DEMAND FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25449, 22 March 1948, Page 3

DEMAND FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

INCREASED SALES REPORTED Although many business firms in Christchurch have taken the precaution of installing extra fire extinguishers in their premises since tne opening of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Ballantyne’s fire, firms selling fire fighting equipment expect there will be no demand for more comprehensive equipment such as sprinkler systems, and standardised hydrant connexions until after the commission has concluded. “We are selling double the number of small fire extinguishers to business firms since the commission opened. Christchurch must have become very fire conscious, as sales have gone ahead tremendously,” said the manager of one firm dealing i» various types of fire extinguishers. “We have had such a run on supplies that we have sold out of two lines, and replacement depends on import licences,” he added. The soda acid type, holding two gallons, was in general demand. Supplies of a modern carbon di-oxide extinguisher, which was widely used by the services during the war, had just been landed from England, and he expected that they would readily be absorbed. A representative of another firni said that there was definitely an increase in the demand for extinguishers just now. but that was always .the trend after a big fire. People were inclined to take extra precautions immediately after any major fire disaster, but the demand usually soon died down. The present sales, he thought, were no exception. The manager of a firm which installs sprinkler systems said that he had not noticed any increase in the demand, and in any case, sprinkler systems were difficult to obtain. “We had the biggest rush of all time during/ the war years, but the demand died a natural death after the war was over, and has not revived since,” said the representative of an engineering firm which makes hydrants for buildings. “The fire brigade approves of a standardised system, wnich enables them to connect their equipment directly on to the systems we install thereby saving time by drawing straight off the water mains, but there is no demand for this at the present,” he