INCENDIARY BOMBS AND WARDENS' DUTIES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 157, 26 June 1942, Page 10

INCENDIARY BOMBS AND WARDENS' DUTIES

[The second of a series of BBC talks by Wing-Commander

P.I.

Hodsoll

, C.B., Inspector-

General, Ministry of Home Security. These talks are broadcast by the main NB» stations

at 6.30 on Wednesday evenings!

E’VE developed as you know a system of fire-watchers all over the country, and we've trained every member of the civil defence services in how to tackle these incendiary bombs. The stirrup hand pump is our chief weapon and it has proved its efficiency a hundred times over. It’s amazing what apparently big fires can be got out by an incendiary bomb team who are properly trained and who aren't afraid to go in and tackle the fire at its seat. Now what are the really important things to remember? First of all there must be a proper organisation, and the whole object of this is to make certain that so far as practicable no building is left unguarded. The best way is to plan out on a map your city or town or even village, divide it up into areas, decide which areas have the highest fire risk, and decide how many people are wanted to guard it. It’s very important that all the people living in houses, bungalows or blocks of flats should be able to tackle incendiary bombs for themselves. After all, the enemy is attempting to burn up the homes of the civil population, and it’s the civil population who should defeat this attempt. It’s The Fire That Matters The next thing is to train in working a stirrup pump, or whatever apparatus is available. We do this first of all as an individual, and then form a team, We have three people normally and we train the team to work together and be interchanged. Then the team should get to know everything about the building that they are guarding, and particularly all the awkward places. and difficult spots where an incendiary bomb might find its way. This should be done first in daylight and afterwards in the dark, Then there are one or we special points. Incendiary bombs which fall on the road or on open ground don’t hurt anybody. It’s those which fall on houses or buildings that matter, Everyone’s instinct is to go up to the bomb in the open and forget about the house. Always go to the house first and then be off with the other one afterwards. Get some training if possible in smoke. To attempt to fight a fire standing up in the smoke will merely mean that you choke and have to come out, If, however, you crawl along the floor or along the ground there’s a little cushion of fresh air in which you can breathe freely and so enable you to get. really close to the seat of the fire. Always remember that it is not the bomb that matters but the fire which it starts. It’s generally best to tackle the fire itself and leave the bomb until you’ve got the fire at least partially under control, and particularly watch out for any area where the fire may look like spreading quickly. Tackle that first. When you’ve got the’ fire and the bomb under control never leave the ‘place until you’ve made quite sure that nothing is still smouldering. Make a thorough search, and an axe is a great help. Some of the bombs we’ve had have had a small explosive charge. Be on your

guard and take cover behind a piece of furniture, or have a small shield. If the fire is obviously getting out of your control then send at once for help. Don’t leave it too late, but in the meantime do all you can to keep the fire down. Guides, Philosophers, Friends I’m taking the wardens next because they hold a key position, The wardens are the link with the civil population. We've described them as the guide, philosopher, and friend of the people, and I think that phrase very truly represents the position they hold. Wardens work from posts with telephones to the control section, Their first and most important job is to report damage and the fall of bombs, That job will take precedence over everything else during a raid, because on the speed and accuracy of the warden’s report depends the sending out of the other services, — A good deal of practice is needed to assess the situation accurately. We've trained our wardens to make two reports, an express report which tells the controller there’s been a casualty and a fire, which enables him to send out help immediately, and then a fuller report as a result of a more detailed reconnaissance giving further information, We also teach wardens to report any fires immediately and direct to the nearest fire station to save time. Once the warden has made his report then he should do what he can to help those who are in trouble. That's why we have them all trained in first-aid and elementary rescue work. Wardens are taught to recognise the hole made by unexploded bombs and the danger zone caused by the presence of these bombs. This is most important because they have to evacuate immediately the houses round the spot if an unexploded bomb is suspected. Should Know The People Wardens should have an accurate knowledge of the habits of the people in the area to which they are appointed. It’s important that they should be able to tell the rescue party when they arrive how many people were in the building which has been damaged, and if possible where they are likely to be. Wardens can help a lot in ordinary times by teaching the population how to behave in a raid and particularly how to take cover and how to deal with an incendiary bomb, and we supply all wardens’ posts with some stirrup pumps. During a raid the wardens should be on patrol, leaving one or two of their members at the post to man the telephone, If service breaks down they — to take their messages by hand. important that they may know the nearest first-aid post, rescue-party — telephone, fire station and so fact, that they know ce = the geography of their sector, so that they can help the other services when they arrive.