FIRE PROTECTION IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 24675, 21 February 1942, Page 6

FIRE PROTECTION IN CITY

Survey Completed The Fire Protection Committee of the Invercargill E.P.S. has been carrying out a survey of buildings in the city area and a statement on its findings has been made by the Chief Controller (Mr H. J. Macalister). Because of the likelihood of fire during enemy raids instructions have been issued for adequate measures to be taken for the control of fires during an emergency, says the statement. The Fire Protection Committee has already completed a thorough survey of part, of the most vulnerable area of the city and the whole survey will be completed shortly. The Emergency Reserve Corps Regulations 1941 provide for the compulsory fire protection of buildings, and give power to the local E.P.S., which acts through its' Fire Protection Committee, to (1) require owners of buildings to provide fire-fighting equipment; (2) require occupiers of buildings and all employees therein to serve as fire patrols or fire-fighters, and to undergo training for such work, and (3) require owners and occupiers to provide means of access (for example, by provision of keys) so that fire patrols may have access when necessary to all parts of buildings for discovery or fighting of fires.

Equipment is being procured in bulk under contracts by the E.P.S. and will be sold to owners at cost when available. It is emphasized that any gear obtained should be strictly in ' accordance with the types adopted as standard. It is realized that in many cases the employees in a building will not be sufficient in numbers to form the necessary guards if the situation becomes so urgent that continuous duty, day and night, is necessary. In such cases the building staffs will be added to from the persons enrolled in the general E.P.S. forces.

All persons will be required to take their turns at fire-watching—none will be excused this duty except active members of the fighting forces and the E.P.S. fire section, district wardens and their deputies, section controllers and E.P.S. personnel who are already employed on continuous duty. It is not yet proposed to institute full-time watching, but this may become urgent at any moment and building occupiers should make their plans at once so that they will be ready.