FIRE-FIGHTING DISPLAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 203, 28 July 1942, Page 6

FIRE-FIGHTING DISPLAY

With reinforcements from Palmerston North, Hawera, and Patea, all the fire-fighting personnel in Wanganui were in action on Sunday afternoon for large-scale exercises which lasted for two hours.and involved practically the whole of the business area. It was the largest gathering of firemen and equipment seen in Wanganui. More than 7000 feet of hose were used and thousands of gallons of water were pumped from the river and emergency reservoirs. The exercises were watched by the Minister of Civil Defence (Mr Bodkin), and some of the Dominion's leading fire and E.P.S. officials. The demonstration was held at the instigation of the Dominion Fire Controller, Mr R. Girling Butcher (Wellington). It was assumed that a provincial alert had been given. Wanganui, as the centre of the "blitz," was involved from 2 p.m. onward. Aircraft were also presumed to have dropped anti-personnel, high explosive and incendiary bombs.. Calls were sent early in the afternoon to the fire units at Palmerston North, Hawera, and Patea, informing them that Wanganui was in need of assistance. The Palmerston North unit, consisting of 15 members of the Emergency Eire Service, two permanent brigadesmen, two trailer pumps and reinforcements of hose, reached Wanganui in an hour and 15 minutes; Hawera and Patea each sent one trailer pump and about eight men. The combined exercises were the first of a series to bo carried out in all New Zealand centres, with the object of enabling Mr A*. D. Wilson, senior officer of the National Fire Service, London (on loan to New Zealand), who is advising the Government, to see the amount of equipment available, methods used, and the active strengths of fire-fighting ■ personnel.