MUST BE READY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 38, 13 August 1941, Page 6

MUST BE READY

IF EMERGENCY COMES

CITIZENS AND THE E.P.S.

A DUTY ON ALL

The apathy of a large section of the public towards E.P.S. organisation, and particularly towards the all-important section dealing with fire prevention or extinguishing, is difficult to understand. Some of them may not take the war menace seriously, but that is no reason why they should not step forward to safeguard their own interests should earthquake or even an extensively devastating fire sweep Wellington. The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop), who is head of the whole E.P.S. scheme in the city, and the Chief Warden, Mr. F. W. Furkert, have both urged the need for more recruits to fill the quota required. Those who await the emergency before they offer to help will merely add to the difficulties to which an emergency will give rise. The New Zealand E.P.S. .scheme is on similar lines of organisation to the A.R.P. in England, which is today doing invaluable work, yet far too many people view the organisation that is going on as a subject for humour, and ask what it is all about. Nevertheless, all these people carry insurance policies on their lives, or on their homes or businesses, always hoping that none of these cherished possessions may make the subject of a claim on the companies. They cannot see that the E.P.S. is merely asking for the guarantee of an insurance i policy that will cost them nothing, to> cover contingencies that may arise, whether it be the shelling of the city, the dropping of bombs from enemy aircraft, or damage by earthquake or fire. One can. imagine the feelings of a sub-warden who has a block of buildings in the centre of the city to look after when he realises that all the lectures, all the training, and all the time spent will be of little use unless the scheme is thoroughly organised and the men drilled beyond the possibility of mistakes in an emergency, unless the full number of men required is ready, and unless the necessary equipment is not held in bulk somewhere, but distributed where it can be used on the spot.- True, the sufficiently urgent emergency may never arrive, and that would be a good thing* just as it is for the man who insures against his death not to die suddenly. But if it did, then how pleased the E.P.S. worker would be that he was capable of carrying out his duty, that he was not hampered for lack of equipment, and how delighted the apathetic citizen would be that arrangements had gone forward in spite of lack of assistance from himself. HOURS OF WORK GIVEN. Many men are devoting hours of their time to organise the various units in their district. Some wardens and their deputies are devoting six nights a week to the E.P.S., and are also planning during the day to hold the interest and perfect the experience of those who have enrolled. Women may enrol, and numbers are joining first aid classes to fit themselves to allay suffering should any one of several possibilities occur. j The E.P.S. is endeavouring to func- j tion throughout Wellington. Men are being trained for the auxiliary fire service and the special police force, and members of the St. John Ambulance organisation, headed by Mr. C. Meachen, are working unremittingly by lectures and demonstrations to women to such an extent that the personnel can have very little free time. There is a job to be done by everybody in. the area in which he or she works, as well as in the distript in which each lives, and it is important that everybody should know just what to do if the time arrives. Just as the average person continues to pay insurance from year to year, so should every citizen play his part in safeguarding the city in which he lives to the full extent of which he. is capable. I In Wellington the organisation is not J needed temporarily, but for all time, j Had Napier had any such sort 'of j organisation in full working order, the saving would have been enormous, j With an E.P.S. personnel fully trained and ready, it wouldftnot matter if no disaster came for ten . years. The j organisation itself justifies its existence.! It is a simple matter to join the ■ E.P.S. All that is necessary is to find the sub-warden's sign, which is black lettering on a yellow board, in any of the districts, or visit the E.P.S. headquarters at the Town Hall.