CALLING OUT THE BRIGADE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 57, 30 November 1929, Page 9

CALLING OUT THE BRIGADE

FALSE ALARMS IN WELLINGTON A BIG INCREASE Wellington has had more than its fair share of false alarms of fire during the past six months. At no other period in the history of the Central Fire Brigade has it been called out so often when its services were not required. From April 1 to October 31 60 malicious and 105 justifiable false alarms were received, as against 15 malicious and 68 justifiable false alarms for the corresponding period last year. The experience of fire brigades all over the world is that false alarm calls run in cycles, and that very often a year of freedom is followed by a phenomenal increase. Since April 1 to October 31 the total false alarms received totalled 165, 60 of which were malicious, the others being justifiable. Last year, during the same period, there were 83 false alarms, 15 only being malicious and the balance justifiable. July and August of the present year were two exceptionally bad months. In July seven of the eight alarms were received over the telephone, and in August ten of the eleven were also received by that method. Judging by, the voice that gave the alarm the fire brigade superintendent, Mr. J. Creeke, is of opinion that a great many of these calls were the work of the one person. Both Expense and Danger, . Apart from the wear and tear on plant and the needless cost incurred by the Fire Board (which, of course, means the ratepayers) in answering,, such calls, there is the more serious aspect of the danger to the firemen. One of the most serious accidents that has occurred to the fire brigade since Superintendent Creeke has been in charge happened quite recently when the brigade was proceeding to a call which proved to be a false alarm. At the corner of Wakefield and Taranaki Streets the fire engine collided with a motor-car. Fortunately no one was injured, but the fire engine was damaged to the extent of £4O, and the car was very badly knocked about. On another occasion the fire engine collided with a car near the Queen’s Wharf when answering a false alarm, although on that occasion the alarm proved justifiable.

Men, Not Boys, Believed Responsible. Strange to say, most of the malicious alarms are given over the telephone, and the fire brigade believes that in the vast majority of cases the alarms are the work of men and not irresponsible boys. Recently, no fewer than four calls were received through the automatic alarm on the one evening. The first was given in Kent Terrace, the next along Adelaide Road, and so on along the route to Berhampbre, as , if an alarm was given by some person at intervals while walking in that direction. Late at night, or the early hours of the morning, are generally selected for giving these streetbox alarms. Penalty For Being Caught. Those giving false alarms are liable to imprisonment for one month or a fine not exceeding £5O. The offence is extremely difficult to detect and in many cases there exists a feeling that Magistrates are apt to look too leniently upon such offences. One penalty recently imposed was a mere 30/- fine. Great Cunning Shown. The Superintendent, Mr. J. Creeke, told a ‘•Dominion” representative that those giving false' alarms over the telephone exercised great cunning, refusing to give any explanatory details of an outbreak as a normal person would. They simply rang the station, announced there was a fire in such-and-such a street and jammed down the receiver. “We VlB generally tell by the demeanour of the person giving the alarm whether it is false or not,” said Superintendent Creeke, “but we han’t turn>a deaf ear to any call and so have to turn out and investigate.” Runs In Cycles. The way the alarms appeared to run in cycles was also referred to by Mr. Creeke. He explained that last year there was comparative freedom fromfalse alarms, whereas this year it was just the opposite. All over the world, he said, the question was one exercising the minds bf fire brigade officers, for every brigade suffered from false alarms. The superintendents of America and Canada had recently held a conference on the matter, but had arrived at no solution. “There seems no way to check it and it seems one of those things that brigades have to put up with for all time.” w How the Alarms Were Received. Of the 60 malicious false alarms received from April 1 to October 31, 38 were b.v telephone and 22 by street fire alarms. Of the justifiable false alarms in the same period. 41 were by telephone, 20 by street alarms., and 35 by other' methods.