THE FIRE FIGHTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18354, 21 March 1923, Page 11

THE FIRE FIGHTERS.

BRIGADES IN AUCKLAND.

ORGANISATION AND CONTROL

MODERN EQUIPMENT.

Was it a cynio who gave the telephone number of 13 to the Auckland City Fire Brigade? Nevertheless, however unlucky the number may be, a call to 13 will send out at top speed a body of able and efficient fire-fighters, equipped with the most modern appliances, eager for their work of salvage. The fire-fighting force of Auckland consists of 17 officers and 112 men, equipped with 15 motor-engines and one hand reel. There are five permanent and seven volunteer brigades in the city and its immediate suburbs. The "Auckland Fire Board is the controlling body of the central station and of the four branch stations, one each at Remuera, Parnell, Ponsonby and Grey Lynn. The board consists of seven members, one tho nominee of the Government, three elected by tho City Council, and three representing the insurance companies. The Central Station. The central fire station, in Pitt Street, is in charge of Superintendent W. L. Wilson, associated with whom are Deputy-Superintendent G. Avenell, and Senior-Foreman J. Adlam. The permanent staff totals 25, and includes the three officers named, one electrician and motor mechanic, and 21 firemen, seven of whom act as drivers. The auxiliary —men on duty between the hours of approximately 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.—numbers 13 men, and there are, in addition, 15 theatre duty firemen, who are all skilled men, and who may be called upon for other work in times of emergency. Thus, the total staff numbers 53. In the watchroom, where the duplex alarm system is installed, at least one man is on duty continuously. There is direct telephone communication with the other city stations and with the two valve houses from which the city's water supply is regulated. The motor equipment consists of five vehicles. Two " first aid " machines, each capable of transporting nine men in addition to the driver, both carry all the equipment necessary for fire-extinguishing and life-saving, including extension ladders, to a height of 35ft. There is an electric turn-table ladder, 87ft. in height, a motor-drawn ladder 65ft. high, and a Oowenul Dennis pump capable of throwing 803 gallons of water a minute. The statioi carries nearly 8000 ft. of hose, capaUTe of throwing a stream of water to a height of about 120 ft, at a rate of approximately 200 gallons per lead per minute. This means that when ten leads of hose are playing on a burning buih ing, 2000 gallons of water a minute can be played on to the firo There are 17 permanent firemen and six auxiliaries employed at the four branches, each of which has its. own motor. A newly-formed branch station at Point Chevalier is manned by six volunteers, who have a hand reel and 600 ft. of hose. The Par noil and Remuera stations each have 12C0ft. of hose, the Grey Lynn station has 1100 ft., and the Ponsonby station 1000 ft. The average time taken for a brigade to turn out is 15 seconds, nicht or day. On one occasion, for example, a call was received at night time- from the Town Hall. The men turned out of bed, manned the machine, and were at the building in 60 seconds. The Times of Fires, By comparing the figures for a number of years it has been found that fires occur most frequently between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and least frequently between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. During the year ended June 30, 1922, for example, 20 calls were received between 5.30 p.m. and 6.R-0 p.m., and only one, between 4.30 a.m. and 5.50 a.m., and one between 5.30 a.m. and 6.30 a.m. The one call between 5.30 a.m. and 6.30. a.m. was received on a Sunday. Between 8 p.m. and 11.30 p.m. is also a time at which fires frequently occur. Calls received on Sundays amounted to about 13 per cent, of the total, Sunday fires also appearing to occur most frequently in the evenings. Week-end fires, that is. those occurring between noon on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Monday, accounted for about 27 per cent, of the) total |for a year, and broko out most frequently between 6.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. on Saturday. During the year under review an average of 20 calls a month was received by brigades in the board's district, though the numbers varied from 15 in March to 31 in May. The number of actual fires attended in that period was 185. This total included 58 fires in houses, outhouses, etc., 55 in business premises and 28 gorse or rubb'sh fires. Boarding-house and hotel fires numbered eight, seven of tho former, and one of .the latter. There were five launch, steamer, or hulk fires, and nine motorcars or motor-cvcles, and three unoccupied premises l bctn business and private, were destroyed or damaged. False alarms in the same period totalled 27, five being given with good intentions, and one given accidentally. Street fire alarms to a total number of 234 are installed at various points about the city. Of these, 133 are connected with the central station, 74 with Remuera, and 27 with Parnell. Forty private alarms are connected with the central station, while three each go to Parnell and Remuera. Ignorance as to the exact whereabouts of a street fi"-> alarm is said to be the cause of a great many fires getting a strong hold before the arrival of the brigade, and it is stated that if every person knew the exact location of the nearest alarm box to his home or business premises, fire would prove of far less danger to the community. The Volunteer Brigades. No mean part in the fighting of fire is played by the volunteer brigades, one of which is situated in each of the following districts: —Ellerslie, Mount Albert, Mount Eden, Newmarket, Onehunga and One Tree Hill. The total strength of the volunteer brigades is 14 officers and 62 men. The Onehunga brigade is the largest of these, having two officers and thirteen men. The average strength is two officers the superintendent, the other the foreman—and ten men. The efficiency of any one of these volunteer brigades compares very favourably with that of a permanent body.; Volunteers are paid at so much an hour for time worked when a call is received, but all practising is done in the men's own time. In some cases there is one permanent man at each station, while the remainder live at their homes. All members are bound to turn out on hearing the firebell ring or on receipt of a call by any other means, unless prevented by sickness. Value in Monetary Terms. Some idea of the value of the work of brigades in the Auckland Fire Board's district may be gained from the following figures. In the year ended Juno 30, 1922, tho estimated loss by fire was £24,784. The value of buildings which were attacked by fire, and their contents, was £1,195,344. Thus, property to the value of £1,170,560 was saved by the brigades. This estimate is a conservative one, as account is taken only of the building actually on fire, not of the adjacent premises. In the case of buildings occupied by two "or more tenants, the vahio only of tho portion actually on fire is taken into account.