Monday, 13 July 2026

Hamilton Men’s Shed Helps The CFA Fight Fire One Knock At A Time

The Hamilton Men’s Shed has taken on one of its most fun and community minded projects to date, building a set of knock-’em-downs for the Hamilton Country Fire Authority to use at open days and public demonstrations.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, knock-’em-downs are target structures representing houses on fire. Children use low pressure fire hoses to aim water at painted flames in the windows and doors, knocking them down and putting the fire out. It is a hugely popular activity at CFA events and a great way to engage young people in fire safety in a fun and memorable way.

The idea came about when the Hamilton CFA approached the shed with the challenge, and Shed Secretary James McCallum was quick to accept, partly because the CFA officer who made the request was his son Paul. With the help of shed member Ian Phillips, the team constructed four houses from marine grade plywood. The windows are hinged at the bottom with magnets at the top to hold them in place and provide just enough resistance to make the activity engaging for the kids.

Keeping it firmly in the family, Paul’s mother stepped in to paint the flames on each house, adding the finishing touch to what turned out to be a beautifully crafted set of props.

The knock-’em-downs will be used by the Hamilton CFA and made available to other local brigades across the region, giving many communities the opportunity to enjoy the activity at future events.

It was a fun project with very pleasing results and a wonderful example of the Hamilton Men’s Shed putting their skills to work for their community in a uniquely creative way.