IN EMERGENCY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20060, 5 October 1939, Page 2

IN EMERGENCY

FACTORIES IN WAR MEN READY FOR ACTION PRECAUTIONS IN BRITAIN That the British workman and British factories were well prepared for eventualities has been made clear. from time to time, more particularly in regard to the provision cf air-raid shelters. The’ following -account of a practice held at .one of the big manufacturing’ plants,* however, will give 1 a good idea of the completeness of the services undertaken by the staffs themselves, and will quite dispel ideas of mere sheltering from what may be toward:— The whole of the works’ equipment was brought into requisition. The tests began with the firing of a maroon which gave the signal for all services and power to be cut off. Demonstrations of proved methods of dealing with various possible outbreaks of fire which might be caused by bombs, such as incendiary conflagration, oil and petrol fires, and “domestic” and electrical fires were then 'given. An incendiary “bomb” was. smothered with sand, deposited in a container, and removed to a place of safety and a “dummy” motor and panel were ignited to demonstrate the electrical outbreak!' I 1 ■ ,;i V While these demonstrations were proceeding, wreckage tests involving displacement of damaged machines and ceiling, the clearing of debris and ironwork took place elsewhere. It wa's supposed, that a small section of one of the shop’s was damaged and two machines wrecked, including the services. This plant was re-installed together with the services ready for production. The damaged ceiling was propped. Ambulance Demonstrations Each section of the. tests included ambulance demonstrations. In this connection, the medical department was used as a casualty station in charge of the company’s medical officer, under whom there was a staff of qualified nurses, and the large office in the Personnel Department was turned into a ward complete with beds. Several ‘casualties” were dealt with and treatment wa's given according to the nature of the case. Seven “casualties” were brought to light following the explosion of “gas bombs!” A squad with special clothing was dispatched to the -scene and dealt expeditiously with the rescue work and decontamination. . In the meantime in a shelter in another place a “collapse” of part of the roof wa's Staged and the entrance was blocked with debris and iron-work. The roof was promptly propped up, the entrance cleared, and the seating accommodation restored. 'ln the compressor house part of the roof immediately above the compressor “'collapsed,” displacing the steelwork, and the entrance was completely blocked with debris. This area was cleared and the roof made good. The effects of two gas bombs were speedily dealt with in one shop, as were the effects of others which splashed the side of the lift shaft in the yard. Carbon dioxide was created -by a fire in the transformer house and a squad in special apparatus attended to this. Most Realistic \ The final test was a demonstration in which all the squads took part. This involved the “collapse” of a tunnel which broke gas, water and air mains. The effect of 'high-explosive, incendiary and gas bomb's was realistically shown, and methods Of decontamination were introduced. It was very interesting to observe the decontamination squads clearing a path for the wreckage squads and the finding of a dummy casualty was most realistic. •All orders to the various squads were issued by a Central -Control which recorded various details and times. The tests were carried out with hardly a word of instruction and with swiftness and smo'othness and a m'arked degree of efficiency. Evacuation tests at this factory have been made at regular intervals. In a recent one during working hours the whole personnel was cleared, including the office staffs,