FIRES OF THE YEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 308, 29 December 1922, Page 3

FIRES OF THE YEAR.

ONE FATAL OUTBREAK. 232 CALLS RECEIVED. Fire, the age-old enemy of man, whether he dwell in the congested conlines of city or town, on the lonely ocean-going ship or in the sun-dried wastes of bush or plain, has taken its toll of life and property during the year that has almost ended; but modern science has done much to keep this terrible element of destruction within proper limits, to make its ravages less, and to render it a constructive rather than a destructive factor. Year by year, as the fire-fighting facilities of the civilised world have been improved, and people have been educated more highly, I large fires have become fewer. Man's : ingenuity has triumphed, and the J dreaded devastator has wrought less j havoc than it did when cities were smaller and man's ability to protect and prevent was less. In our own city it is pleasing to find on turning to the official records that the year has passed without an outbreak of any magnitude. Some thousands of pounds worth of property have been lost owing to lire, but the efficiency of the brigade has prevented the spreading of those fires which did occur. In one in-stance-only did the dreaded element I claim a victim, when Mr. Nathaniel Hay- , den lost his life in a lodging house in Grey Street on June 16. The fire occurred late at night, and the unfortunate man was asleep when the outbreak was detected. It is presumed that he awoke and found the passage full of smoke, with the flames licking up the stairs. Only one other means of egress remained, this being through a front room window and out to a fire escape. To gain access to the window he had to pass through a door opening into the room. The door was locked. His charred remains were found in the debris, grim testimony to the absence of an available fire escape. ! FEWER CALLS RECEIVED. j During the past twelve months 232 calls were received, as against 247 last year, 227 in 1920, 231 in 1919, 237 in 1918, and 289 in 1917. Of the 232 calls responded to only 133 were found to be in respect of actual fires. This number shows an increase of eight on last year's figures. With the improved system of alarm boxes the number of false alarms received has decreased materially, there being only 52—an average of one per week—as compared with 64 in 1921, 77 in 1920, and 95 in 1919. Of course, all the fire alarms are not malicious, since a variety of circumstances may lead to the giving of an alarm, such as an accident or a misunderstanding. Smoke issuing from a chimney which cannot be seen from the street is sometimees the reason for a false alarm, which may be quite well-intentioned. This was the case in connection with seven of the alarms received. It was Ascertained that 29 alarms were malicious. It is not easy to understand the feelings of the person who, from sheer wantonness, craves a little morbid satisfaction by breaking an alarm box and watching the arrival of the fire fighters—from a place of concealment. Of all practical jokes this i form is perhaps the most despicable. ! The irresponsible person who brings the J firemen pell mell down a busy street j endangers life a,nd limb to no purpose. [More often than not these alarms are given late at night, and the men of the brigade are called from their beds on a fool's errand. There is always the like- ■ lihood that a very real fire may require i attention during their absence, but, not- | withstanding these dangers, there can be i no possible excuse for the crime of callj ing out these faithful servants of tiie public on a futile mission. In a city lirke Auckland the standard of morality should be higher; twenty-nine alarms of this nature is too many. However, the authorities are alive to the situation, and offenders who are detected are dealt with in a salutary manner. Line faults caused ten of the false alarms, and another four were the result of automatic alarms being set in action by natural conditions, such as temperature and water pressure. A defective electric installation caused another alarm, and yet another was the outcome of the action of a demented person, who, following the vagaries of a semi-pyromaniac— the unhappy inspiration to start a fire was apparently absent—-broke an alarm box and brought the brigade to the spot in quick time. ESCAPES THAT ARE TRAPS. The need for adequate and serviceable fire escapes is frequently stressed. Under th« City Council's by-laws it is required that escapes must be provided in twostoreyed buildings, but there is no law I that compels any public organisation to provide for inspection of escapes. When this is considered for a moment the average person must conclude that there is something radically wrong with the statutes. Section 20 or the Municipal Corporations Amendment Act says that I a council may provide for the appointI ment of a competent person whose duty j it shall be to inspect buildinge and decide ! What fire escapes are necessary, but in ! clause two of the section it is stated i that this shall not apply within aVy I districts which is a fire district, or part of a united fire district The Fire I Brigades Act does not give authority to j officers of a fire brigade to be inspectors of fire escapes, and thus it comes about I that no one is responsible for the condition of fire-escapes, which may become rotted and useless, a menace to the inhabitants of the building, yet nobody i-> held blameworthy. This condition of affairs may go on for years and then, some day. a big fire will occur and lives that miph't have been saved will be lost. Mr. A. L. Wilson, the able and enthusiastic superintendent of the Auckland Fire Brigade, referred to this matter in speaking of the brigade's work during the year. It was a point on which he felt very keenly. There was urgent need for reform in this connection, and every centre should have an inspector. EARLY CALLS ESSENTIAL. Many people are inclined to labour under the belief that because the firefighters are usually successful in staying the progress of flames and in saving the majority of buildinge wherein outbreaks occur the brigade is vjrtually infallible. This, as the superintendent remarked, was entirely fallacious. The brigade, lie admited, was capable of ! dealing' with almost any fire provided '.the alarm ■was given in plenty of time. (Early calls were essential. In a coni gested city it was humanly impossible, i even though aided with the best appliances in the world, to cope with a fire in a large block when the flames had a strong hold. Given a fair start, ' however, much could be done. There I wae only one sure way to obtain an ! immediate call, and that was by the I installation of automatic alarms. It ! was a surprising fact, he continued that so few realised the wisdom of installing i automatic alarms. Fires had occurred in Auckland which had made it 1 abundantly clear that flames could

\\ " ————^—! obtain a very strong bold on a building ere any of the many inhabitants became aware of it, but the mechanical contrivances which were now available at a comparatively email cost, seldom, if ever, failed td perform their function, and in the event of a fire the whole building was immediately informed of the occurrence and simultaneously the fire station received the alarm. There was only one solution, said the superintendent, and this lay in the automatic alarm system. He earnestly commended it to all who valued not only their own lives but the lives of all who were near and dear to them. Surely if merchandise was worth protecting, human live» had even greater claims. POLICE DIRECTION. Referring to the safety of the public, the superintendent paid a tribute to the work of the police force during the last year. Consequent upon the matter of fire escapes in public lodging places being brought before the Licensing Committee a tour of the various hotels had been made and dangerous places which were not provided for with fire escapee had been pointed out. In some instances, the superintendent and the police having collaborated, hotelkeepers had been ordered to close certain rooms as they were not considered to be safe without fire escapes. Locked doors in hotels are frequently found, and it was pointed out that roome without escapes were real dangers, since a boarder depending upon access to an escape through another room took a long chance. Passing reference was made by the superintendent to the matter of the wooden building. Fortunately the plethora of wooden buildings.with which Auckland was encumbered up till a few years ago was rapidly diminishing and every new brick or concrete structure that was raised was a fire break and a valuable addition to the firefighting facilities of the city. AN EFFICIENT BRIGADE. For many years the Auckland Fire Brigade, with its fast fleet of engines, reels, ladders and other vehicles has been one of the best equipped in the world. Whenever an alarm ie received the response is sure and prompt. There must be very few who have not experienced some degree of admiration for the brass-helmeted men as they j have flashed past on the howling engine. Day and night, rain and shine, holiday and working day, they are ready to j give of their beet in the interests of I the community, and in the fine body of men who have attained such a high standard of efficiency under the direction of Superintendent Wilson, Aucklanders may well take pride.