100 MEN NEEDED FOR MAJOR FIRE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25446, 18 March 1948, Page 6

100 MEN NEEDED FOR MAJOR FIRE

Have you ever given any thought to the number of additional men you really require attached to your brigade for the purpose of fighting any major fire that may develop in the city?—We have often given it thought; but with the assistance of out-stations we could manage a fire, I suppose you could call a major fire, providing we had a reasonable call to that fire. A fire well established, of course, is quite a different thing. At the moment, we have not sufficient men to deal with a major city fire. At present, we are not up to strength. The full strength is 69 and we have 63. •

Would you consider 69 adequate or would you like to have a larger personnel to deal with the contingency of a major fire?*—To deal with a fire such as Ballantyne’s, no. We could do with 100 men. and the assistance of the general public. Have you any system of volunteer brigadesmen?—No.

Some of the suburban stations have? —Yes, we can get them. Are Sumner and New Brighton entirely volunteer brigades?—Yes. Has Christchurch ever had- auxiliary or volunteer firemen? - —Some years ago. They used to be students at college and they came along and we helped to pay their expenses, in return for services to the brigade. They were, the only type of men we could get.

Are you not in favour of having volunteer or auxiliary firemen?—Quite in favdur.

No Effort to Get Volunteers Has any effort been made to form a volunteer service?—They are welcomed if they come along. No effort, as far as I am aware, has been made. * Aye the suburban volunteers given a Jtoiform? ’ asked the chairman. ‘Yes, and they are paid a retaining toe, replied Mr Barnes. The effective strength of the central station on any one day was 26, he said ■ ln ,J ep & !° f urther questioning. Mr Watson: Auckland has 59 volunteers and Wellington 13. Do you know of any good reasons why Christchurch should not have volunteer or auxiliary help?—No, I don’t • You d ° n ’l • suggest an effective strength of 26 is adequate?—No. • Ha £ J his been a subject of discussion between you and the superintendent at any time?—No. Do you know if any representations u ve x x£ en made to your Fire Board a bout the adequacy of oersonnel?—No. We have heard that certain appliances could not be dispatched or could J?* . d ’ s P^tf hed inadequately manned. »uch as the electric ladder and the No ? ?? nni . s Pump unit?—That is so. The ?, lways manned by a driver out its full complement is five men. Equipment Undermanned In the event of a major fire in Christchurch, won’t vou concede it is a most undesirable state of affairs to have equipment you cannot man or only man inadequately?—That is so. We can usually get a crew at the fire from another machine if the ladder is required. But that means taking men away from other duties: and that is not desirable at a major Are?—No. . Are suburban stations handicapped in manning eqUipment?~No. They have a turn-out strength of three at f a £ h The full strength from suburban brigades-i-St. Albans. Woolston. and Sydenham, is three machines and nine men. And that, added to the 2S central personnel, is the total full-time personnel available for the biggest fire in Christchurch, apart from two volunteer brigades?—That is right. If day-leave men they would turn out?—Yes; and it is understood that if leave men are in the vicinity they have to report back for duty.

As they did at Ballantyne’s?—Yes Only one man did not turn up—he was in Wellington. At the commencement of any fire there is an effective turn-out of 36 men over the whole of the citv of Christchurch?—Yes. Can you suggest anything, apart from the general labour shortage, to account for the inability to get extra men?—l would say they don’t like the confinement—tied up for 48 hours—and better conditions are found outside, where they have freedom; and the money outside is as good as it is inside. A lot of young people don’t like their evenings taken ’from them. How long is it since you have had your full strength?—lt is hard to say. They come and go. I would say 18 months ago. when we actually got the full complement, which was then 60. Do you find you get a rapid turnover of men coming in?—Yes. very rapid. We had two men in four months ago, and both finished up on Friday. They are interested for two or three months, and then the novelty of turning-out on a fire engine wears off. “Equipment Second to None” In your opinion, has your brigade in Cnristchurch adequate, modern firefighting equipment or not?—Yes. I think we have, apart perhaps the one unit that might be improved—the ladder, which is very old now, although very efficient. The modern ladder, I understand, is much higher, and differently constructed. Do you think that the wheeled ladder, as used by the London Fire Brigade, would be useful?—Yes. You have no intermediate ladder between the spliced Ajax ladder and the electric ladder?—No. How would you deal with the seven or eight-storey building of the Express Company?—You would get a jet through the top window but you would direct it to the top ceiling from the extension ladder, which is 84 feet high.

Will you agree you should have some intermediate ladder equipment? —lt would’ be a useful unit to have in the brigade. It all depends, again, on the type of fire you are fighting. You have to be prepared for any type of fire likely to occur in. the city area? —That is so. I would say an intermediate ladder would be of great value. “We have come to the conclusion that our equipment was second to none,” replied Mr Barnes when he was asked by Mr Watson if he and Superintendent Morrison had ever discussed the adequacy, or otherwise, of existing equipment. “We are as good as any other brigade in New Zealand, bar our ladder. I do not know if any representations have been made to the Fire Board concerning the replacement o£ the ladder.” Antique Sydenham Ladder “It was never used, and it should have been destroyed years ago.” said Mr Barnes when he was questioned on the 60 feet Jones-Mason ladder at the Sydenham Fire Station.

Asked why the ladder was kept at the station when it was not used, Mr Barnes said: “We have some old mangles lying about some of the stations which should be kept in the museum.”

Mr Watson: You are not keeping them for the centennial exhibition?

Mr Barnes: They would be useful there. I don’t remember when that ladder was last worked at a fire. It could be useful in an emergency. It is towed behind a machine.

Mr Watson: Suppose someone had .taken it to Ballantyne’s fire at an early stage, would it have been of any use?—l don’t think it would have fitted in there. The ladder would not have gone under the wires. It would probably have reached the upper storey?—Yes. The chairman: How long would it take to erect it?—About four minutes. It has only been brought from Sydenham into headquarters for purposes. A certificate of fitness for the vehicle was issued, Mr Barnes thought. More Respirators and a Ladder , “What about respirators? Are they up-to-date?” asked the chairman. “Have you enough Roberts? There seems to be a shortage of Roberts at this fire.” Mr Barnes: We have six. The chairman: Six did not go to this fire. “Tell us quite frankly, do you know of any item of equipment of which the fire brigade is short and should have a better supply?” asked Mr Watson. ■ “We could do with a few more Roberts gas-masks, the best we have had yet.” replied Mr Barnes. “An electric steel ladder could also be given. I think the other equipment is all right. As the city expands we will, of course, have to get more equipment. When Fendalton comes in we will be building a station there and that will need equipment.”