E.F.S. NOW IN RESERVE

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24123, 6 December 1943, Page 6

E.F.S. NOW IN RESERVE

IMPROVEMENT IN WAR SITUATION PERMISSION FOR USE OF SIRENS (P.Aj WELLINGTON, December 4. In view cn tne coniinueu improvement in the Vvar situation it is-now poss.oie to mouuy tne service requiremeuio or Emergency Fire Service personnel sonicwnat in line witn tnose raid down lor tne Home Guard. This was announced to-day by tne Minister of Civil Detence (tne Hon. D. Wiison). Except at Auckland, where special conditions maxe- n necessary to continue in the meantime, tne billeting system ox tne Emergency Fire Service is now piaceu on the reserve, but tne organisation will lemain in being and personnel win be required to Una out lor tires ol an emergency nature, emergency hire Service personnel will aiso be required to parade once a quarter for kit inspection. Mr Wiison said that wmle the Government was desirous of extending the same treatment to tne Emergency Fire Service as to tne Home Guard, Ut had to be i emunbereu that serious emergencies couid arise in the way of extensive nres that were not due to enemy action but to war conditions. Tne consequences were more farreaching because the goods and materials affected were practically irreplaceable. Therefore, it was essential to retain the Emergency Fire Service m existence, but it would be necessary to can upon trained personnel only in an emergency. Mr Wilson said .that a further relaxation of emergency conditions came in the reinstatement of the use of sirens, both for fire purposes and for use at industrial plants. Authority had now been given to controllers of the Emergency Fire Service to grant permission for the use of sirens, and they had also been asked to arrange a system of call signals which would enable the Emergency Fire Service to be called out in emergencies. The public would be advised of the uses to which sirens might be put so there should be no chance of confusing their everyday use with the general emergency alarm signal. which remained the same as hitherto (a series of blasts of 10 seconds’ duration over a period of two minutes) “These modifications have been made possible by the Dominion’s position,” said Mr Wilson, “but the general alarm organisation remains intact, so that emergency conditions can be resumed promptly should there be deterioration in the position.”