The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER. 19, 1931. FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER. 19, 1931. FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.

Fkom Momday next to Saturday, No- . vember 23rd.. to the 28th., inclusive, has been declared Fire Prevention week, and the. Inspector of Fire Brigades desires to impress on the public the importance of co-perating in tins matter. It is stated that experience in other countries hats shown that a fire-prevention movement such as is proposed, is effective only if the cooperation of business interests is obtained. A copy of the self-inspection card i® being forwarded to every shop, office and factory, and local boan-s have been asked to arrange for special inspections of premises for fire hazards to follow up this distribution. The Inspector of Fire. Brigades hopes that the inspection ito follow willV not be regarded as an interference with business, but as an effort to help the individual guard against fire loss. The Hon. Minister of Internal Affairs, in supporting the movement points out in a note to the general public that the action of the Government in suggesting that a Fire-prevention Week should be held throughout the country has be,en rendered necessary owing to the alarming increase in the number of fires occurring in recent years. The seriousness of the present positon has been generally recognized, and the Department has received promises of co-operation and assistance from practically all of the Municipal Authorities and Fire Boards. AH that is now necessary to obtain results is that the individual members of tbe public—whose carelessness is responsible for most of the fires—should also give their co-operation to the fire-prevention movement. Fireprevention is definitely an economy measure, both to the nation and also—since it is only in exceptional cases that insurance covers the total loss—to the individual. It should also he noted that it is an economy which will not restrict the spending-power of the community, and does not cost money, but only a little care and thought with regard to fire. On the statistical side it is pointed out that the fire loss actually paid out by the insurance companies for the past five years averaged approximately,- £1.200,006 per year. To this large s'um a considerable amount must be added for loss of uninsured property, so that at a conservative estimate the New Zealand fire waste is at least £1,350,000 yearly. This works out at an average of approximately 18s per head of population, and, aw far a® can be escertained, is the highest "fire loss of any country in the world.- The actual

loss does not end at this £1,350,000. This figure does not cover any of the contingent losses, such'as loss of business due to fives, loss of records, plans, , accounts, &c., which have little intrinsic value hut are nil-important for business purposes and are costly to replace. Tt does not cover the loss of wages to employees thrown out of work by fire, and the consequent loss of business to other traders; nor does it- include the cost of temporary accommodation of people whose homes or business premises are either destroyed or rendered unfit for occupation. These heavy losses are not due in any way to either the personal inefficiency or* defective equipment of our fire brigades, or neglect by the municipalities to provide adequate water-supplies. As a matter of fact, the New Zealand fire services compare very favourably with those of any other country having a similar density of population, and it is extremely rare for an excessive fire loss to occur through inadequate equipment or water-failure. The present high fire loss, and particluarly the increase during -recent.years, is due, in the main, to one fact, and to one fact only, and that is that too many fires are allowed to occur. That this is the case is clearly shown by tbe figures for Fire Board Districts, which were carefully checked each year by the late Inspector of Fire Frigades, Captain Hugo. In 1919 there were thirty-five Fire Board Districts, and during that year 480 fires occurred with a total loss of £138,000. In 1929, ten years later, 1,002 fires occurred in the same fire districts, and the • loss was £278,000. The average loss per fire was the same, but the number of fires had more than doubled. It is not necessary to labour this point. The fact that the number of fires has doubled in. ten years speaks for itself, and shows the absolute necessity for some definite action. A study of tne figures regarding fires shows that at least 75 per cent, are traceable to careless habits in the house or place of business. Much of this is, of course, ignorant carelessness —such, for instance, as the use of petrol for cleaning purposes—where people do not realize their danger. Probably less than 10 per cent, of fires are due to structural causes, such as some of the defects in chimneys, and in the electrical installations, which cannot he determined by the occupier of the premises'and are therefore beyond his control; but even these are to a large measure due to carelessness or bad workmanship on the part of tradesfmofn. There remains a further percentage difficult to determine exactly, due to pure accident and to incendiarism. The fire loss in most European countries is very much lower than that in New Zealand, and the general carelessness which is largely the cause of our greater loss is probable due in a considerable, measure to a difference in national viewpoint with regard to fire. In New Zealand a. person who has a fire in his home or business premises is regarded as a subject for

sympathy if his personal loss is heavy. In Europe lie i® regarded largely as a public offender. In France if a fire gets outside a man’s premises and damages Ims neighbour’s property he has to pay his neighbour’s loss. In, Germany if a man ha® a fire the first person who calls to .offer his condolence is the policemen. Carelessness is

assumed from the fact that the fire occurred'. If the man (cannot prove that lie had taken every reasonable precaution to prevent just such a fire occurring ) he is fined for his negligence arid has to pay for the unnecessary service rendered by the fire brigade. In New Zealand fire® have been all too prevalent and have imposed a great loss on the country through the waste thereby. Here are the percentages of fire causes: Sparks from heating and cooking, 33.1 per cent.; smoking and matches, 13.2 per cent.; ■defective chimneys, 11.3 per cent.; electricity, 10 per cent.; naked lights, 8.3 per cent.; gas, 4 per cent.; miscellaneous, 12.5 per cent.; fire spreads, 7.6 per cent. There is the need for care and watchfulness if the record of fires in this country is to be brought down substantially.