SAFETY MEASURES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20632, 13 August 1941, Page 9

SAFETY MEASURES

PROTECTING CHILDREN PLANS FOR EMERGENCY Means of affording the best possible protection of children in the event of an emergency arising have been the subject of a thorough investigation in Wellington. It is expected that the precautionary measures already taken will be supplemented by plans calculated to operate with a high degree of efficiency. So far as the schools are concerned a lead in the all-important task of devising plans for the children’s safety in a crisis has been given by the Director of Education, Dr. C. E. Beeby, and the setting up of protection 'of scholchildren committees under the emergency precautions scheme also has been of value in getting the organsing of protective measures under way. It would appear, however, that there is a doubt in some quarters as to the actual procedure to be adopted should an emergency arise, and it is considered that full acquaintanceship with procedure to avoid any possibility of confusion should be obtained. There is not only the training of the children in what to do'at the schools, but also the transferring of them to their homes. Points made in a memorandum issued by the Education Department indicate measures that should be adopted by those directly responsible for the care of the children in an emergency. Head teachers should be appointed wardens or sub-wardens under the emergency precautions scheme.

Emergency drills for speedy exit from buildings and for the sending c: children to their homes should be practised frequently. First-aid classes for senior pupils should be arranged wherever possible. In the larger schools arrangements should be made with the fire-fighting committee of the emergency precautions services for the training o-fire-fighting squads drawn from the teachers and senior pupils. It should be understood that in an emergency a committee’s main function is the return of children to their homes as soon as possible. \ The question of digging shelter trenches also has been raised, but it is understood that little, if any, of this particular type of protective work is being done