The Northern Ireland Fire Authority was formed in 1950 with the amalgamation of the Northern fire authority in Ballymena, the Western authority in Londonderry and the Southern authority in Portadown. The three authorities had been formed in 1947 after the N.F.S. (N.I.) had been stood down. The first commander was George Murphy, previously the Fire Service Inspector for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
As the Fire Authority had also undertaken the task of recruiting and training the newly formed Auxiliary Fire Service arm of the Civil Defence, their premises were now too small for administration and training purposes. They had originally occupied their headquarters at Arberdour, Clonevin Park in Lisburn. They purchased more extensive premises from the Lisburn Borough Council. When George Murphy retired in 1972, the Authority appointed George Morrison as Fire Force Commander. He held this office until the Northern Ireland Fire Authority amalgamated with the Belfast Fire Brigade in 1973.