A YEAR OF FIRES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 82, 31 December 1917, Page 7

A YEAR OF FIRES

WELLINGTON'S RECORD WORK OF THE BRIGADE Wellington has been spared tho experience of a conflagration, such as has been known in Danucvirke for instance, during 1917; nevertheless, the City Eire Brigade has had a strenuous year. Tho brigade answered 213 calls during 'the twelve months, which aro classified as follow;— Actual fires 97 Uorso and grass fires ol Chimney fires 'J. 5 Ealse alarms 40 213 Thus on an average the brigade responded to four calls a week, about one-fifth of the number being false alarms. In respect to the latter it should be stated that, only 11 of the l'also afarms were malicious, tho other 29 being duo to honest mistakes. The chimney fires were practically ono a week, and it seems obvious that the chimneysiveeps have not been oalled ■upon for their services as frequently as they should have been. Gorse and grass tires account for a fourth of the number of the calls, but such fires are of annual occurrence, and tho brigade has in tho season to be ready to meet such contingencies. There were ninety-seven actual fires atteuded by the brigade in which property was destroyed or destruction threatened. The estimated value of the property involved in' these 97 tires wan £1,188,724, but the actual loss was a trifle compared with the estimated value. Perhaps tho worst fire that occurred during tho year was that at the Wellington Hotel, in Molesworth Street, which happened in May last, when a man named Patrick Twotill lost his life. This was the only fire fatality during the year. Besidas the above calls the brigade responded to four calls to suppress fires on vessels m port. Although tho record looks favourable, it can be seen that the losses might have been easily much greater were tho men of the Municipal Eire Brigade less efficient and less alert. Brigade Efficiency,

Tho wisr lias affected ithe firo brigades of Ne Dominion, 'and tho Municipal Fire .Brigade lias suffered in common with the others. Brigadesmen are picked men, and necessarily so-for the arduous and dangerous work th»y liavo to underts'ke. ■ Whether they have en-' listed voluntarily or been' called in the ballot the men of the brigade seldom fail to pass the medical. test. The call of tho military has imposed a severe trial on those responsible for tho efficiency of tho fire- lighting service, but hanpily for Wellington Superintendent Tait and Doputy-Superintelident' Kobertson have managed to face the difficulty with a great measure of success. Tho brigade is still short of men ; and the right sort are not easily obtained, for it is not every man .who is by constitution and temperament fitted to behcomo' an efficient brigadesman. Ic sometimes happens that a dozen men pass through the hands of the officers before they can secure a useful man. To many tho strict discipline is irksome, others cannot stand the stronuous work, while others again fail to grasp the importance of leaving nothing undone which 'will prevent a small.outbreak developing into a conflagration. It takes about three years to train a man into an efficient and trustworthy fire fighter. Disciplinary Measurci.

Anyone visiting the Central Firo Brigade Station during the day would be apt to think that tho men. have an easy time, for they will be seen cleaning brasses, polishing metals, and generally attending to the plant and equipment of the station. As a matter of fact, the men are subjected to a very strict discipline as part of their training. Every morning about 6 o'clock tho brigadesmen are out with their motor engines going through their drill. By this means they are made familiar with the big buildings in the business area, and get an idea from what points of vantago to attack a fire which may start in this or that block of buildings. This drill is strenuous and exacting, and perhaps the men enjoy it far more than the hours that follow. Tho brigadesman is on duty tho wholo twenty-four hours, and is thus, in military parlance, doing "C.8." all day and every day. This is to some extent monotonous, but tho officers see that the men have a diversity. Just? now the dullness, if it might bo 50 termed, it broken by the men practising for their annual sports, still under "C.8." conditions. In the yard at tho back of the station a visitor will to-day see chalk lines where the men practice for the egg-and-spooii race and for other events that will give them some brief pleasure in the course of a few days. _ Besides being efficient, the brigade is economical, and lew people can realise tho amount of useful and necessary work that is' undertaken by the brigade, thus saving the city much money. The brigadesmen are drawn from all trades, and .their talents are utilised whenever possible.. On a wall in Superintendent Tait's office is a huge raa/p showing on a large scale every detail of Greater Wellington, including Karori and Miramar Boroughs, which is a very creditable pioco of work, and which was done by a brigadesman now in khaki. Most of tho mechanical jobs are dona by the men in the station. In addition to conomising in labour, tho brigade economises in material, and one instance this m&y be given. With tho advent ofithe motor engine, the stables which formed part of the station have been transformed to meet present-day requirements.- For this purpose a brick .wall had to be removed and the brioks were used for paving tho back yard, the whole of the work heiug done by the men. , Plant in Perfect Order.

The brigade's plant and equipment is iu perfect order. The engines are a treat to look at, bright and clean, they give the idea that they have just come out of the factory, and yet one of the motor engines has been nine years in service. There is a motor wagon with passenger seats capable of seating eight or ten men. The body of this vehicle was built at the station and does citdit to tbo men. This is not a pleasure vehicle, as some may suppose, but is intended to dispatch extra men to tbo suburbs; say, for instance, Newtown, where extra men may bo needed, but not more appliances. Then again it is neither necessary nor economical to send a heavy motor fire engine to deal with a gorso or grass fire. In such a caso the motor wagon with a few men is sent out, with the improved fire beaters (strips of hose attached to broomhandles) to extinguish the blaze. Offing'to the war no new plant has »een installed, but what is available is sxiißcienfc for present requirements. During tho year a new reel and hose station has been built at Northland on tho site of tho old building. It faces two streets, one below the other. From tho higher road access is gained to the reel, and thero is % alsd a meeting-room for tho brigadesmen.' The alarm is given by a syrch, instructions for operating which are clearly set out in the building. The lower road gives access to public conveniences and a store for corporation plant for road-making and repairing. Tho most important item as regards new work is the big statioiwto be erected in Constable Street. _ The excavation work lias been practically completed,. and it is expected that the council will shortly call for tenders for the erection of the building.