“AIR RAID” AT THE D.I.C.

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23586, 13 March 1942, Page 6

“AIR RAID” AT THE D.I.C.

TRIAL EVACUATION

PUBLIC AND STAFF CO-OPERATE

Customers and staff of the D.1.C., under the control of the firm’s own EP.S. organisation, realistically faced air raid conditions yesterday, when a surprise trial evacuation was held at the shop. The success of the evacuation was praised by Christchurch E.P.S. officials who attended the trial, which was notable as one of the first in Christchurch to provide for the public as well as the staff. Selling in every department of the shop stopped abruptly at 2 o clock, when the air raid warning went. In less than g minute after that both customers'and staff were "mobilised” and at the various emergency exits provided for emergency. . In another minute—two minutes after the alarm sounded—all cash and records books from the main office and elsewhere were safely stored in the safe. On the ground floor the firefighting staft made short work of an incendiary "bomb” that had penetrated right through from the roof. The fire-fighting units throughout the building were at their stations —including the guards working on the roof high above Cashel street—and the first aid stations, fully manned by trained personnel, were dealing with their cases for the raid, people who had fainted or were injured. The manager of the D.1.C., Mr H, C. Hassall, said that the response of the public, and there had been a big crowd in the shop at the time, had been excellent. Everyone had co-operated, following the members of the staff, who knew just where to go and what to do. The "all clear” sounded in four minutes, and gradually life in a big shop came back to normal. After the all clear the fire-fighters on the roof carried on with a realistic demonstration, dealing with high pressure water, with a “bomb.” The building is equipped with high pressure water hoses on each floor, and for emergency purposes there are also big water storage tanks. The display was watched by a number of interested E.P.S. officials and commercial representatives, including Mr W. Machin, chairman of the organising committee of the E.P.S., and Mr A. M. Hollander, representing the Commercial Fire Guards Organisation, as well as representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers’ Association.