder Retained, and 1 Foam Tender Wholetime. Ex West Riding County Council |
B Division: Doncaster Area, Divisional Headquarters Doncaster Station
| B06 | Doncaster | 1 Water Escape, 1 Water Ladder, 1 Turntable Ladder, and 1 Emergency Tender (Wholetime). Ex Doncaster MBC. |
| B07 | Adwick-le-Street | 1 Water Ladder, 1 50' Hydraulic Platform Wholetime, and 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| B09 | Thorne | 1 Water Tender Wholetime and 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| B10 | Askern | 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| B11 | Conisbrough | 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| B12 | Rossington | 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
C Division: Sheffield West, Divisional Headquarters St. Peters House, Bank Street, Sheffield
| C13 | Division Street | 1 Water Escape, 1 Water Ladder, 1 85' Hydraulic Platform, 1 Turntable Ladder, and 1 Emergency Tender, Wholetime. Ex Sheffield City Council. |
| C14 | Rivelin Valley Road | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime. Ex Sheffield City Council. |
| C16 | Ringinglow Road | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime. Ex Sheffield City Council. |
| C15 | Lowedges Road | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime. Ex Sheffield City Council. |
| C17 | Stocksbridge | 2 Water Tenders Retained Ex West Riding County Council |
D Division: Rotherham Area, Divisional Headquarters Erskine Road Fire Station, Rotherham
| D18 | Rotherham | 1 Water Escape, 1 Water Ladder, 1 Turntable Ladder, and 1 Light Emergency Tender. Ex Rotherham MBC. Combined Ambulance and Fire Station. |
| D19 | Oaks Lane | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime. Ex Rotherham MBC |
| D21 | Maltby | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime, 1 Water Ladder Retained. Ex West Riding County Council. |
| D22 | Kiveton Park | 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council. |
| D08 | Mexborough | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime, 1 Water Ladder Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
E Division: Sheffield East, Divisional Headquarters 2 Rotherham Road, Handsworth, Sheffield.
| E23 | Darnall Road | 1 Water Escape, 1 Water Ladder, and 1 Turntable Ladder. Ex Sheffield City Council |
| E24 | Elm Lane | 1 Water Ladder, and 1 50' Hydraulic Platform. Ex Sheffield City Council |
| E25 | Mansfield Road | 1 Water Ladder, and 1 Light Emergency Tender. Ex Sheffield City Council |
| E26 | High Green | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime, and 1 Water Tender Retained. Ex West Riding County Council |
| E27 | Mosborough | 1 Water Ladder Wholetime and 1 Water Ladder Retained. Ex Sheffield City Council |
 |
1974 was a busy year for the new Chief Fire Officer, who was welding together a new Service and organising the re-distribution of appliances to ensure a good balance of fire cover, which was a top priority. The need for replacement of elderly fire appliances was also realised and a programme introduced. New Staff Cars and Vans were purchased during the year and, of course, the continuing maintenance of the Service Vehicles was programmed and undertaken. |
Chief Fire Officer McCoy was far sighted in his outlook and began serious negotiations for land in Sheffield on which he could build a replacement for the Division Street Station, which was becoming inadequate to meet the requirements of a modern Firefighting Service with responsibilities for the major commercial area of Sheffield. The site was also proposed to contain a Fire Service Control and a new County Fire Service Headquarters on the same site.
Pumping Appliances available to the Service in 1974
.jpg) F104 - Dennis Wrl 1000 gpm Ex Sheffield Fire Brigade |
.jpg) Dennis Water Tender 500gpm Ex West Riding Fire Service |
Negotiations were of necessity, complex and problems were experienced in obtaining a suitable piece of land in the City Centre. Eventually a site bounded by Carver Street, Wellington Street and Rockingham Street and situated close to the Division Street Station was earmarked, it was to take many years and much hard work before plans were finally agreed and money allocated for this project.
Training
Chief Fire Officer McCoy also saw the need for the training of his Officers and men within the newly formed county and initially set up a Training School at Brampton Bierlow Fire Station, using the former Divisional Commanders Office Suite and ex A.F.S. Garages. A maximum of 16 students could be trained under this system. Eventually a premise was purchased in Rotherham, which had previously been used as a Bakery and was sited on the Eastwood Trading Estate. Over the next few years, it was proposed that this would be developed into a modern training centre. |
 Photograph Brampton Bierlow Training School. |
Under Chief Fire Officer McCoy's command the Service became established, and took its place within the County structure.
'B' Division Headquarters moved from the Doncaster Station into an office block sited at the rear of the Station, this created more room for all personnel both on the Station and at the new Headquarters.
Mr. McCoy's period of service as Chief Fire Officer was not an easy one, encompassing as it did the nine-week period of national industrial action by the Fire Brigades Union. However, credit must be given to him for the way in which he quickly pulled the Service back up to its high standard of efficiency.
A father-of-one by his late wife, Mr McCoy, who retired to an apartment in Wickersley, also had two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
George Edwin McCoy, died on 7th October 2016, aged 97, after a short illness. His funeral service took place on Friday 21st October at St Bede's Catholic Church, Church Street, Rotherham followed by cremation at Rotherham Crematorium.
At the time of his death, Mr McCoy was the oldest surviving member of the Royal Army Medical Corps Association.
