MALICIOUS ALARMS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 29, 3 August 1926, Page 6

MALICIOUS ALARMS

It is difficult to understand the lnehtality of persons who maliciously give false alarms of fire. The Fire Brigade is maintained for the protection of life and property, and if it is to do its work well it must be ready at any minute of the day or night to answer a call. If it is called out by a false alarm Its efficiency is lowered, and should a genuine alarm be received before the engiSe returns there must be delay in concentrating the full firefighting force upon the outbreak. This delay may even result in the loss of life. Yet there are people who give false alarms. The only way to deal with them is to increase the penalty to which they are liable if they are discovered. The Fire Board has asked for an increased penalty; but the Minister has objected to making the minimum fine as much as £5. His reason is that sometimes the offenders are persons of weak mind. This reason, however, need not apply to offenders' whose conduct is wholly inexcusable. Even if tho minimum fine is not increased there is no ground for making it the maximum. The Magistrates have it in their power to punish offenders heavily when their malicious acts are a grave menace to public security.