IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 March 1942, Page 2

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

DISPERSAL PROCEDURE 1 EVACUATION PROBLEM. ' STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER. 1 (By Telegraph—Press Association.) 1 WELLINGTON, This Day. 1 The procedure that should be followed by the general public in coni junction with Emergency Precautions i Services in the event of local dispersal, . or if need be evacuation to other areas . because of emergency arising out of , direct enemy action, was outlined last • night by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser. He said that concern for women and children in what may prove to. be , dangerous areas was shared by every- ■ one in the community, and the quest- . ion of their evacuation had been the ( subject of most earnest and searching examination by the Chiefs of Staff and by the National Service Department. “The E.P.S. authorities in the main centres have been urged to prepare plans for safe dispersal forthwith and ) to held trials to ensure that people in the streets may learn to follow the correct routes. Building wardens should hold dispersal trials and inform all inmates of the directions in which they should disperse. THE MOST LIKELY TARGETS. “The most likely targets are .resources upon which our sea communications depend, such as ships, wharves, docks, fuel installations, and so on, as well as aerodromes.” said Mr Fraser. “For the most part these (excluding aerodromes) are near the main areas of our cities and important towns, and (he question, therefore, arises as to what means are to be adopted to protect the large daytime concentrations of people in these areas. “It is impossible to guarantee absolute protection for everyone. Judging by experience in the United Kingdom and elsewhere it is probable that there will be some casualties, but these will be reduced if, when an attack begins, nr sirens are sounded, people on the streets move into the nearest building or other shelter and ‘stay put.’ Persons already in buildings should stay where they are. DANGER IN THE STREETS.. “There should be no dispersal to ether areas unless and till directions are given by the E.P.S. authorities, and dispersal should then be along the routes indicated by these authorities. During a raid the open streets will be the most dangerous places. “Very careful consideration has been given by the Government and its advisers to the necessity or otherwise for evacuating the civil population. As there can be no certainty as to when enemy attack will develop, nor the locality which will be the object of attack it would be most unwise, in view of the disruption to community life, to evacuate selected areas now. The important consideration which must be borne in mind is that essential services and industries must continue as far as possible. Our national effort must not be unduly impeded.” Mr Fraser said that the civil population should provide for themselves at their dwellings trenches or other suitable shelters sufficient to accommodate the family. Specifications of the domestic trenches and other shelters may be obtained on application at any main post office. The protection of the family must be balanced against the need to deal with any incendiary bombs which may fall upon the house or building.