WAR PRECAUTIONS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 280, 25 August 1942, Page 4

WAR PRECAUTIONS

Reinforcing Fire-Fighting

Services

MINISTER’S STATEMENT

Dominion .Special Service. AUCKLAND, August 24.

Fire-fighting services would have to be greatly strengthened, said Mr. Bodkin, Minister of Civil Defence, in an interview last night. Negotiations were proceeding with the Army for the special training of Home Guard units in thickly-populated areas in this work, so that, if the chief danger developed from the air, rather than from a land invasion, guardsmen would be assigned to that duty. Fire-fighting demanded a great degree of fitness and physical standards for those in the Emergency Fire 'Service could not be relaxed. A great amount of additional equipment would 1 also be secured, and attention pa'idl to the greatest possible utilization of static water, as in every bombing raid mains were put out of action. Harbours, rivers, swimming baths and special reservoirs were the sources on which .fire-fighters would have to depend for water supply. In collaboration with the fighting services, areas which would be compulsorily evacuated in the event of hostilities had been agreed upon, but no good purpose would be served by proclaiming these in advance of an emergency. Other sections of the populace would be required to remain where they were, so that there would be no such course as voluntary evacuation. Ample food supplies were available for emergency use.

In the opinion of the Minister, Auckland’s preparations against possible enemy action were more nearly complete and updo-date than in any other city. Mr. Bodkin said experts were paying special attention to the provision on public buildings, especially hospitals, schools and railway stations, of protective material to eliminate the danger of flying glass, as far as the quantities available would permit. Rapid progress in this respect could be expected soon. The technical adviser to the National Service Department, Mr. C. W. Haimann, would shortly confer again with E.P.S. organizations, especially concerning shelters. It had been established, said the Minister, that basement shelters in large buildings afforded the greatest measure of protection.