THEATRE STAFFS AND THE E.P.S.

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 9, 6 October 1941, Page 8

THEATRE STAFFS AND THE E.P.S.

Fire Watchers’ Section Though .members of the staffs of the picture theatres of Wellington are trained in panic drill as part of their ordinary routine, they have not the opportunities of learning E.P.S. work because their employment occupies then) on six nights of the week. So that the public may be adequately safeguarded, the theatre staffs have been formed into a special fire watchers’ unit, and last night in the Majestic Theatre they were addressed by Mr. A. McJennctt, of the Central Fire Station. Taking as his theme. "What to do in an Emergency,” Mr. MeJennctr. showed how the theatre staffs should, as a self-contained unit, patrol mid protect their buildings. The greatest possibility of enemy action, be said, was mi air-raid of the hit-and-run type. "Don't think I'mn trying to be an alarmist,” he added, "but any man or woman who thinks New Zealand is so far away from the theatre of war as to be immune from attack has the wrong conception of the position altogether. We have to be like tlie boy scouts —be prepared. With raiders in the Pacific, it is quite possible that we could be subjected to attack. In fact, it is (itiite on the cards.. It would be a nuisance attack, short and swift. These attacks would probably occur in the early hours of the morning when, under cover of darkness, enemy ships could approach our shores and launch aircraft against ns in a short and nasty attack.

"it would be particularly misty in Wellington, where there are so man} wooden buildings in the city area.’ incendiary bombs would be the mos' likely form of attack Any raider carrying two or three planes could do enormous damage to cities and ports. The lecturer gave a demonstration of how the bomb could be extinguished with dry sand or a line spray of water. Wet sand or sand containing salt was useless, he said. In fact, it would only assist the bomb to burn. Care had to be taken not to piny a jet of water directly on l.he bomb as an explosion would result. Spray from a tiose or bucket pump was now considered more satisfactory than dry sand

■ At the conclusion of the address, Ministry of Information films were shown and also an Australian film dealing with the incendiary bomb.