CITY READY.
IN EMERGENCY.
SCHEME PERFECTED.
CIVIC ORGANISATION.
mayor outlines details
Should an emergency develop through any cause, there exists a civic organisation in Auckland which is ready to swing into action, restore order and generally take charge of the situation.
The organisation has been quietly but efficiently perfecting a scheme for several months under the guidance of a representative council, consisting of representatives of various bodies and responsible citizens, and according to an announcement made to-day by the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, the plan has readied a stage when the different organisations can l>e very quickly co-ordinated. Sir Ernest said he felt sure that a practical working scheme had been evolved, and should the need arise for it to he put into opers.tion very few matters under the civic heading would be left unattended to. The scheme was divided into eight appropriate heads, namely:— Medical and Public Health. Police and Traffic Control. Finance, Records and Publicity. Civic Engineering and Works. Transport. Fire. Harbour. Communications. "Each of the above heads, or group-, has a large number of sub-committees, consisting of some hundreds of individuals, already appointed to deal with various aspects of the work more correctly associated with their group," added Sir Ernest. "Plans in every instance have been prepared and data collected. Committees have met on a number of occasion?, and all members are energetically perfecting their particular sphere of operation. "Not Military Organisation." "The organisation is not a military one, but rather a civic one, which was set up for the purpose of maintaining the general services for the community, and taking full control for the safety, comfort and protection of the civil community, together with all supplies which would be necessary in time of expediency." The executive council which was charged with the responsibility of formulating the policy of the organisation, invested with full control and administration of the scheme, and empowered to establish and appoint the personnel of the various technical group committees, is as follows: —The Mayor of Auckland, the chairmen of the Education Board, Transport Board. Harbour Board, E'ectric rower Board, Metropolitan Fire Board and Hospital Board, the Medical Officer of Health, the Superintendent of Police. Chief Postmaster, the officers commanding the Northern Military District. Devon port Naval Base and Hobsonville Air Base, the president of the Federation of Labour, the president of the Auckland Suburban T.ocal Bodies' Asso cintion, the Mnynrfl of Devonport, Mount Albert, Mount' Eden, Oneliunga, Archbishop Averill. Bishop Liston. the chairman of the St. .Tolin Ambulance Association and the president of the Red Cross Society.
The women's organisation which was aiding in the scheme, it was explained by Sir Ernest, had 1800 members and centres of activity had been opened in 18 districts in the Auckland metropolitan area. Training courses had been opened in first aid, home nursing, cooking, full ambulance, care of children, motor mechanics and anti-gas precautions. In addition, assistance was forthcoming from the Red Cross Society and the St. John Ambulance. Functions of Groups. The ramification's of the scheme are revealed by a plan which has been prepared setting out the functions of each of the eight groups. For instance, the medical and pxiblic health group has as its responsibility such matters as hospitals, first aid, ambulances, accommodation, evacuation, sanitation, doctors, nursing staffs, schools and resting places for the dead. The finance group is concerned with finance, records, publicity and information, and the police group with general problems, policing, traffic control, intelligence, street wardens and gas detectors. The civic, engineering, works and services group has very extensive duties, which include the questions of supplies, gas masks, public services, supply services, rescue parties and street clearing, decontamination and cleansing, buildings, oil and petrol storage. protective c'lothing, first aid posts, and gasproof ■ shelters. The transport group concerns the giving of attention to various branches of transport, and the fire group to fire brigades, personnel and equipment and protective ""Clothing. Under the harbour group there come such questions as patrols, damage, floating fire-fighting appliances, oil leakape, wharves, shipping and equipment. In the final group of communications provision is made for handling telephone, post, wireless, telegraph, Press and messenger communications.
Permanent link to this item
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Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 202, 28 August 1939, Page 10
Word Count
691CITY READY. Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 202, 28 August 1939, Page 10
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Acknowledgements
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