CONSTANT GUARD

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20660, 10 January 1942, Page 7

CONSTANT GUARD

BUSINESS BUILDINGS DANGER OF FIRE-BOmJs TWO-MINUTE PATROL (Per Press Association.) I WELLINGTON, this daf. After inspecting a city block! to seek a formula to cover variations in construction from reinforced qoricrete to wood and providing adequate fire-watching personnel, myr city fire superintendents decided teat to meet the incendiary bomb darjger adequately all parts of buildings 'bust be patrolled every two minutes. This period was fixed because experiments proved that two minutes’ burning was the maximum time within whichl an incendiary bomb could be satisfagtorily dealt with by ‘first-aid” equipment. ; ; 1 1 j Sufficient personnel to enable a patrol to be carried out through all parts of the building immediately jtHe alarm is given was therefore considered essential. It is noted that jthe area which a patrol could cover wquljd largely depend on the sub-division of the building since it is necessary to inspect every room or concealed space. Minimum Personnel j i It was therefore recommended thqt the minimum personnel required |fdr continuous duty be determined as follows: (1) For buildings of fire-regisf-ing construction, brick or concrete, with concrete floors and roof, dpritinuous duty guard of such a number that every portion of the building bah be visited on patrol within two minutes. This would involve a returp to the starting point of each pairol within that time; (2) For buildingis with floors or roof of timber construction, continuous duty guard! df such a number that every portion df the building, including the ceiling area, can be visited within two minutes, with the addition of one additional person for the protection: of the top floor in all buildings with a ground floor exceeding 2000 square feet.

(3) In buildings with special hazards, additional personnel may be required for continuous duty guard, as determined by the fire committee. It is considered that the above basis is the minimum under which reasonable protection can be afforded, and has only been approved owing to the existing man-power difficulties. It is considered that, in addition to this continuous guard, at least an equal number of persons enrolled in a special fire guard unit of the E.P.S. should come on duty when the alarm is given in . order to reinforce the continuous guard.