FIRE PROTECTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16921, 30 December 1925, Page 7

FIRE PROTECTION.

NEW SYSTEM OF ALARMS. M ODERN METII CDS ADOPTE D. EFFICIENT M ECHANISM. With the installation of the Duplex fire alarm .system, which was completed this morning, Gisborne its as well equipped with modern methods for the_ notification of an outbreak of fire as is possible with the most up-to-date mechanism. The work of installing the system, which was carried out by the Duplex Company, of Dunedin, has occupied some weeks, but now has been completed, and tests which were carried out this morning proved in every way satisfactory For tho purpose of the system the town and suburbs have been diveded into four districts, or .circuits, a total of 57 alarm boxes being distributed at various points. When an outbreak of fire occurs and the alarm is given through one of tho boxes, the bell at the station immediately rings, not continuously, but ' with intermittent signals which indicate the number of the box from which the call was given. At the same time an indicator falls, and shows in which of the four districts the fire is located. Simultaneously tha number of tho box is recorded on a paper tape at short intervals, so that the actual source of the ahum is given both by tho bell and the recording instrnmemt. In order that there shall be no delay in ascertaining the locality of the box from which an jalarm is given a complete directory is placed alongside the. indicator. Once an alarm is given, the falling of the shutter indicates tho district, the ringing of tho bell and the record on IhtTtapc, both of which aie repeated intermittently, indicate the number of the box, and reference to the directory shows immediately the exact locality of the box. In this way an alarm is given with a minimum of delay, and without any possibility of confusion which sometimes exists in the case of telephoned messages. The Duplex system, it is claimed, is the* ma«t efficient, method of giving tire alarms that has ever bean installed in the history of fire alarm telegraphy. The "mechanism, which is extremely simple, is so designed that in the event of any fault developing in the wires the) system is not interfered with, whileeither a broken who or an earth fault is immediately indicated by the dropping of a fihuttOT. This protection is a result of a combination of tho two universally accepted methods of fire signalling, the open circuit and the closed circuit. Both tho district indicators, and the recording instrument are duplicated, so that the: possibility of the system breakin" down is completely overcome. One interesting feature of the .system is that calls from two boxes could, if necessary, be recorded simultaneously. It is interesting too, to observe that telephonic communication may be established from any box with the station, plugs being provided in each box for the fitting of a microtelephone. The existence of the telephone greatly facilitates any tests which may be desired, and is invaluable in locating any faults in the lines. All that is necessary to give an alarm through the box is for the glass front to broken, and the button firmly pressed once only, the mechanism automatically doing everything else, and the bell at the station ringing continuously. Any person giving an alarm is expected to remain at the box until the brigade arrives in order to direct the brigade to the fire. The alarms are not, of course, to be used except in the event of a fire, and severe penalties are provided for any person wilfully giving a false alarm. * .. .;.,.