STATE OF EMERGENCY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24326, 17 June 1940, Page 4

STATE OF EMERGENCY

FULL DRESS REHEARSAL COMPREHENSIVE EXPERIMENT (Per United Press Association) . NEW PLYMOUTH, June 16. Plans to establish emergency clearing stations for first aid treatment and to evacuate New Plymouth Hospital patients to make room for casualties were tested in a full dress rehearsal this morning. It is believed to be the first time that such a comprehensive experiment has been undertaken in New Zealand. , , Members of the Nw Plymouth Men s Division of the Order of St, John, five Boy Scout troops, a voluntary aid detachment and the’hospital authorities co-operated in the undertaking, from which much valuable information about timing and general organisation was obtained. The plan was designed to meet a situation arising from an earthquake, railway disaster or a raid on the town by an enemy. Though some' defects were discovered in the scheme under the practical test, the authorities expressed themselves as well satisfied with the experiment and said they were confident that the data obtained would serve in perfecting and strengthening the emergency organisation. All told probably 200 individuals tok part in the surprise trial and had assembled within half an hour of the warning. Fifty patients were taped for evacuation and everything was ready to replace them with 50 casualties. As the ambulances arrived with casualties, Boy Scouts, acting as patients who could be moved, were taken to an emergency hospital at the high school, where everything was ready for their reception.