TIME FOR CONCERTED E.P.S. PRACTICE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 6, 2 October 1941, Page 6

TIME FOR CONCERTED E.P.S. PRACTICE

During the last few days district organizations of the E.P.S., co-operating in some instances with the Home Guard, have taken their training to the stage of rehearsal under conditions approximating those of actual emergency. To judge from reports, much useful practice has been carried out on these occasions and much otherwise unobtainable experience gained. Unfortunately the general public, who should also be acquiring a knowledge of what to do and how to act in the event of an air raid or bombardment, is largely out of touch with these activities. Even residents in districts where rehearsals have been staged more or less elaborately appear for the most part to have been merely spectators of the proceedings. The time has surely arrived when large communities such as Wellington should undergo periodic full-scale emergency rehearsals under complete blackout conditions. If precautions schemes are necessary at all—and no thinking person doubts the wisdom of establishing them—it should be deemed necessary to practise and study their operation not merely sectionally but over a whole community. In particular the householder who is not a member of any emergency service should be given opportunity to leain his or hei duty—if it. be only the negative duty of “staying put” and refraining from needless inquiry and unnecessary use of the telephone and other facilities.