TRAINING AND STRATEGY

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

TRAINING AND STRATEGY

He thought every officer was trained for his work, said Mr Barnes, who added: “My opinion is that fire fighting is 95 per cent, practical and the rest theory.” He had had no opportunity of learning of new techniques and equipment except by reading catalogues. Apart from cost, he considered an officers’ training scheme was desirable. The present scheme was totally inadequate. Representations for a training school had not been made to the authorities. He had no criticism to offer of. the present method of Fire Board control. Mr Watson: After a serious fire, do senior officers have any formal discussion with a view to seeing what lessons can be learned?—Fires are talked about for months afterwards. There is no actual formal discussion. Do you think it would be a good thing if you did?—Yes.* It would De a help. Do you give any serious consideration to how to fight a fire in Ballantyne’s, regarded as a major fire risk? —We have no round-table talk, but we have it in our mind’s eye, as we walk along the street, what we would do. There is ho formal discussion. Had you ever, as deputy-superin-tendent, given any consideration to the fact that Ballantyne’s might be,a very serious fire risk?—No. Have you ever taken any stock of the buildings you consider to be major fire risks in Christchurch?—Only by passing through them as a member of the public. Is there no method in Christchurch by which senior officers of the brigade familiarise thepiselves as to what might /be major fire risks in the city? Major Fire Risks Do you tell me that no senior officer has any particular knowledge as to which are the major fire risks in the business area?—We-have officers going round on “housekeeping,” and they know of the danger points. Personally, I have not been round. There is no system. Do you know of any system under which fire risks in the inner area are assessed on behalf of the Fire Board? —No:

Can you put 12 city buildings in order as the worst fire risks in the city?—No. Don’t you think it would be very

desirable if the senior officers of brigades in the main cities did have a system by which they assessed the major fire risks in the principal buildings?— A very good idea. If you had had such a system, and in the light of what you now know, would you have regarded Ballantyne s as among the highest fire hazards in Christchurch?—Yes. * The reports under the house-keeping system by senior station officers were periodically perused by him, said witness. He did not assess or classify the fire hazard. No index was made of the information. No further use was made of the reports, which were filed away. He agreed it would be a good scheme if the senior officers were familiar with the fire risks in the city. That could only be done by personal inspection of the buildings by all senior officers. It should be done. Mr Watson: There is nothing to prevent it being done?—The only thing is to arrange for it to be done. Fire Escapes Inspections Fire escapes, in Christchurch were controlled by the Fire Brigade Bylaw, 1930. which threw responsibility on the superintendent and the deputysuperintendent, he said. He £ad insfrected between 80 and 100 existing buildings and served about 50 notices on owners at the time he was on fire ■escape work. Most of the buildings were residential. Six to 10 commercial buildings had been inspected by him under requisition from the Labour Department under the Factories Act, but he had not inspected • commercial buildings in terms of the board’s by-laws. Station Officer Shield had given notices to owners of commercial properties. He had not inspected new buildings to see whether the escapes complied with the bylaws; the superintendent had. Periodical inspections of old buildings were made. He had systematically divided the city into blocks, and his inspections covered buildings in the northern area. Officers Stevenson and Shield had inspected old commercial properties in the inner area. When building permits were issued, the City Council instructed the architect or builder to take the plans to the brigade, which visited the buildings on completion. To Mr Cleary: One of the objects “housekeeping” was to familiarise officers with "the buildings.