Complete Fire Watching Service Urged at Hawera

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1942, Page 5

Complete Fire Watching Service Urged at Hawera

The need to provide a complete fire watching service in the business area of Hawera in the initial phase of an emergency, even at the cost of reducing other E.P.S. sections to skeleton organisations, was stressed by the fire controller, Mr. L. V. Gibson, at a meetin.g of Hawera controllers on Thursday night. The Mayor, Mr. L. H. Clapham, Mr. J. B. Murdoeh and Mr. Gibson were appointed to approach the Home Guard on the matter, and Mr. Gibson is to discuss it with other controllers. A survey of the steps taken to conform with the fire protection requirernents of the business area was made by Mr. Gibson, and revealed t'hat the protection was about 50 per cent. of that necessary, and the personnel wanted to be strengthened by 50 per cent. "I am particularly concerned about tnis, and am of the opinion that it can be remedied as in the main the prevalent view is 'one man one job,' " said Mr. Gibson. "This obviously is not the position in the cities, as with the continuous duty system of fire watching particularly every male employee has to do duty, despite the fact that he is a member of the E.P.S. This, to the best of my knowledge, also applies to employees in the Home Guard. In an emergency fire watching will be of major irnportance, and I suggest that the eligibility of certain personnel, either in the E.P.S. or Home Guard, for this duty be investigated. I do not suggest that this be their sole duty, but that it take precedence over their present duty, at least in the ' initial phase of an emergency. The additional personnel required is, if anything, below a logical minimum." The survey showed that the number of buildings involved was 130, and the number of occupancies was 220, he continued. Another 73 fire watchers were needed. While the figures showed one fire watcher for every occupancy, this was not the case, for in 10 buildings, there were 30 watchers. There were 25 premises without watchers. Requisitions were being served on owners of premises to provide the xiecessary equipment and the position had improved in the last two weeks and was still improving. There was no suggestion of continuous fire duty, and in the main he wanted persons employed in the premises to act as watchers, said Mr. Gibson. He suggested that the Home Guard be approached. The position had deteriorated since compulsory enrolment in the Home Guard was introduced. A suitable arrangement could probably be reached if the matter was discussed with the Home Guard, said Mr. Clapham, and the meeting endorsed this view.