THE FIRE BRIGADE'S CALLS TO DUTY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7263, 20 October 1910, Page 1

THE FIRE BRIGADE'S CALLS TO DUTY

SIX MONTHS’ ALARMS CONSIDERABLE FALLING OFF IN NUMBER OF CALLS. The services of the Fire Brigade were not needed nearly so often during the six months ended September 30th last as for the corresponding half-year of 1909. Fur tho six months just ended 9S calls were received, us against 138 for the 1909 period. The only iiro which assumed serious proportions during the half-year under review was the outbreak on Thorndon quay early on a recent Sunday morning, when ono of the fiercest gales experienced for -a considerable time was at its height. The brigade had a very strenuous time, but managed to get tho fire under after one house had been demolished and another partially destroyed. INTERESTING FIGURES. Tho following table shows the number of rails received for the first half-yearly periods of 1010 and 1909 respectively:— 1910. 1909. April 1? So .May lo ® .1 imo 8 38 July H 19 August H S 3 September 23 30 Totals ’. 98 138 The appended table gives the result of the calls: 1910. 1909. Actual fires 63 S 3 Rubbish and gorso 4 ' Chimney fires 13 17 False alarms 29 31 Totals 98 138 Out of the total number of calls receiver! the results were:— 1910. 1909. Total destruction 5 9 Considerable damage ... 5 33 Slight damage 16 |2 Trifling damage 36 Chimney fires 12 17 Rubbish and gorse fires <t 7 False alarms 20 31 Totals 98 188 THE DISTRICTS. For the six months just ended fires occurred and alarms were given in the folowing districts; — City 59 Newtown Thermion J Xelbiirao J Kilbimio * Island Bay | Northland * Wbari J Maranui J Hataifcai Berhampore 1 Total 98 The majority of thecaUs were given between midday and midnight. The following summary is interesting: — Calls between 6 p.m. and midnight ... 39 Calls between midnight and 6 a.m. ... 16 Calls between 6 a.m. and midday ... 19 Calls between midday and 6 p.m. ... 3-1 Total W The days of the week on which the brigade was called out were as follow: —• Sunday. 10; Monday, 19; Tuesday, 15; Wednesday, 10; Thursday. 13; Friday, 14; Saturday, 17: total, 98, STREET ALARMS. During the last six months tho street fir© alarm service worked well. Extra points were erected in Hataitai and Kilbirnie. Instruments will arrive m the course of a few weeks from Australia for the installation of a system in Brooklyn. Direct telephone communication will be installed with the central station, and a separate fire alarm system for the suburb will bo established. The street alarm boxes are now being made, by the brigade electrician, but all the station instruments are imported. A petrol motor, with a capacity of 350 gallons, arrived recently, and a 55 b.p. Merryweather motor hose tender, with a sliding carriage escape, is now on. order from Home. This will do away with the horse carriage, and it will not be Ion? before the use of horses is entirely abolished.