EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 July 1940, Page 7

EMERGENCY PRECAUTIONS

ORGANISATION OF W.F.C.A. STAFF. PRACTICE LAST EVENING. The formation by the Wairarapa Farmers’ Co-operative Association Ltd of a Staff War Efforts Committee, formed with the object of assisting in any way to help bring the war to a successful conclusion was decided on recently. The staff has in hand several matters in his connection, and the committee has also formulated an internal emergency precaution scheme to be put into operation in the event of a calamity of any kind occurring. Similar steps have been taken by other institutions in various parts of New Zealand. j It was decided to hold a practice last evening and the staff remained at their respective positions at the close oi business, and at a prearranged signal the practice commenced. Duties allotted various members of the staff were duly carried out, such as clearing the store of customers, locking the doors, conveying cash and ledgers to the strong-room, shutting off power and gas. assembling of cars to convey members of the staff to' their homes, assembling of first aid and ambulance units, etc. Two realistic "casualties” were dealt with very efficiently by the V.A.D.’s (who have undergone a course of training) and carried by stretcher bearers to the waiting ambulance —a converted delivery van. During proceedings an inspection of the various posts was carried out, and with one or two minor exceptions all duties appeared to have been executed according to schedule. The controller of the proceedings is confident that when each staff member becomes more acquainted with his or her particular duty this time will be substantially reduced. The committeehopes that the instituting of internal precautionary measures will be of assistance to the Central Co-ordinating Committee when that body commences to function. Any member of the staff appointed to take part in the town’s major scheme will, of course, be free to take part in same, and accordingly will not be allotted any duty under the firm’s internal scheme. It is interesting to record that from the sounding of the “alarm” the store was cleared of public and staff within one minute, and after the casualties had been bandaged and carried upon stretchers to the ambulance, all evacuees installed in the waiting cars, and every post examined by the -inspection committee, only seven minutes had elapsed before the “all-clear” signal was given.