FIRE ALARMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 21 March 1936, Page 6

FIRE ALARMS

STREET BOX SYSTEM IN NELSON experiences in other centres MAYOR AND TOWN CLERK REPORT When the Mayor of Nelson (Mr G. L. Page) and the Town Clerk (Mr F. Mitcheil) were in. the North Island to attend the Municipal Association Conference they took the opportunity of inspecting lire aiarm systems at Napier, Palmerston North and Wellington. As the City Council and Nelson Fire Board will shortly decide on their policy in regard to iiie alarms, the report of the delegates to i,he Council on the matter was of special interest. The Town Clerk said it was found that there were only four alarm boxes in the business area of Napier, and enquiries at the station showed that the Alarms were almost wholly by private telephone messages. Whether that was tlie result of having only four alarms in the city was a matter for speculation. In Palmerston North enquiries were made at the Fire Station, aim it was determined that nearly all calls were received from the street alarms, though there Were only comparatively few. The system in Napier, Palmerston North, and parts of Wellington was similar to that proposed for Nelson. At Palmerston North it was stated that no difficulties had been experienced in finding the fires after alarms had been given. However at Northlands, Wellington, they had had the experience of answering a box alarm, and finding no one at the box, had driven around a block. Being unsuccessful in locating any outbreak the brigade had returned to the station, only to receive an urgent call to the fire. In Wellington Superintendent Woolley had shown the speaker a system which the Superintendent hoped to introduce when it was further perfected. That was a system of alarm boxes containing telephones. The punching of the box rang the telephone bell at the station, the locality of the fire lieing indicated by a red light. Inside The box was a telephone by which the one giving the alarm could inform the brigade of the exact position and nature of the fire. To know the exact position of the fire was a big advantage to the brigade. With the alarm box system the brigade had to turn out with equipment to fight the largest of fires, as the nature of the outbreak was not known. The alarmbox with telephone system which Superintendent Woolley now advocated was the one recommended for Nelson by the Electrical Engineer (Mr E. Fleming), three years ago. He said the Mayor and himself had been convinced after inspection of the various systems that that was the best one. ' The Mayor explained that the Fife Board had written to the firms which tendered for the installation of an alarm system for Nelson asking for quotations fur the alarm box-telephone system. Mr Page said be felt that 18 alarm boxes were too many for the inner city area in Nelson, after seeing the systems in other places. He was satisfied that some form of alarm system would have to be installed, but it should extend'to all parts of the city. An alarm box every quarter of a mile, so that no house would be more-than 220 yards from a box wcfuld probably be sufficient.. As the Council would have the question before it in the near future, he thought the information gained in other olaces .would be of 'advantage in making a decision.