TRAINING OF BRIGADE OFFICERS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25427, 25 February 1948, Page 8

TRAINING OF BRIGADE OFFICERS

Do you get any practice in quick decision exercises for dealing with fires?—No.

Do you have any practical tests by which new men are trained to appreciate these problems?—We have manual drill, but there are no mental tests for quick thinking.

Do the officers go through refresher courses in fire. fighting?—We keep up to date in the manner of lectures and drills. But. actually, a fire officer gets his experience from the practical job of the fire. Don’t you think you could be trained by trials and tests before occasions arise?—Yes Gutting Inevitable Mr E. D. Blundell (for the fire underwriters): If you had gone straight from the machines to the cellar and got a lead in, you still believe the fire had so progressed you could not have prevented the eventual gutting of the building?—That is my opinion, because of the lateness of the call to the brigade. The fire had got up through the lining of the wall and bypassed through the ceiling of the floors.

If the first call had been a brigade call and had been acted upon promptly. as the general call was. do you still think you could not have prevented the spread of the fire?—l don’t think we could have located that fire in- time to save the building. Have yo'- ever had a fire which developed as rapidly as this one did?— Never.

To Mr L. Glover (for the Superintendents’ and Deputy-Superintendents’ Union): He thought Mr Roger Ballantyne should have said who he was. In the circumstances of the fire. Mr Ballantyne would be upset and witness would not ask him. With the exception of three or four men in the country. every member of the brigade on extended or day leave attended the Hre and they could have been confused with civilians as they were not in uniform.

“You are now of the opinion that the fire did not originate in the cellar?” asked Mr Watson, in re-examina-tion.

“What I have heard before this commission. it has not been proved that the fire was in the cellar.” replied Officer Burrows. “We did not find it in the cellar.”

“We know that.” said Mr Watson. “Are you suggesting it originated in any other part of the building?” Officer Burrows: No. Mr Watson: You said the fire had achieved the stage that Ballantyne’s building was doomed when you got there?—That is my opinion. Your opinion is that no effort of the brigade could save the building from ultimate destruction?—The fire was well established in these linings and floor joists. It would have been difficult to save.

So you say the whole building was doomed?—l would not say the whole building. It was on the way. “But, if that was so. you must have taken immediate steps to rescue the people?” suggested the chairman (Sir Harold Johnston).

Officer Burrows: That is my opinion since.

The chairman: On the evidence?— Yes.

That is the task of the Commission? —Yes.

As to your view of a possible danger to firemen by a blow back through the goods lift, had you any reason for not telling Mr Thomas, Mr Cleary or me that reason?—No. I added that as an additional possibility. I had no reason for withholding it. That reason occurred to you for the first time while Mr Barrer was crossexamining you?—Yes.

Questions on Authority “Had you any doubt at all but that the gentleman who took you to the lift was a man in authority?” asked the chairman.

“I did not know he was a man in authority,” witness replied. “I thought he was an employee. “Was it not your duty and common sense to ask him to show you someone in authority?” the chairman asked. Witness: Yes.

The chairman: And you failed to do it? Witness: Yes.