MASTERTON E.P.S.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1942, Page 2

MASTERTON E.P.S.

ACTION IN EVENT OF SEVERE EARTHQUAKES SIRENS TO BE SOUNDED. SOME REARRANGEMENTS MADE. The position regarding the calling out of the E.P.S. personnel in Masterton in the event of a severe earthquake was defined at a meeting of the E.P.S. Central Committee last night. Mr T. Jordan, chairman, presided. It was decided that if any further earthquakes were experienced of the same intensity as those felt recently, the sirens should be sounded. It was pointed out that originally the E.P.S. organisation was set up to deal with earthquake emergency, but, following on the entry of Japan into the war, attention was concentrated on the possibility of enemy raids. In the course of a discussion of the general position arising in Masterton following the earthquake on June 24, it was admitted that on account of the failure to sound an alarm E.P.S. members did not know whether an emergency had arisen or not and that this was the principal reason why many of them did not report at their assembly points. The whole of the E.P.S. fire section and the E.P.S. unit were called out for the earthquakes on June 24 and August 2 and were in attendance at the Fire Station, in readiness to deal with any outbreak of fire. The Borough Engineer, Mr C. R. Mabson, was asked to submit a report on having the sirens controlled as one group, to be operated manually in the event of power failure.

In view of the Municipal Buildings not being considered as suitable for the central headquarters of the E.P.S., it was decided to establish the headquarters at the Masterton County Office (a wooden building), and to have an emergency lighting outfit installed, in case of the electric light failing. The organisation of runners was left in the hands of the secretary, Mr G. T. O’Hara Smith, and the controller of the various committees. Steps in that direction, it was stated, had already been taken by the enrolment of senior College pupils, through the Principal, Mr F. J. Gair . Runners were considered essential .especially if the telephone system were out of action.

The action- of the chairman on the night of the earthquake on June 24 and his acceptance of the spontaneous offer made by the military to supply pickets were approved.