TRIAL EVACUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24826, 28 January 1942, Page 4

TRIAL EVACUATION

PARLIAMENT HOUSE MINISTERS AND STAFFS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan, 27. A trial evacuation of the Legislative staffs and the occupants of offices in Parliament House was held this afternoon. Signals were given by ringing the division bells, an alert signal of five seconds being followed within a minute by an evacuation signal. Immediately the alert was sounded the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, Ministers of the Crown, private secretaries, officials, typists, messengers and others ceased the work they were doing and made their way to the nearest corridor. The building warden, Mr T. D. H. Hall, and the evacuation patrols took up their posts at various points through the buildings, and as soon as the evacuation signal was given directed those being evacuated to the nearest dispersal exit. Two minutes and a-half were occupied by the actual evacuation, but it is hoped to reduce this time by remedying minor weaknesses revealed by to-day’s trial. After the evacuation a check was made of every room to see that no one had been left in the buildings other than the essential personnel required to remain behind for special duties. The all-clear signal was given after this had been done and an imaginary casualty had been removed to a place of safety. The trial evacuation was followed by a demonstration of the most effective methods to adopt to extinguish incendiary bombs. Six of the British A.R.P. practice incendiary bombs were used. The commentary was given by Fourth Officer A. McJennett, of the Wellington Fire Brigade, who is liaison officer between the brigade and the E.P.S. organisation. He was assisted with the demonstration by a party of firemen.