NEED FOR FIREMEN

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31167, 17 September 1966, Page 21

NEED FOR FIREMEN

Suggestions By Brigade

Smaller, more frequent advertisements for firemen had been suggested by the Fire Brigademen's Union at a meeting to discuss the staff shortage and recruitment of firemen, the chairman (Mr W. R. Campbell) reported to the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Board. The men had also asked that there be more rigid adherence to the age of recruits, Mr Campbell said. “They are interested in seeing men go along to the Chief Fire Officer to find out the details of service, rather than having advertisements showing all the conditions,” Mr W. E. Olds said.

The brigade, like others, had always advertised for recruits between the ages of IS and 25 years, Mr L. R. Osmond, the Chief Fire Officer, said. It had been found that men of that age were more malleable and fitted better into a disciplined service life. But older men, even' up to 35. had been recruited, he said. “It depends on the individual and his background.” Single men were preferable as recruits, he said. Often a man left the service because his wife objected to being left alone at night. The brigade strength was now 98, and three more men were expected to start next week, Mr Osmond said. The position was improving all the time, and the recruits offering appeared to be particularly good. Agreeing with Mr Olds that an article in “The Press” had brought a much better response than advertising, Mr Osmond said that after one advertisement there were four applicants who quite openly and cheerfully admitted they had been in gaol “for fighting, knocking people around, car conversion, and so on.”