EMERGENCY NEEDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 151, 5 September 1941, Page 5

EMERGENCY NEEDS

ORGANISATION WELL IN HAND

FURTHER PROGRESS

Although not commenced in earnest until some months ago the Whakatane County Emergency Precau-

tions Scheme is well advanced, the personnel, although not numerically up to requirements, making up for its lack in that direction by unbounded enthusiasm.;, As a result, unknown to most of the community, preparations for any eventuality are in hand.

A further step was taken on Wednesday when a visit was paid by

Inspector D. McLean, of the Police Department, Gisborne, who outlined the requirements regarding th<» maintenance of law and order int any crisis. Re outlined the system introduced at Gisborne, and the meeting regarded this as one suitable to be used in the county and forsaw no difficulty in rapidly having that department of the organisation efficiently trained.

Stating that it was most important to have some, reliable people toassist the Police in the event of an emergency Inspector McLean traced the activities of the Gisborne E.P.S in connection with the Law and Order requirements. A scheme was necessary, in any circumstances which might overtax the norjm:i numerical strength of the Force, be it an act of God or, as was the chief anticipation to-day, the action of an enemy.

Continuing he stated that it was obvious that in the case of a raid; occurring at or near Whakatane necessitating the evacuation of the town, the three members of the permanent Force would be unable to cope with the work of protecting

the property of residents who departed. It was then that the Emergency personnel would be called upon. Their duties would embrace

all the ordinary functions of the police—protection of property, aid to injured, traffic control and so on; For instance it might become necessary to drajv a cordon around the town to safeguard against looters. The functions would be many and not the least important would ' be the caring for possible dead. Tn confusion bodies must be cared for —care taken so that these could be identified if r.ot immediately then later when relatives or friends* would be anxious to know of their fate,

He added that the attestation taken when joining the E.P.S. would give full authority for the special constables to take up tlieir diities, these being responsible to the Controller of the scheme in the locality, while the whole of the special force would be under the direction of the Police Department. The scheme he had formulated ; in Gisborne for the town was that the area was divided into blocks— eight major ones each in charge of a Warden. In turn these were again divided and were under deputy wardens. In the event of an emergency he, as Inspector, would take control find by means of messengers issue orders to the respective blocks, detailing "specials" in numbers lie considered necessary for any locality. Thus in short time the entire? town would be policed and any eventuality prepared against. The Inspector was thanked by the chairman for his address and the assistance he had afforded. Borough Scheme 1 During the "afternoon Inspector ■McLean discussed with the committee of the Borough Emergency Pre-* cautions Scheme provisions arrangod for control under emergency conditions, when methods adoptedin other towns were discussed and Improvements to the local schemes decided.