THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2702, 5 December 1882, Page 2

THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

The result of last night’s proceedings, not to speak of what occurred on previous occasions, must be highly unsatisfactory to the Fire Brigade and to the public. Two seta of double alarms within an Lour or two of each other, are more than sufficient to cause an enquiry as to the probable limit of these vagaries. The peculiarity of the cases that have yet occurred is that there have always been duplicate ringings up. That is to say, the effects have been to make it appear as though there were two fires simultaneously raging in different parts of the town, and as a matter of fact the brigade has twice taken that for granted and divided its force accordingly, only to find on arrival at the places indicated by the annunciators that there were no fic-oS at all. The first of tho alarms, or rather the first two alarms given last night were simultaneous and were, appparently, from quarters widely apart, from Colombo street north, and from Lower High street. The investigation which followed showed that the boxes at these places, nor indeed elsewhere, had not been tampered with, and a satisfactory explanation of the cause of the working of the annunciators at the stations has not yet been given. Again, different numbers were dropped by what must have been a single operation. Most probably these curions effects were caused by contact of tho alarm wire with some one of the wires used for telegraphic purposes, and which arc hung on the same poles. There are, however, technical objections to this theory which makes proof of it very desirable. If tho alarm wire had been broken by accident, another series of operations would have occurred which would have pointed out unmistakably the cause ; moreover there would have been no more alarms until the wire had been joined together again. Until the cause has been satisfactorily found, and ample precautions taken against its recurrence, there can ha no feeling of security in the minds of those who are directing and working the scheme.

The second alarms Lave been properly accounted for, though the result has been, in another way, quite as unsatisfactory. The call from near the Hospital had, without doubt, been given causelessly and maliciously, and the offender got clear off. A second call made a few minutes after from Lichfield street, was traced to a man who was arrested, and who was, at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, fined £1 for his supposed offence. But ho protested that he had acted with the best intentions, and on hearing the evidence it is hard to believe that he meant otherwise than well. He thought that, when an alarm was given, the bells which the fire alarm boxes contain should ring of themselves, and as he was sure that the one within his hearing had not done so, ha proceeded to, as be believed, make it act. This, of course, was * ignorance, which could not have existed if the man had read the placards posted near each box; it is clear that the City Council may print placards, and post them, but they cannot make people read, or at any rate understand, them. If the mau’s story is true, it follows that for his ignorance he has been fined in a substantial sum, and received a night’s incarceration in the lock-up info the bargain. VV hether that method of education will be successful or not, remains to be seen. If the fire-alarm system now in uso cannot bo worked with reasonable precision, and secured from accident, the interference of drnnken men, or of larrikins, the sooner it is abandoned the bettor. It would bo presumptuous to say that it cannot be so worked and protected, but if falsa alarms taka place at tho rate of two, or rather four per night, or even at much greater intervals, tho disorganisation of tho Brigade is certain —and not very distant.