Rural Fire Tenders To Have Radio Equipment

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27466, 28 September 1954, Page 12

Rural Fire Tenders To Have Radio Equipment

Radio communication will be available to a widespread group of local bodies m the Selwyn area for the control of fires in the coming season. Comprehensive demonstrations were given by manufacturers of equipment yesterday and an order was placed for installations to be completed by October 31.

Radio-equipped fire tenders will be located at Sockburn, Bumham, Bankside, Hororata, and two at Darfield and a central station to serve them all will be set up at Darfield. . The base station will be in the building of the Malvern Electric Power Board whose present installation will be replaced by a more powerful unit. The board will staff and maintain the

station, which will be financed also by the Malvern, Selwyn. Paparua. Springs, and Tawera County Councils * and the Selwyn Plantation Board. Using the existing Darfield station, tests were made yesterday from mobile units at Bankside, DunsandeL ulenroy, Hororata, and Kowai, and Friday from Sockbum and Dar--i Excellent reception was rePortea and the local bodies were satisth at instant fire calls would be Possible over a wide area of the plains. in the meantime the smaller counties of Springs and Tawera will not ftav ® their . own radio fire tenders, but as they will be contributing to the *v Se station they will be serviced by the others.