ORIGIN OF THE E.P.S.

Grey River Argus, 3 June 1942, Page 7

ORIGIN OF THE E.P.S.

SEQUEL TO HAWKE'S BAY

EARTHQUAKE.

Following the Hawke’s Bay earthquake in 1931 steps were taken by the then Government to interest local authorities in the establishment in all centres throughout the Dominion of emergency precautions organisations which would train and be prepared to deal with emergency conditions arising from earthquake, fire, flood or epidemic.

In 1939 the Department of Internal Affairs compiled and distributed to all local authorities a booklet (Emergency Precautions Scheme) outlining a scheme of organisation to deal with any emergency, including that arising from enemy attack. This was issued just prior to the outbreak of war.

In August, 1940, when the administration of the organisation was taken over by the National Service Department, the Emergency Precautions Regulations were gazetted providing legal authority for the activities outlined in the booklet.

In the meantime the Home Guard and the Women's War Service Auxiliary had come into being, and in association with the Emergency Precautions Organisation were constituted an Emergency Reserve Corps under the Emergency Reserve Corps Regulations gazetted in August, 1940.

Recently control of the Home Guard, which had as its objective the active defence of the country, was transferred to the Defence Department and opportunity was taken to consolidate and amend all regulations dealing with organisations directly concerned with civil defence. These regulations were gazetted on October 22 as. the Emergency Reserve Corps Regulations, 1941.

The Corps now consists of; —

All Emergency Precautions Services (E.P.S.).

Women’s War Service Auxiliary (W.W.S.A.).

Emergency Fire Service (E.F.S.L

Emergency Traffic Police (E.T.P.)

Government Emergency Services.

The purposes of the E.P.S. are to organise the community so that, in the event of emergency conditions arising from earthquake, flood, fire, enemy air-raid or invasion, prompt action may be taken to mitigate human suffering; to restore essential services; to prevent epidemics; -to extinguish or control fires; to restore communications; to ensure requisite food supplies; to maintain law and order; to evacuate residents .if required; and generally to do things which become urgently necessary when the normal, life of a community is disrupted by the causes mentioned.