WELL IN HAND

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 285, 29 August 1941, Page 6

WELL IN HAND

Fire Protection Position At

Wellington Hospital MEASURES OUTLINED

“The position is well in hand so far as this board is concerned,” said the chairman of the Wellington Hospital Board, Mr. F. Castle, referring at last night’s meeting of the board to fira protection measures which have been taken in the hospital. The question had been raised in the Press, he said, In a recent statement by the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr A. J. Moody, on the situation in Auckland. A memorandum by the secretary Mr. J. B. I. Cook, outlined measures which had been taken following a re. port on the board’s institutions in March, 1939, by the superintendent o* the Wellington Fire Brigade. Minimum standards agreed on at a conference in June, 1939, had been put into effect. -The board had, on the recommenda tion of the fire brigade: (1) Provided fire escapes at the main nurses' home and was providing escapes at the fever nurses’ home to meet modern requirements; (2) installed a ‘‘Vigilant’ alarm system in the new portion of the nurses’ home; (3) provided hydraulic hose reels at points selected by the •fire brigade authorities in the main hospital. Previously there were ordinary reels and fire extinguishers; these were still available; (4) provision was being made for the installation of some 35 fire alarm press buttons and hose reels throughout the main buildings; (5) provided emergency ward fire hydrants; (6) provided sand buckets with equipment for handling of incendiary bombs, etc. All the buildings in the main hospital and in the Ewart, fever and Cen tral Park hospitals were connected directly with the nearest fire station. “It is evident that the Wellington Hospital Board has taken all precautions adequately to protect the lives of those persons under its care,” Mr. Cook said. “The board has gone to considerable trouble to meet the requirements of the fire authorities, and has further improvements in hand.”