FIRE PREVENTION

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 27, 16 February 1937, Page 6

FIRE PREVENTION

Measures at the Napier Hospital BOARD'S DISCUSSION The question of instituting fire-pre-vention measures at the Napier Hospital was yesterday referred by the Hospital Board to the Napier building committee with power to act. Mr H. Girling Butcher, Inspector of Fire Bi'igades, is^to be thanked for the report on the subject. Mr H. V. Hoadley said the question was one of urgency. He would like to see work proceeded with as soon as possible. Mr O. Duff pointed out that the matter had previously been before the board and rejected. He felt that the board should finally decide any further proposals. Mr A. E. Bedford : In the meantime, who will be responsible? The chairman, Mr C. Lassen: Who has been responsible in the past? Mr Bedford: We have- had three warnings already. Dr. H. M. Wilson said he would like to see something done in the matter. He then asked if any fire drill had been carried out. Mr S. J. McKee pointed out that the institution had functioned under the present conditions since the earthquake and that any fault was not altogether that of the present members. To Dr. Wilson, the secretary, Mr E. T. Bees, explained that with three shifts of nurses some difficulty was caused in an alarm for fire-drill purposes. It was proposed to lecture the nurses on the subject and to ensure th§,t they should be thoroughly familiar with all the fire escapes. If alarms /were given too -frequently there was the risk that nurses would remain ih bed thinking that it ' was for * fire-drill only. • The chairman explained that a fire alarm was installed beforo last Christmas. • It was fine.lly. decided that the Napier building committee should have power to act in the matter.