EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23384, 29 September 1939, Page 6

EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

ACCOMMODATION FOR CARE OF SICK PROVIDING SUBSIDIARY HOSPITALS PLAN FOR COMPLETE EVACUATION The evacuation of hospitals in time of a national crisis constitutes one of the major problems facing the responsible bodies in this country. In the event of an attack from the air not only is there the problem of safeguarding the sick, but also the provision of extra accommodation for casualties. These are matters which the Otago Hospital Board, among others, hasTiad to consider, and further consideration was given it by the former after the usual board meeting last night. Working in conjunction with the Emergency Precautions Committee, a scheme has been formulated which can be put into operation should the necessity arise. It is the intention of the board to centralise the Hospital where it is at present until such time' (in the event of an attack) as it is driven out. In the event of this taking place the Hospital would be established on _an emergency basis in the Technical School, which has in close proximity to it a number of buildings suitable to accommodate emergency cases. The Dunedin Hospital at the present time has accommodation for 325 beds, but under emergency conditions it is estimated that 800 would be required. It is considered that 10 beds are _ required for every 1,000 of population, so with a population of 80,000_ Dunedin would require 800 beds. Obviously all this number could not be crowded into one building. The board has selected several buildings in the city which could be used in case of emergency, and the owners will be notified that their buildings may bo required. It is considered by the board that the_ strain _ on accommodation at the main hospital could be relieved by the removal of a certain type of patient to his own home or to other institutions under the control of the board.

Sites for advanced dressing stations have been selected, and in the scheme proposed casualties would be ( treated there before being sent to their homes or to a hospital, as the case might be. The provision of 800 beds is something of a hurdle, and the board rightly points out that to find this number of hospital , beds would be an impossibility. However, workers are now busy endeavouring to ascertain where there are spare beds in individual homes. And, further, if a serious casualty occurred and the sufferer had to be removed to any one of the various temporary hospitals, his own bed would have to be requisitioned. This is a phase of the preparations which brings in the transport section of the Emergency Committee. This section Would be ready to pick up beds and take them to the particular building. Innumerable stretchers would be required in case of an emergency, and the board is making provision for some, but in all its preparations it is, working in harmony with the Emergency, Committee, which has its full support. Material necessary for the equipment of the dressing stations is also another phase which has had to be considered. All these arrangements would hold good just so long as the city did not suffer too great an attack, but in the event of complete evacuation, the hoard has been investigating the holding capacities of the smaller hospitals in the - Central Otago district. Patients would be sent to Ranfurly, Cromwell, Clyde, and Middlemarch, and to any other point where accommodation could be found, '

Recently the chairman of the board (Mr J. W. Dove) met members of other district boards in the Central, when the whole position was fully discussed and a certam,programme outlined. The actions of the chairman in this regard have been fully endorsed by the hoard.