SUPPLEMENTARY FIRE ENGINES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 14, 16 January 1914, Page 7

SUPPLEMENTARY FIRE ENGINES.

A SYDNEY SCHEME. STATIONARY PUMPING PLANTS. AUCKLAND'S COMING NEED. An interesting proposal for the improvement of tfce fire-fighting system of Sydney, by the virtual abolition of fireengines, has been under consideration toy the Metropolitan, Board of the New South Wales capital for some time past, and on present indications it is probable that the civic authorities of Auckland will have to consider a similar scheme in the course of the nest decade. Pretty well all* Sydney receives its water supply by the high pressure system. The water is pumped through the mains rather than supplied by power of gravitation, and the present proposal is i.othing more than a development of the system which has become universal throughout the metropolitan area. A series of pumping stations are to be erected in various parts of the city, which may be used for ordinary power purposes when conditions are normal, or may not be required at all; but in case of an outbreak of fire, the brigade, instead of having to rush nrejj-'SWjinee to the spot, will merely have «-."..• set the pumping machinery in operation, fix the fire hoses, and play on to the flames by water supplied through the street mains at tremendous pressure. THE GRAVITATION SYSTEM. " I have known of such a system as thie for a long while," eaid Superintendent Woolley, of the City Fire Brigade, when interviewed on the subject this morning. "It is much used' in America, and, I understand, has proved very satisfactory. The water supply conditions in Anekland are not, of course, the same ac in Sydney. Over there mo3t of the water is pumped direct through ■ the mains, whereas here it is pumped into elevated reservoirs and delivered by gravitation. Tbe high levels of the city are supplied from Mount Eden, and the lower levels from the KhybeT and Ponsonby reservoirs. When an alarm is received from the iower levels (in Qneen Street, -for instance) the water from both the Khyber and Poneonby reservoirs is turned into the mains, so as to secure am ample supply. HIGH BONDING ERA. "The pressure that we get by gravitation," continued the superintendent, "has been quite good enough for the needs of the city for many years past, and even now we eeldom use the big Dennis fire pump, except for outbreaks on the waterfront. The time is coming, however, when it will be necessary to (provide mlore pressure by pneane of puanping. The average pressure in Queen Street, from Quay Street to the Grey Statue, ie about 901ba. per equare incn, but you must remember that at the top of the cix and eight-storey buildings that are being erected the pressure ie considerably less. Every 100 ft. of height meane 431bs. per square I inch, and when you allow for the fricttion in the long h-ose, it is plain that there will not be a heavy pressure cix storeys up. There is always a difficulty in dealing , with fires in high buildings. It is harder to get a good pressure high up, and it also takes longer to : get there. Thie alj meane .Joes' .to .^the , insurance companies. When yoai tap a main to its full capacity, you naturally redtice the pressure, and in order to play a large number of jets on a high level a good general pressure is needed, for a fire engine can only feed one or two. With old water mains there might be Eome danger in increasing the pressure, Inrfc if the pumps were merely used to keep the preeeure up to standard when the consumption reduced it, there i ought to be no trouble. With the coming of the high building era," said the superintendent in conclusion, "there is no doubt that arrangements will have to be made for a fire supply at high pressure if insurance -riske and prcmiume are to keep down."