E.P.S. ORGANISATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 8

E.P.S. ORGANISATION

APPLICATION IN THE CITY. How the Emergency Precautions Scheme would operate in Palmerston North should the necessity arise was outlined to the Itotary Club, to-day, by Mr W. B. Tennent, chairman of the Emergency Precautions Scheme Committee. Mr Tennent laid particular emphasis on the need now lor per-

sonnel and the necessity for having such a scheme fully operative before it was required. The Emergency Precautions Scheme was under civilian control, said Mr Tennent and, in a disaster, with the exception of the work of the police, the hospitals and the Post and Telegraph Department, would take complete control of certain areas. Amending regulations were still being received by the E.P.S. organisation and the Home Guard as to their personnel, or

the application of the activities of certain groups, continued Mr Tennent, and ho gave his personal opinion that there should haye been no need for these, for the two schemes should have been launched at the same time with a clear indication of the duties of both. The Emergency Precautions Scheme's, application fell under two headings, the technical side and the warden side. The speaker outlined the former as it would operate in the city, dealing with the functions of the ten committees now working and the dividing of the city into four blocks. There was a first aid post allocated to each block, and within two days o'3o extra hospital beds could be provided and in another two days 830 in all. These would require the attention of 240 nurses and 220 other persons. Obviously, it -would be impossible to secure that number of 'nurses and the. Red Cross Society and the St. John Ambulance Brigade had a great responsibility in training personnel who would act immediately under the direction of trained nurses. The maintenance of

public services, the setting up of transport services, the expansion of the Eire Brigade (with 50 extra trained men and 180 patrols), the expansion of the Police Force (to guard certain points and keep order) and the method of securing supplies were all dealt with in detail. Touching on the warden system, Mr Tennent explained that each home would be visited once a day in the time of any epidemic, and where there was sickness, at least twice a day. There would be a chief warden in charge of team wardens and, under

each of these, ten men, requiring about 200 altogether. The Women's War Service Auxiliary, the precise operations of which 'Mr Tennent said he would explain at another gathering later, had been appointed to coordinate women's activities within the scheme.

The operation of the scheme in Palmerston North would require from 1800 to 2000 persons and there were registrations of 700, the women far outnumbering the men. A roster had been drawn up of all places in the city employing more than ten persons and it was hoped to be able to address these groups about the plan. The greatest enemy of the scheme was public apathy, and an excellent motto would be: "Do not wait for the emergency; let the emergency wait for you. ' Mr C. V. Ciochetto, Area Commander of the Home Guard, expressed the club's thanks to Mr Tennent and said that the Home Guard wished to have full co-operation with the Emergency Precautions Scheme.

.Rev. J. Hubbard gave the first of a series of five-minute talks arranged by the international service committee, dealing with the abdication of King Carol from Rumania, and there were welcomed as visitors Messrs J. K. Cunninghame (Wellington) and J. P. McDavitt, E. Gatlcy, and R. C. Abraham (Palmerston North). The president (Mr H. L. Cunninghame) extended the club's good wishes to Mr R. R. T.lorton on the occasion of his entering camp at Foxton for two months as a lieutenant.'