RAID SHELTERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22184, 30 January 1942, Page 6

RAID SHELTERS

Five Types Planned Family Protection The New Zealand Standards Institute has prepared plans, which are now available, for five types of domestic air raid shelters, which will afford excellent family protection. These New Zealand emergency standard specifications have been prepared by the New Zealand Standards Institute in collaboration with the Public Works Department under the authority of the National Service Department. The standard specifications are issued with the object of assisting people to construct raid shelters, adjacent to their homes, which will afford the recognised standard of protection against blast, splinters, machine-gun bullets, small incendiary bombs and similar missiles. They are based upon the general principle set out in the New Zealand Emergency Standard Code for raid shelters, which in turn is based upon the latest and most authoritative Information available from Great Britain, and now provides the established standard for the construction of shelters in the Dominion. Householder’s Responsibility The specification for domestic raid shelters describes in clear terms, with full explanatory diagrams, five types of shelters which will afford excellent family protection. It Is not possible to be certain when or where an attack may occur, or the form which it may take; but a due sense of responsibility calls for all precautions calculated to reduce the number of casualties should a raid take place. The first responsibility for the safety of each family rests upon the householder. Any supplementary protection gained from measures taken by local authorities or commercial Interests does not absolve those concerned of this primary responsibility. Community shelter's are intended to accommodate only those persons who may be distant from their homes during a raid. Types Specified In order to cater for likely variations in location, nature of ground, and the other factors involved, five types of shelters have been specified, as follows: Type A, open trench shelters (temporary); Type B, covered trench shelters (timber framed); Type C, covered trench shelters (suitable for solid ground); Type D, surface shelters (completely above ground); Type E, garage shelters (constructed in private garages or similar structures). Copies of the standard specifications may be obtained from the secretary, New Zealand Standards Institute, Wellington, C. 1., at a cost of 1/- each, post free.