AIR RAID PROTECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24345, 9 July 1940, Page 6

AIR RAID PROTECTION

SYDNEY’S POPULATION STATE GOVERNMENT’S PLANS (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, June 25. Plans for the swift protection of the population of Sydney and the suburbs in a possible emergency have been announced by the Minister in charge of the State national emergency services. Mr Bruxner. . . ' The plans include: The appointment of a professional committee to deal with all construction required for air raid shelters, and other defence works; the preparation of zone maps showing the disposition of these; and a register of construction organisations. The committee will include engineers, architects, and master builders. The functions of the committee will be: To review, and if necessary, amend plans and sketches which are, or may be, prepared, for all types of shelters;.to check the positions, locations, and numbers of these shelters, and, finally, fix their positions: to get into contact any experts necessary to ensure the successful carrying cut of these plans. “Types of shelters for which standard plans and specifications will be required.” Mr Bruxner said, ‘include brick or concrete pillboxes, trenches (covered and open), footpath screen aprons, shelters against cliff faces, and brick retaining walls or other walls, standard type gas decontamination units of brick or timber, and standard strutting required for school rooms. “A large key plan showing the position of all shelters and their type and also entrances to the underground railways will be prepared,, Maps of the various districts or zones, to a laiger scale, showing the location a nd type of shelters, will be made and filed until it is necessary to begin construction. “A register will be compiled of all building and constructional engineering firms, brick yards, timber yards, blue metal, sand, and gravel firms, showing their capacity and allotment, A copy of this will be issued to each officer in charge of a zone so that he can get supplied without causing interference. Carrying companies will be similarly registered. “ Government buildings and all Slate and private schools will be placed directly under the Government, architect, and he will be responsible for the allotment of an officer to prepare the necessary detailed plans and J o implement those plans. “Protection for the floating population (those not in. or occupied in, buildings or capable of being housed in buildings) is contemplated. It is understood however, that business firms, factories', etc., must provide air-raid shelters for their staffs and customers while at business.”