A DECIDED IMPROVEMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 31 August 1942, Page 2

A DECIDED IMPROVEMENT

EFFICIENT RESPONSE At 3.45 o’clock on Saturday afternoon the alarm sirens sounded for the August rehearsal of the Nelson Emergency Precautions Service. The trial took the form of an imaginary blitz by enemy raiding planes concentrating on the area of the Port. The electric power station was severely damaged and later put out of action completely, and fires were started in that vicinity. Electricity, law and order, works and supply sections were severely taxed in the amount of work they were called upon to perform. The fire section had two major fires which were attended expeditiously. This section had to work on the assumption that the water supply had been cut off and a suction pump was lowered into the harbour and sea water pumped out for fire-fighting. The first aid section had provided a number of people labelled with a description of their type of casualty and these were handled efficiently with the exception of those in the vicinity of Kirkpatrick’s, who, by reason of a misunderstanding of the actual time of “zero” by the warden concerned were left unattended. The electricity unit, when the powerhouse was rendered completely useless, took immediate steps to connect the city direct with the Stoke power station by the transmission lines running down Vanguard street and not through the power station. This ensured that by the same evening reduced lighting would have been available in the homes of Nelson. The information section was advised of this, and an “extra” would have been circulated advising the public to use a minimum of electricity for that evening.

The Nelson City E.P.S. Controller, Mr J. A. Harley, stated to-day that the rehearsal was a very decided improvement on any previous trial. The headquarters unit, in its reorganised system had left very little to be desired other than practice in their positions by the staff. While the reports of other unit controllers were not yet available, on the information already received from the four military observers and by the ready response to the incidents provided it would appear that all concerned had played tljeir parts efficiently. A full and detailed report will be received from all units this week, together with a report in writing from the military observers. Wardens’ reports on incidents together with the services rendered as a result of these reports will be checked over by headquarters so that further improvements can be made before the September rehearsal.

Although the wardens’ reports had not yet been handed in, from conversations with individual wardens it was apparent that they had been called upon far too frequently to warn people off the streets during the emergency period. Visits to householders by the wardens had disclosed that many householders had lost their E.P. booklets and others did not appreciate the degree of co-operation expected of them.