Internal Enemy

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 464, 20 September 1928, Page 10

Internal Enemy

Brigades Grapple With Fire Losses

LACK of care and lack of casli are believed by the lire chiefs of Auckland to be the two main causes of conflagration, and the superintendent of the Central Brigade reveals that several fires in this city have been found to have been deliberately started. It is impossible to eliminate outbreaks altogether, they say, and a plea is made for substantial Government assistance in the maintenance of water reticulation and equipment.

The question of dealing effectively with increasing fire losses in all parts of the Dominion has exercised the minds of fire-fighting authorities for some time. Volunteer brigades, as represented by the United Fire Brigades’ Association, with Superintendent Watts, of Newmarket, as chief, calls incessantly for unified control over the whole of New Zealand, while the permanent brigades look askance at the meticulously commercial attitude of the Government in demanding payment for services given. On account of the durable and resisting nature of modern buildings, it is reasonable to anticipate a dimi-

nution of risk of fire outbreaks, but Auckland’s losses are rising in huge sums annually, last year’s total reaching the enormous figure of £130,000. Calls upon the services of the brigades, too, are increasing beyond the offsetting proportion of growing population and the erection of fire-resisting buildings.

The points of view of both volunteer and permanent brigades were conveyed to Aucklanders at a function recently, when Superintendent Wilson, of the Auckland Fire Brigade, mentioned that the Post and Telegraph Department collected £BOO annually from this city for the maintenance of aerial wires, a great part of which had to be accomplished by the brigade itself. His view was that the State, which commandeered every available shilling in wartime to fight an external enemy, should be equally enthusiastic to assist in the combat of the internal enemy—fire outbreaks. Superintendent Wilson agrees that

fires cannot be eliminated completely. What was to be done with the woman who visited her neighbour and left her electric iron standing on the clothes she had been ironing? And, again, what steps could he taken to prevent the housewife leaving the copper fire burning with huge lengths of wood protruding? The volunteer brigades answer this question by a reminder that for some years they have been advocating fire classes in the public schools throughout the Dominion. A simple but comprehensive course of lessons was prepared, and offered to the Education Department. The teaching of this, however, was made optional. LESSONS IN SCHOOL No fire-fighting lessons beyond the inculcation of general precautionary principles are being taught the children in the Auckland Education Board's district, the authorities believing that the knowledge possessed by the staff, and the general appointments of modern schools are sufficient in themselves to meet emergency. “The new schools are practically fireproof, and the big open windows provide plenty of exits,” remarked Mr. D. W. Dunlop, secretary to the Auckland Education Board. “Fire extinguishers were provided in all the schools some time ago, and the staff instructed in their use, but fires very seldom occur in schools during school hours.” Superintendent Watts, who is an ardent champion of the volunteer bribade, advances three factors essential for the effectual diminution of fire losses: (1) Unified control of the firefighting and fire-prevention forces. (2) The most modern alarm systems, so that in cases of fire the call to the brigade should be made without loss of time. (3) Education of the public, especially the children, in fire prevention. WORST ENEMY Fire losses, he points out, reach 18s 4Jd a head of population, and of 143 brigades only 25 were equipped with automatic alarms. Some of the proprietors of amusement houses were possessed of the idea of cutting out the attendance of their firemen in order to save expense, but the wisdom of this was seriously doubted. Superintendent Watts advocates the installation of auto-detectors in every modern building, he believes that the delayed alarm is the greatest obstacle for all fire-fighters. It was mentioned incidentally by Superintendent Wilson that a number of fires In this city had been found to he deliberate, and, where possible, police aid was invoked as a check upon this crime. Auckland is losing heavily every year by fire, but the combined forces of the volunteer and permanent brigades, together with the steady installation of fire-detection and prevention machinery, must eventually have its effect in a substantial minimisation of risk, and ultimately in providing comparative immunity from serious loss.