FALSE ALARMS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1931, Page 2

FALSE ALARMS

INCREASING IN NUMBER. WELLINGTON July 17. The increasing number of malicious false alarms received by the Wellington Fire Brigade was commented on at today’s: meeting of the Fire Board. The monthly returns showed that during <1 une 14 malicious alarms had been received. In April,"May, and June of this year, 47 had-been received, as against 25 in the corresponding period last year.. ‘ ■ • ' 1 : , Superintendent J. Creeke said that the alarms, most of which occurred at night, were very difficult to trace. The chairman (Mr N. W. Nelson), said he could not understand the mentality which prompted people to do such a thing. Mr S. S. Dean said that when a false alarm is given over the telephone, the board should get in touch with the Post and Telegraph Department to try and find out which telephone Box had been used. Mr R. Semple, M.P.; "Someone with a .‘kink’ is generally responsible for them. It i 9 a big cost to the board when the brigade-turns out, and apart from that, there is the risk of a fatality occurring while the engine is on the way to the scene. < ■ Superintendent Creeke said that all the telephoned alarms did not come to the Central Station, »o it was very difficult to find out where the colls came from,. Ha cited an instance when tlio brigade received, three calls in flvo minutea, The first call was to Happy Valley j two minutes later one was received to go to Parliament Buildings, and in less than two minutes more, th” brigade was asked to go to another part of the city, : The montly return shows that during June, the -brigade received 54 oalls; 31 were actual fires (property 19, chimneys 7, gorse, grass, and rubbish 5), and 23 were false alarms. Of the latter number 9 were (justifiable; and: 14 malicious. In the three, months April,,. May, and June, 1931, the balls and fires were ■ as .follows, the figures for .the corresponding period last year being given in parenthesesProperty,.s9 (58) ; chjmne.ys 22 (28).; gorse, grate, and rubbish,. 30 (75); 'total* 111 (161). False alarms: Justifiable. 34 (37)/ malicious, 47 (25) j total/ 81 (62).