Emergency Fire Equipment

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 161, 9 July 1941, Page 2

Emergency Fire Equipment

FIRE BRIGADE’S NEW TRAILER PUMPS The Palmerston North Fire Brigade now has its first trailer-pump, a New Zealand product which has' been acquired under the provisions of the emergency scheme for the building up of brigade equipment. The unit is compact, easily handled, and of great power, being capable of sending out 400 gallons of water a minute. It has an eight-cylinder engine and is designed to take water either from the mains for boosting up the pressure or from ponds or creeks. Some minor equipment has yet to be fitted to it. Normally the pump is drawn behind a motor vehicle, but it is so built that it can be readily handled by men and it could be quickly taken down relatively small pathways or alleyways. Adjustable “legs” are provided to give the pump stability when it is being used. Members of the Emergency Fire Service are to be taught how to handle the trailer-pump, which will be used in conjunction with other fire brigade equipment, should the occasion arise, in the normal work of the brigade. The training of the first batch of 25 members of the 50 emergency fire service personnel sought in the city is now nearly finished and the second group (for which there are still a few vacancies) will then enter on their training. In the meantime, the groundwork is being laid for the organisation of the fire, patrol service throughout the city. The whole city has been mapped into blocks for patrol by these volunteers and the organisation of the service is steadily proceeding.