SINGLE CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 48, 26 February 1942, Page 8

SINGLE CONTROL

CITY FIRE SERVICES

E.P.S. IN BILLETS

Both emergency and permanent fire services in Wellington have now been brought under a single control to bring about the fullest possible degree of co-ordination ancl efficiency.

This has the effect of giving all personnel enlisted for fire-fighting work the same status so far as service to the community is concerned. The District Fire Controller will be Superintendent A. C. Woolley, and the City Fire Controller, Mr. S. S. Dean,

Fire-fighters in Wellington are now mobilised on a 24-hour basis, and members of the Emergency Fire Service will be stationed in the billets close to action stations and trailer pumps. Arrangements are practically complete for the provision of billets all over the city for five-men crews. They will be on duty one week in every three, thus providing a continuous service, by a duty roster. Fire-protection services in the city will be under the direction of Mr. Dean, with Messrs. Woolley and H. Bruce (deputy superintendent at the Central Station) as technical officers. FULL CO-ORDINATION. Tlie unified system of control will bring the permanent fire brigade, the E.F.S. auxiliaries, and the E.P.S. fire patrols under one organisation. Coordination has been arranged between the Lower Hutt and Petone services to act as one unit in their district, and they are entering into a reciprocal arrangement for support with Wellington city. They have determined in their area a scale of priority for dealing with fires according to their national importance. The District Fire Controller will be empowered to call on the Palmerston North, Masterton, and other fire brigades, if necessary, to assist Wellington if the smaller centres are clear of danger. OFFICERS FOR E.F.S. It is intended to appoint two officers to take control of the E.F.S., a commander with the pay of a major, and an adjutant with the pay of» a captain. The District Commandant, Mr. E. Peryman. who is regarded as hav-l ing given splendid service in bringing , the organisation to a high state of discipline and efficiency, will shortly be entering the Army. | Linked up under the general system of unified control- under Mr. Dean will be the E.P.S. first aid fire patrol cars, the emergency vans which carry 300 feet of hose, and standpipe, the pump appliances of the E.P.S., and, finally, the permanent brigades. The whole system will be operated from the control room. Emergency turn-outs will then be available at any time of Uie day or night.