AIR AND EMERGENCY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 133, 8 June 1939, Page 14

AIR AND EMERGENCY

LEFT OUT OF PLAN

OFFER OF CO-OPERATION

Comment was made today by Mr. E. W. Annand, secretary of the Wellington Aero Club, expressing the view of the executive of the Wellington Aero Club, and of aviation interests generally, that by an oversight no mention whatever had been made in the scheme of organisation to meet possible earthquake emergency of the part which the air can take in communication, transport, and maintenance of supplies in the event of serious disaster.

"It is plain that this was an oversight," said Mr. Annand, "'but it was an extraordinary oversight in view of the assistance given by aircraft in the Hawke's Bay disaster of 1931, and by club, commei'cial, and Air Force machines in the later flood disasters of Northern Hawke's Bay."

The more serious the disaster the greater the value of aircraft in the emergency organisation, said Mr. Aunand, for should surface services be disrupted aircraft alone could at once re-establish contact. The list of duties which they could most effectively undertake was long, but the main possibilities fell under such headings as:—

Communications. —Rapid circulation of information and instructions; survey of stricken areas; supplies of food and necessities to outlying areas.

Hospital Services. —Carriage of urgent cases, ior which several of the clubs and the Air Force are already specially equipped.

Transport of Special Personnel.—Doctors, nurses, health, and engineering officials; delivery of medical and nursing supplies.

Maintenance of intelligence pending re-establishment of usual services.

"Within that outline there is room for detailed planning," said Mr. Annand, "for, although all the air services, Government, club, and commercial, have their own standing organisations and discipline to enable them to jump right into any emergency duty, aviation will be used to highest efficiency only if its part is planned in advance.

"The Wellington Aero Club is not competent, strictly speaking, to oiler the most ready and fullest co-operation of every club in New Zealand, but it takes that risk, knowing that every club will be with it, and everyone in Air Force and commercial aviation also, but the job has to be planned in advance. It is probable that the plan will not be required, but it is worth setting out in detail nevertheless."

The shaggy little Yakut horse, friend of the peasants of Yakutsk Province, is perhaps the world's hardiest breed, for it frequently lives out-oi'-doo-'s iii the winter and is even used within the Arctic Circle.